By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Rev Pro Revolution Rumble
March 26, 2023 in London, England at York Hall, Bethnal Green
Available via RevProOnDemand.com
This is the large building that reminds me of an airplane hangar, with a curved roof.
1. Dan Moloney defeated Francesco Akira (w/Will Ospreay) at 15:02. Moloney had a handful of matches in NXT-UK. Ospreay, with his arm in a sling, joined Akira to ringside. Akira wore his IWGP Junior Tag Title belt. Moloney hit a Chuck Taylor-style “Awful Waffle” piledriver, then a Jay Driller piledriver to pin Akira. Really good match.
* Moloney and Akira shook hands. Ospreay got in the ring, took Akira’s “United Empire” armband and handed it to Moloney, apparently offering him a spot in the UE. Akira and Ospreay left, and the commentator said “Moloney has something to think about.” Moloney put the armband on, and the crowd popped.
2. Skye Smitson defeated Dani Luna to win the Rev Pro Women’s Title at 12:42. Luna also had a nice run in NXT-UK; and she has surprising strength. This is apparently Skye’s last chance to win Luna’s title. Skye reminds me a lot of Shayna Baszler. Luna hit a German Suplex and a standing powerbomb for a believable nearfall at 7:30. Luna gave Skye a powerbomb from the ring apron onto a couple men at ringside. In the ring, Skye hit a gut-wrench powerbomb for a nearfall at 10:00. Skye hit a knee strike to the jaw, then a Cody-style swinging faceplant for the pin. New champion! That was an exceptionally good women’s match.
* Lio Rush appeared on the video screen. He said he wanted a title match against Robbie X. And that was taking place… right now! The crowd popped as Lio came out from the back, as the video package seemed to imply he had sent it in. This was an unexpected appearance!
3. Robbie X defeated Lio Rush to retain the Rev Pro Cruiserweight Title at 12:50. They shook hands at the bell and traded quick reversals, with Lio nailing a dive through the ropes at 1:30. In the ring, Robbie hit a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall. Lio hit a decapitating clothesline at 6:00 and they were both down. Lio hit his Michinoku Driver for a believable nearfall. Robbie X hit a forward Finlay Roll and a moonsault for a nearfall at 9:30.
Robbie X hit an enzuigiri and he went to the top rope, but Lio rolled to the apron. Lio went for the frogsplash, but Robbie got his knees up. Robbie immediately hit the handspring-back-stunner for a believable nearfall at 12:00. Robbie missed a top-rope Phoenix Splash. Lio again went for a frogsplash, but Robbie blocked it. Robbie hit another handspring-back-stunner for the clean pin. A really, really good cruiserweight match.
4. Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Michael Oku at 24:16. Oku is tall but just so thin, even compared to Sabre, who isn’t exactly thick. When Oku went for a leapfrog at 4:00, Sabre caught a leg and hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip, and Sabre grounded the high-flyer. On the floor, Oku hit a moonsault off the guardrail onto Sabre at 7:00. Back in the ring, Sabre targeted the left elbow, wrist and fingers and was loudly booed. Oku hit a top-rope Lionsault at 11:00, but Sabre rolled to the floor before he could be pinned.
Oku hit a dragon screw leg whip in the ropes as Sabre got back in the ring. Oku hit a dive to the floor. In the ring, Oku hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 13:00. They traded hard open-hand slaps to the face. Oku caught him with a superkick for a nearfall at 17:00. Sabre applied a Fujiwara Armbar, but Oku reached the ropes. Sabre applied a sleeper on the mat. Oku applied a mid-ring half-crab, but Sabre got to the ropes at 19:30.
Oku hit a running penalty kick for a nearfall. Oku hit another dragon screw leg whip, then another, and a third one in a row. However, Oku missed a top-rope frogsplash at 22:30. Oku got a backslide for a believable nearfall. Sabre hit a piledriver for a believable nearfall. Sabre applied a modified Rings of Saturn double armbar, and Oku submitted. A fantastic match.
* Sabre got on the mic and said he’s back in the UK “because British wrestling needs me.” The commentators agreed they were shocked that Oku submitted.
