wrestling / TV Reports
Hamilton’s Rev Pro Pop-Up Show 2: Road To High Stakes 09.12.2021 Review
Image Credit: RevPro
Loading...Quick Results
Kenneth Halfpenny & Shaun Jackson pinned Callum Newman & JJ Gale in 12:25 (**¾)
Brendan White pinned Nico Angelo in 14:08 (***¼)
Robbie X pinned Yota Tsuji in 14:38 (***½)
Connor Mills pinned Kyle Fletcher in 15:39 (***¼)
Mark Davis pinned Michael Oku in 18:23 (***½)
Hannah Taylor pinned Mariah May in 17:19 (**¾)
Will Ospreay, Ethan Allen & Luke Jacobs pinned Ricky Knight Jr., Chuck Mambo & TK Cooper in 21:37 (***¾)
— If you’re on Twitter, give me a follow over on @IanWrestling – and check out the GoFundMe that’s still open for Larry’s family.
Andy Quildan and Gideon Grey are back on commentary for this one… after my ears got blown out by I assume someone leaning on a slider?
Two Extremely Athletic Men (Kenneth Halfpenny & Shaun Jackson) vs. Callum Newman & JJ Gale
The winners of this one qualify for a four-way tag match at High Stakes for a future tag title shot…
Gale and Halfpenny start us off, with Gale’s springboard leg lariat and dropkick putting Halfpenny on the proverbial ropes. A tag brings in Jackson… but Gale’s tripped into a headbutt on Shaun’s Jacksons, before Callum Newman came in with a backflip kick. A standing shooting star press is good for a two-count for Newman, who then popped up Gale for an elbow drop on Jackson for a two-count.
Jackson’s hair pull takes Newman into the corner, but a snapmare and a kick turned it around for a two-count. Halfpenny’s back, sending Newman to the outside as Jackson slammed him onto the apron, as team TEAM began to make inroads, swapping tags to keep Newman isolated.
Clotheslines and back sentons lead to a two-count on Newman, while a sidewalk slam/elbow drop combo gets another two-count. A knee strike from Newman, then a leaping stomp gets him free as Gale got the hot tag in, landing a double-jump moonsault to wipe out TEAM. Gale keeps going with a springboard uppercut, then a pop-up dropkick as a Falcon arrow nearly does the deal.
Jackson tries to pull Newman off the apron, but instead eats an Orihara moonsault into the front row, before Newman went up top for a shooting star press. He aborts it in mid-air, while Halfpenny’s pumphandle ushigoroshi almost wins it. Avoiding a nosebleed, Halfpenny’s dropkicked on the top rope, then unceremoniously brought down for a Gory bomb knee and a TKO… but Newman being in the wrong corner allowed TEAM to recompose themselves, with Jackson swatting Newman off the top rope before the Lightwater Valley (look, I’m just going to pick random theme parks for that move since I’m not getting a cut…) gets the win for TEAM. A decent opener with the tag rules actually playing into the finish for a change! **¾
Nico Angelo vs. Brendan White
It’s a Rev Pro debut for Angelo, who’d been making inroads on the British scene before everything shut down.
White looks for a wristlock early, but Angelo flips free in the ropes before White came back with chops and a slam. A shoulder tackle and a splash adds a two-count, while a press slam dropped Angelo for another two-count as commentary was going through turtles.
Angelo’s floatover and backflip gets him back in it as he chopped White into the corner, leading to a lucha armdrag and some headscissors, taking White to the outside. A springboard moonsault to the outside’s blocked as White clears the crowd, creating a space as he CHUCKS Angelo into the third row. Someone hates Andy’s chair deposit.
Back inside, White gets a two-count, then again from a backbreaker, before a Biel throw chucks Angelo from corner-to-corner. Pulling himself up with “those things in the corner of the ring,” Angelo manages to get a boot up to stop White, then tripped him into the buckles as a Combinacion Cabron-ish dropkick rocked the Welshman.
White tries to recover, but just leaps into a death valley driver, before a backflip kick caught out White again. A reverse ‘rana keeps White down, before a pull-up death valley driver nearly gave the debutant the upset win. Angelo lands on his feet from a shooting star press, but White comes back with a Big Ending, a tiltawhirl slam, and a moonsault for a near-fall, before a crossface ends with Angelo in the ropes.
