By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Rev Pro Ten Year Anniversary show
August 20, 2022 in London, England at York Hall
Available via RevProOnDemand.vhx.tv
It is worth reiterating that Will Ospreay competed in the finals of the New Japan G1 Climax just days earlier and flew half-way across the world to be on this show.
This venue has a curved roof like an airport hangar, and is likely a club or theater, but it appears the size of a middle school gym with an upper tier with two rows of seating. I’l put the crowd at 500. We do have two men providing commentary.
1. Connor Mills defeated Tony Deppen at 17:09. Mills recently competed in a match versus Pac for the All-Atlantic title that aired on AEW Dark; I might have seen him once or twice before. Early in the match, Deppen blew his nose on Mills, earning the disgust of the crowd. They do the spot where Deppen can’t kip up, and he asks Mills to help him; Mills goes to help, but Deppen kicks him and kips up without needing any help. Mills nailed a dive through the ropes at 4:00, then a missile dropkick for a nearfall. Deppen nailed a kneedrop to the back of the neck and took control.
Deppen tied him in an Octopus hold on the mat. Mills nailed a running forearm in the corner at 8:00, then a springboard European Uppercut for a nearfall. Deppen went for a crossface chickenwing, but Mills escaped and hit a spinning Mafia Kick to the face for a nearfall. Deppen shoved the ref into the ropes, causing Mills to be crotched on the top turnbuckle at 10:00. Deppen nailed a flip dive through the ropes. In the ring, Deppen hit a double stomp to the back, then a running kneestrike into the corner for a nearfall at 12:30.
Deppen hit another hard kneestrike. Mills hit the Moxley-lean-into-the-ropes-
2. Chantel Jordan defeated Maya Matthews (w/Alex Windsor) at 9:39. My first time seeing these two. The announcers explained that Windsor is serving as a mentor after Maya nearly beat Alex in her debut match. They immediately traded forearm shots and Maya hit a nice dropkick and a head-scissors takedown. Chantel took control with a series of kicks and strikes and a snap suplex for a nearfall at 3:00. Chantel hit some Yes Kicks as Maya was on her knees. Maya fired back with a lungblower move to the chin.
Chantel hooked the leg and nailed a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Maya hit a series of forearms that winded herself, and Chantel nailed a headbutt that sent them both to the mat at 6:00. They traded forearm shots from on their knees, then from the standing position. Chantel hit a running neckbreaker for a nearfall. Maya hit an RKO stunner for a nearfall. Maya got a Victory Roll for a nearfall. Chantel hit a modified tombstone piledriver for the pin. That was really hard-hitting and a good women’s matchup.
3. Luke Jacobs defeated Francesco Akira to retain the British Cruiserweight Title at 18:42. Akira has competed this year in New Japan, so I know him more. Jacobs wears Bryan Danielson-style maroon trunks; he is slightly taller and thicker than Akira. They immediately traded chops and Jacobs hit a senton. Akira hit a head-scissors takedown. Akira dove off the ring apron and hit a huracanrana on the floor at 4:30, then a top-rope dive onto Jacobs as he stood in the crowd.
Back in the ring, Akira stayed in charge with a series of kicks to the back, and Jacobs began selling pain in his back. Akira hit two belly-to-back suplexes. Jacobs applied a mid-ring sleeper, then he hit a hard clothesline at 8:00, then a shotgun dropkick and a brainbuster for a nearfall. He applied a mid-ring anklelock, with Akira screaming in pain before reaching the ropes at 10:30. Akira nailed a second-rope Poison Rana for a believable nearfall, and that popped the announcers and crowd. Akira hit a German Suplex with a bridge for a nearfall, and they were both down.
They got up and traded forearm shots and avoided each other”s big moves. Jacobs hit a German Suplex. Akira hit a half nelson suplex; Jacobs popped up and hit a German Suplex. Akira nailed a decapitating clothesline at 15:00. Jacobs hit a running dropkick in the corner. Jacobs hit a coast-to-coast top-rope dropkick. He nailed a Styles Clash for a believable nearfall. Akira hit a running kneedrop to the face. Akira went for a top-rope missile dropkick, but Jacobs caught his legs and turned it into a powerbomb. Jacobs applied a sleeper in the middle of the ring and Akira passed out. That was really fun.
4. Shota Umino defeated Yota Tsuji in a four-corners strap match at 11:40. This is the match where they are connected at the wrist by a 15-foot strap, and to win, you must touch each corner. Massive boos for Yota. He is wearing an outfit like a Tibetan monk. Umino ran to the ring and tackled Yota before the ref separated them and got the straps on wrists. They traded stiff forearm shots at the bell. They brawled to the floor, where Shota yanked Tsuji into the ring post.
In the ring, Shota got two turnbuckles before Yota cut him off at 2:30. Tsuji wrapped the strap around Shota’a neck and choked him. He flipped Shota over the top rope and hanged him. Shota recovered and hit a slingshot DDT at 6:00. (No pinfall attempts.) Yota hit a bodyslam and touched three corners, but Shota cut him off at 8:00 by crotching him with the strap. Shota fired back with an enziguri and a swinging faceplant. Shota put Tsuji on his shoulders and got three corners, but then he was tripped.
Shota hit a hard kneestrike to the forehead. Yota fired back with a spear at 10:30, and he again wrapped the strap around the throat. They did the spot where Yota hit a corner but was unaware that Shota behind him also touched a corner. After they each had touched three corners, Shota hit the Moxley Death Rider double-arm DDT, then hopped up and tapped the fourth corner for the win.