5. Great-O-Khan (w/Gideon Grey) defeated Ricky Knight Jr. to retain the Rev Pro Title at 14:25. O-Khan attacked at the bell. Knight hit a top-rope crossbody block for a nearfall at 2:30. O-Khan hit Knight with Gideon’s cane, and he choked him with tape. Gideon interfered but O-Khan accidentally kicked Gideon. Knight hit a Death Valley Driver at 7:00 and a shotgun dropkick. Knight put both men on his back and hit a Death Valley Driver.
They traded chops on the floor. O-Khan shoved Knight off the top rope, with Knight crashing through a wood table on the floor at 11:30; he dove back in the ring before being counted out. O-Khan hit a piledriver move for a believable nearfall. Knight hit a Rikishi Driver for a believable nearfall, but Gideon Grey pulled the ref from the ring. A masked man got in the ring and hit Knight over the head with a Singapore Cane! He took off his hoodie to reveal it is Rampage Brown! Brown hit a piledriver, and he held Knight so O-Khan could hit a running stunner. O-Khan then nailed his Claw-to-face slam for the pin. The commentators were disgusted that O-Khan retained the title with outside help.
6. Michael Oku won a 30-man Royal Rumble at 88:20. Leon Slater drew #1. Cameron Khai is #2. I don’t know Cameron, but the announcers say he’s 17 and has had just a handful of matches. Gideon Grey is #3 at 2:00; he’s really more of a manager than a wrestler. Will Kaven is #4.; with a splash of red hair and red pants, he reminds me of Alex Zayne. Kaven eliminated Khai. Blake is #5; he’s a powerhouse, hitting a double clothesline and a senton. The masked Kid Lykos is #6 at 8:00 and he got a huge pop. Trent Seven is #7 and he got an even more massive pop! Seven clotheslined Blake over the top rope to eliminate him.
Seven hit a hard chop that sent Kaven over the top rope to eliminate him at 12:30. Gabriel Kidd is #8; we have five in the ring. Kidd and Seven traded mid-ring chops as the other three were down on the mat. Grey dropped Slater with a cane shot to the head. Kid Lykos chased Gideon to the back. Are they eliminated for leaving? Francesco Akira is #9 at 16:30, and he brawled with Kidd. No one else is standing in the ring. Shaun Jackson is #10; he’s white with short black hair and he appears to be of average height. Akira tossed Jackson just seconds after he got in the ring, and the crowd cheered.
JJ Gale is #11 at 21:00; he also has short black hair and he wore red trunks, and he hit a flying back elbow on Leon Slater (who entered at #1 and is still in the match.) Callum Newman is #12. Akira was tossed at 24:00 by Gale. Gale and Newman worked together to hit a giant hiptoss and eliminate Slater. Luke Jacobs (think Danielson) is #13; he’s put on some upper body mass since I saw him six to 12 months ago. Gideon Grey returned to the ring! He tried to toss some of the exhausted guys with no luck. Four guys surrounded Grey, so he dove through the ropes to leave the ring again.
Chris Bronson is #14 at 29:30; there is no rhyme or reason to the splits. Eddie Dennis is #15, and the announcers said if he doesn’t win, he is retiring. Luke Jacobs tossed Trent Seven; we have six in the ring and Gideon Grey stalling on the floor, and who knows if we’ll see Kid Lykos again. Big Damo is #16 at 33:30. Callum was eliminated. Damo hit a senton on Gale, so Dennis hit a senton on Gale, so Bronson hit a senton on Gale! Funny. Joshua James is #17; he’s every bit as big as Damo but younger and without all the body hair; James and Damo immediately traded shoulder tackles.
I am counting seven in the ring (plus Gideon.) Zak Knight is #18 at 38:30. Gideon Grey hopped in the ring and tried putting a sleeper on Zak Knight, but Zac no-sold it. Bronson was eliminated. Robbie X is #19, and he put Damo on his shoulder but couldn’t toss him. Robbie X eliminated the big Joshua James. Zack Sabre Jr. is #20 at 42:30 and he traded vicious blows with Kidd. Jordon Breaks is #21 at 45:00; he’s young and thin but bald. TK Cooper is #22; he’s half of the “Sunshine Machine” tag team. We have at least nine in the ring.