Teeing up, White hits the ropes for a lariat, but a ‘rana stops him in his tracks as Angelo followed up a corkscrew dive off the top to the floor. Returning to the ring, White’s up to knock Angelo off the ropes, then brought him in with a deadlift suplex, before a Black Hole Slam made sure that Angelo’s impressive debut ended in defeat. ***¼
Robbie X vs. Yota Tsuji
Tsuji’s 0-3 after his first weekend in Rev Pro – and has a target on his back after rejecting the Legion’s advances. We’re thirty-six minutes in before we get the first “will you stop?” on this show…
We open with a handshake as Andy Q squeaks an F-bomb onto commentary. Tsuji’s headlock takedown’s quickly nullified, as was Robbie X’s ‘rana, and Tsuji’s retaliation as we reached a standoff.
The match descends into elbow strikes, which Tsuji edged ahead on, but Robbie X finds a way back with a slingshot senton that drew a two-count. A hammerlock’d armbar looks to follow on Tsuji, who then absorbed a series of chops before a back body drop from Tsuji flung Robbie into the sky.
A backbreaker and a powerslam from Tsuji adds a two-count, before a Boston crab was broken in the ropes. Robbie X hits the ropes for a missile dropkick that turned it around, as we’re then back to chops… Robbie X edges ahead with a handspring kick to knock Tsuji off the apron, following with an apron PK and a backflip kick… only to get dumped with a clothesline.
From there, Tsuji looks for… Vertebreaker?! Robbie X slips out and hits a German suplex instead, then a shotgun dropkick, before he went up top… and got clotheslined again. Gideon Grey leaves commentary to jab Robbie X in the knee with his cane. Tsuji goes back to the Vertebreaker setup, instead landing almost a reverse Gory Bomb for the win. I have no idea what on earth to call it, but effective, as Tsuji seemingly got his first W in England. HOWEVER… after the match, Gideon did a rotten job of hiding his cane as Robbie X called it out… and the match restarts?
A roll-up from Robbie X gets a two-count, before the X-Clamation made sure of it as Tsuji threw away his win, losing 19 seconds after the restart. ***½
Post-match, Gideon chewed out Robbie and Tsuji as the sales pitch for the Legion continued… with the announcement of Tsuji vs. Mark Haskins for York Hall. Imagine that crowd if Tsuji pops off the Vertebreaker there…
Connor Mills vs. Kyle Fletcher
Rescheduled from a week earlier, we finally get to hear Connor Mills’ singles music after it’d been sidelined last weekend…
A tentative start has Mills on the defensive, with a shoulder block knocking him down, but Mills is back with an uppercut, a Kitchen sink knee and a kick for a two-count. In the corner, Fletcher stings Mills with a series of chops, before a pop-up pancake and a running back elbow span Mills down for a two-count.
Chops wear down Mills in the corner again, but a Quebrada from Mills catches Fletcher out, as did a Yakuza kick in the corner and a rebound lariat – with Mills getting a two-count from that. An Orihara moonsault followed on the floor from Mills, before a Tower of London out of the corner nearly led to the win.
Fletcher turns it back around with a Michinoku driver for a near-fall, before he booted Mills to the outside for a plancha. On the apron, Mills and Fletcher counter back and forth tombstones before Mills’ up-kick took Kyle back inside… only for Kyle to quickly head outside for a tombstone on the floor.
Mills pops up at 9 to beat the count-out, but is instantly met with a brainbuster for a near-fall, then a diving knee before the Grimstone was countered with a reverse ‘rana. The pair resume with some back-and-forth strikes, leading to another rebound lariat that Fletcher turned into a powerbomb. Another clothesline from Fletcher leads to a Millshot for a near-fall, before Mills went up top for a frog splash that nearly wins it. A roundhouse and a Burning Cutter does the job though, as Mills picks up a surprise win here. ***¼
Michael Oku vs. Mark Davis
Michael Oku seems to be making a habit of facing a beating in this venue…
Gideon’s back on commentary, and we start with Davis just chucking aside Oku as the size difference made for quite the stark contrast here. Davis sits on the top turnbuckle before he leapt over Oku and charged him with a back elbow for a delayed two-count as I pondered whether a Loserweight title a la Germany’s GWF would work in Britwres…
Davis tries to lever out Oku’s arm from his shoulder, but Oku’s dropkicks and ‘rana looked to lead to a half crab, but it’s way too early in the night for it. Going to the bar, Davis gets a bottle of water, then returned to hit a release German suplex on Oku as Gideon cackled. Kicks to the back see Davis wear down Oku ahead of a nasty elbow off the middle rope that added a near-fall.