5. “Aussie Open” Mark Davis and Kyle Fletcher defeated Michael Oku and Connor Mills to retain the Rev Pro Tag Titles at 19:35. Oku is the slender, Black high-flyer who really turned heads earlier this year with a stellar match against Will Ospreay. Mills started versus Davis, which surprised the announcers, as they pointed out that Mills wrestled just an hour ago and he may need rest. Fletcher grounded Mills early, and Davis hit a big bodyslam on the floor at 5:30. This match has been shockingly slow-paced at this point, as Mills is too kayfabe exhausted to get any offense in.
Oku finally made the hot tag at 8:30 and he hit a nice tornado DDT, then a dive to the floor, where he caught Davis’ head and hit a DDT on the floor. Oku hit a top-rope crossbody block in the ring on Fletcher for a nearfall and the building is suddenly alive. Oku applied a half-crab on Fletcher, but Kyle reached the ropes at 10:30. Fletcher fired back with a brainbuster for a nearfall. AO hit a team neckbreaker for a nearfall, but Mills made the save. Oku hit a Lionsault on Davis.
Mills did his move from earlier where he flipped Kyle in the air and hit a punt kick on the way down, scoring a nearfall. Mills hit a mid-ring Poison Rana on Fletcher at 14:30. Davis hit a Mafia Kick to Mills’ jaw. On the floor, Fletcher rammed Mills’ shoulder into a ring post. In the ring, Davis jumped off the second rope and hit a piledriver on Mills for a nearfall, earning a “holy shit!” chant at 17:00.
On the floor, Fletcher gave Oku a powerbomb onto the corner of the ring apron. AO continued to work over Mills in the ring. Mills nailed the Rebound Lariat off the ropes. Oku went for a top-rope frogsplash but they caught him with a kick. AO then hit their spinning wash machine slam on Oku for the pin. That sure started slow but was fantastic from the moment Oku tagged in.
* Aussie Open left first. Oku and Mills limped to the back, with Oku behind him. Thirty-plus years of watching wrestling had me expecting Oku to attack Mills, and clearly the fans in attendance were thinking the same thing, but it was anti-climatic. It felt like a teaser, though, for a future split.
6. Will Ospreay defeated “Speedball” Mike Bailey at 24:24 to retain the Rev Pro Title at 24:26. The crowd was hot at the bell. Stalling at first, then standing switches, quicker reversals, and a standoff at 2:30. The crowd started singing the “Ole” soccer chant but instead singing “Ospreay,” which distracted Ospreay and stopped the action. Bailey hit his speedback kicks to the ribs, and Ospreay bailed to the floor. Ospreay tied Bailey in the ropes and hit a kick on the left knee at 6:00, sending Bailey to the floor writhing in pain. Ospreay followed to the floor and worked over the injured knee on the guardrail in front of the fans.
In the ring, Ospreay applied a Figure Four, drawing a lot of “wooos!” Ospreay was now fully in charge, working over the damaged knee. Bailey hit a running knee at 10:00 and a series of kicks, then a corkscrew press for a nearfall. Ospreay hit a top-rope flying forearm for a nearfall at 11:30. Bailey went for his mid-ring moonsault kneedrop, but Ospreay got his knees up, and Bailey landed on the mat in pain, clutching his knees. Bailey hit his Asai Moonsault to the floor at 14:00. Bailey missed a moonsault kneedrop on the apron, and Ospreay immediately hit an Os-cutter on the apron.
In the ring, Ospreay hit a top-rope flying forearm to the base of the neck, then a springboard Os-cutteer for a believable nearfall at 15:30. Bailey avoided the Hidden Blade, and he immediately hit Ultimo Weapon/second-rope moonsault kneedrop, and they were both down. They traded chops. Ospreay hit his wrap-around kick to the face and a forearm strike to the back of the head for a nearfall at 19:00. Ospreay applied a modified Texas Cloverleaf. Bailey hit a mid-ring huracanrana and his moonsault kneedrop, then his spin kick in the corner. Bailey hit the Ultimo Weapon and a spin kick to Ospreay’s jaw for a nearfall at 21:30.
They fought on the ropes in the corner, and Bailey hit a second-rope piledriver, then he hit the Hidden Blade for a nearfall. Ospreay immediately put Bailey on his shoulder and hit the Stormbreaker spinning faceplant for the pin. A superb match between two guys the same height and size. Just a believable match with no flaws.
* Ospreay got on the mic and tore into the crowd that was cheering for him. It was somewhat inaudible. The crowd started chanting “F–K Okada!” He ran through the matches he’s had in the past week in New Japan before coming here. Ricky Knight Jr., who is facing Ospreay the next night, walked to the ring, wearing a three-piece suit. Ospreay taunted Knight to come into the ring. Knight began taking off the suit as he walked around ringside. They stood face-to-face in the ring, but Aussie Open and Francesco Akira ran in the ring and attacked Knight, then they left. Knight got on the ring and called Ospreay a derogatory phrase, so the United Empire returned to the ring and beat on him some more, with Knight now bleeding from his forehead. Ospreay hit the Hidden Blade to the back of the head.
Final Thoughts: The main event was every bit as awesome as I imagined it would be. Two guys with similar size and similar style, trading tight, believable offense. Not a surprise at the winner, but that didn’t hurt my enjoyment of this stellar match.
Anyone who has seen Shota Umino this year knows he is a star. The only question is when he returns to New Japan and how quickly he is placed in the top tier with Jay White, Will Ospreay, Naito and Okada. Because if he doesn’t start there, he’ll be there very quickly.
There wasn’t a bad match here. The women’s match was hard-hitting. Oku continues to impress every time I see him. No surprise that Deppen, who is such a perfectly awful heel, impressed here. The show clocked in at just over two-and-a-half hours.
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