Oku’s neck gets stretched as Davis was just having his way with the Cruiserweight champion. Sticking and moving looked to be Oku’s main hope, but a sunset flip out of the corner’s squashed via a back senton. Davis continues to bully Oku, absorbing some chops before another bear-like swipe led to a two-count.
Oku avoids another elbow drop off the ropes, then a back senton as he looked to fight back… only to get decked with a boot. Forearms from Oku looked to be ineffective, but his overhead kick wasn’t, only for Davis to pancake him ahead of a DDT from Oku, who was starting to capitalise on Davis’ errors.
Heading outside, Oku knocks down Davis with topes, before sending himself into the third row on another, as a Dragon screw tied up Davis in the ropes. A half crab in the ropes follows, but Davis is back with a release reversed suplex, then a diving elbow for a two-count as Oku looked spent. The Alphamare Waterslide is escaped by Oku, who tries a backslide… which Davis just threw him down from.
A suplex from Davis is nearly countered, but Oku slips out for a ‘rana that nearly won the match, before superkicks and a diving knee have Davis rocked. From there, a springboard moonsault lands for just a one-count, with a frog splash following as Davis still doesn’t stay down. Oku tries a half crab again, but gets pushed off… and a roll-up is countered as Davis powerbombs him for a near-fall.
The crowd gets behind Oku, who’s dropped down into safety zone… but Davis doesn’t care about your DDP Yoga positions as he pulled up Oku for some slaps, only to run into a roll-through half crab. It’s pushed away easily, as Oku’s charge into the corner is stopped via a punch, with an Alphamare Waterslide getting the win as Davis’ match-long onslaught finally led to a three-count. Michael Oku took a hell of a beating, and with him having to do double-duty on Sunday, this could spell trouble for his tag title reign… ***½
Post-match, Davis helps up Oku as Connor Mills and Kyle Fletcher came out for the obligatory “all the belts” staredown ahead of what was turned into a Rev Pro and PWA double-tag title match.
Mariah May vs. Hannah Taylor
It’s a quick return to Rev Pro for Taylor, who impressed against Hyan last week in Sheffield.
Taylor works over May’s arm to start, but a wristlock’s countered into a headlock takedown, before a knuckle lock forces May down to the mat. She bridges up, but Taylor tries to break it, only for May to escape out with body scissors. Back-and-forth sunset flips troll the ref, before Taylor rolled through for an armbar.
A springboard headlock takedown and a Slingblade gets Taylor a two-count, but May rolls aside from a charge in the corner… only to have her Matrix move stomped on. May uses the hair to pull Taylor down, only for Hannah to return with headscissors out of the corner en route to an armdrag.
Taylor keeps confounding May with a roll-through en route to a pin, but May recovered with a trip and a low dropkick. May’s knocked down on the apron, but returns with a triangle armbar in the ropes, only for May to take too long to pose as a baseball slide knocked her rudely off the apron.
May trips Taylor on the apron, then twanged the rope into the throat, before some boot chokes in the corner had Taylor down. A forearm gives Taylor some space, before we’ve more referee trolling with an endless small package. Double knees to the back of Taylor, then a clothesline gives us a two-count before Taylor telegraphed a back body drop.
A Thesz press offers a comeback, but May is back with clotheslines only to get caught with a DDT. From there, Taylor hits some rolling suplexes and a sliding clothesline, but May’s back with a triple-jump missile dropkick that nearly wins it. A crossface followed from May, but Taylor’s thrown into the mat before she got to the rope as May reapplies the hold with the use of a wrist guard.
Taylor got to the ropes as the ref was getting rid of the wrist protector… May drags her away to reapply the crossface, but Taylor fought back, only for May to roll the hold into the middle of the ring, with Taylor continuing to roll as she snatched a three-count in the end. A little on the long side, but Taylor gets her first win in Rev Pro while May pitched a fit in defeat. **¾
Ricky Knight Jr. & Sunshine Machine (Chuck Mambo & TK Cooper) vs. Young Guns (Ethan Allen & Luke Jacobs) & Will Ospreay
Originally this was Ricky Knight Jr. with Doug Williams and Brendan White, but Doug was otherwise engaged for this rescheduled card…
We get a staredown before the bell, as we start with Ospreay and RKJ, locking up into the ropes as Ospreay swung and missed on a cheapshot. RKJ looks to fight back, but Ospreay scrambled to the corner and tagged in Ethan Allen, while Chuck Mambo also came in. Allen’s shoulder tackle charges down Mambo, as they then go to ground with side headlocks.
Mambo frees himself to hit a chop, before his lucha armdrag took Allen into the buckles… TK Cooper runs in with a Yakuza kick, while a tiltawhirl backbreaker bounced Allen ahead of a brief Parade of Moves that culminated in Ospreay eating a missile shotgun dropkick from RKJ.
RKJ tags in to light up Allen with a chop in the ropes, before a back suplex dumped Allen on his shoulder. A kick to the back’s next, as Mambo returned with the Macho Man hotshot. Allen gets his knees up to stop TK Cooper’s moonsault as the Luke Jacobs came in to trade shots with Cooper.
A blind tag brings Allen back in as Ospreay swamped the ring too, leading to the match spilling into the crowd as everyone hates Andy’s chair deposit. Ospreay chucks RKJ into the crowd, while Cooper’s worn over in the opposite corner. Jacobs and Ospreay’s chops take down TK for a two-count, while kicks and uppercuts from Allen had TK in a heap as Cooper just couldn’t get a break.
Jacobs rains down headlock punches on TK, before Ospreay came in and cleared the opposite apron once more. A low dropkick from Ospreay’s good for a two-count, but he throws TK into the buckles so they can do the “I’m Samoan” bit, eventually hitting a dropkick after Cooper’s headbutt was blocked.
Allen swarms TK to stop a tag out, but throwing TK into the buckles just heads to that headbutt as Chuck Mambo came in with a springboard double dropkick. There’s a pump kick to knock Ospreay off the apron as Mambo was resurgent, leading to a Gunnslinger on Ospreay. Ricky Knight Jr. comes in to dump Ospreay with a death valley driver in the corner, following up with a pair of running dropkicks as he finally got him some, leading to a draping DDT off the top for a near-fall.
Ospreay blocks a Fire Thunder Driver, then hit the ropes for a handspring enziguiri as the Young Guns clear the apron – then help triple-team RKJ ahead of an Emerald Flowsion from Jacobs, and a corkscrew moonsault from Ospreay for a near-fall. A big ol’ Parade of Moves breaks out before Ospreay’s handspring was superkick’d away into the path of a TK headbutt.
TK tags in for to hit the Designated Driver, but Kenneth Halfpenny and Shaun Jackson trot out to knock TK off the top rope – and carry him to the back. Mambo’s Air Raid Crash and springboard splash nearly put Ospreay away, before Mambo ran to the back… that leaves RKJ having been tagged in, and it’s a case of Knight being thrown to the wolves.
Knight takes them all on, but the three-on-one sees him quickly overwhelmed, and it’s only a matter of time you feel. A Jacobs powerbomb, good for a two-count. Ospreay’s Kawada kicks and knee strikes draw blood on RKJ, whose fightback ends with him taking hook kicks ahead of a back suplex and a kick from the Young Guns. Jacobs’ waffling lariat follows, but Knight kicks out, before a Doomsday Device led to a narrow kickout… with Ospreay eventually forcing the pin with a Hidden Blade forearm to the face. An impressive outing for Ospreay and the Guns, who continued to shine. This became a mugging at the end after TEAM took Mambo and TK out of the match as part of the build for their tag match at York Hall, but a definitive-as-heck win really makes you wonder about the York Hall result… ***¾
Post-match, the Guns hold RKJ down for some punches from Ospreay, before Aussie Open made the save to chase away Aussie Open – then stared down Ospreay, with Kyle Fletcher having sworn to be on RKJ’s side the prior week. The Young Guns come back, but get posted and thrown into the wall as those two scrap to the back (which I’m hopeful means we get a rematch in the not-too-distant future)… while Ospreay kicked Knight out of the ring.
Ospreay picks up the old Rev Pro title belt – a version of the title he never held – before he got down on his knees to address the crowd… telling the fans they’d “never get rid of him,” as RKJ got up and whacked Ospreay with a vile Hidden Blade of his own to end the night with refs and medics tending to both men.