Cooper hit a Samoan Drop on Damo. Breaks and Sabre traded mid-ring submission holds, but Sabre eliminated Breaks. Danny Jones is #23; he reminds me of JD McDonough in heel mannerisms. JJ Gale tossed Sabre at 51:00 and the crowd was stunned and shocked! Sabre hopped in the ring and kept hitting Gale. “Talk about a sore loser,” a commentator said. Brendan White (Danny Jones’ partner in “Greedy Souls”!) is #24, so White and Jones entered the ring together, and they immediately tossed Gale. “You can give the assist to Sabre,” a commentator said.
Greedy Souls then eliminated Zak Knight. Chuck Mambo (the other member of Sunshine Machines) is #25, but TK Cooper was tossed as Mambo ran to the ring! Gideon Grey hopped in the ring, shoved Eddie Dennis, and went right back to the floor. (There out to be a rule here on how much time you can spend on the floor!) The Greedy Souls tossed Mambo. Michael Oku is #26, but he’s limping and selling injuries from his earlier match, and a commentator said “it’s not a good idea.” Connor Mills is #27; he snuck up behind Oku and hit him with the cruiserweight title belt in the back of the head! Mills then beat up Robbie X, and he tossed Robbie.
Gideon Grey hit a low blow on Eddie Dennis and nearly tossed him. Kid Lykos returned to the ring at 62:30 (where has he been for 20 minutes?) Lykos took off the mask and it’s actually Mark Andrews! Andrews hit a Canadian Destroyer. We have eight in the ring. Rampage Brown is #28, and he tossed Andrews. Rampage Brown and Big Damo traded mid-ring blows with everyone else down on the mat, and Rampage eliminated Damo at 65:30. Ricky Knight Jr. is #29 and he charged at Rampage Brown. Brendan White was tossed. Danny Jones was tossed. Knight clotheslined Rampage to the floor, but Oku snuck up behind Knight and tossed Knight, too! Knight and Rampage kept brawling on the floor and to the back.
Former teammates (now bitter enemies) Oku and Mills traded mid-ring blows, and they fell through the ropes to the floor. Sha Samuels is #30 at 70:00 and the crowd popped for him. Gideon Grey was FINALLY tossed and we have just six left! Sha Samuels was tossed by Mills. Kidd and Jacobs brawled. Oku and Eddie Dennis traded forearm shots. Eddie was on the apron, and Connor Mills hit a Mafia Kick to eliminate Dennis at 77:00! “Eddie Dennis’ professional wrestling career is over!” a commentator shouted. The crowd was shocked, then started chanting, “Eddie Dennis!” Eddie talked to Oku and told him to go win the match, and that fired up Oku.
So, our final four were: Michael Oku, Gabriel Kidd, Luke Jacobs and Connor Mills. Oku tossed Mills. Jacobs and Kidd shook hands, and they double-teamed Oku. However, Kidd snuck up behind Jacobs and tossed him! We are down to Oku vs. Kidd! They traded forearm shots; Kidd looked fresh and did jumping jacks, while Oku sold the beatdown from his earlier match.
Kidd hit a brainbuster at 85:30. Kidd got on the mic and proclaimed he is the best in British wrestling. KIdd went to the top rope but Oku hopped up and hit a superkick. Kidd tried choking Oku out. They traded slaps. Oku hit a superkick, then clotheslined Kidd over the top rope to win! Oku fell backward in the ring, as if to make a snow angel, out of exhaustion. What a match.
* Great-O-Khan, Dan Moloney and Francesco Akira got in the ring (no Ospreay!). O-Khan stared down Oku, held his title belt above his head, and they left without any physical contact. I loved this.
* Oku walked to the top of the ramp and he called Eddie Dennis to come out. Dennis walked to the ring, removed his boots and left them in the ring. He waved at fans and headed up the ramp, with the camera focused on the boots. Classy finale.
Final Thoughts: Outside of some of the abnormally long splits of when wrestlers came out, that was a good Royal Rumble, allowing for so many stories to be told. The crowd was into every tease when Eddie Dennis was nearly tossed, aware of his vow to retire if he didn’t win, and the crowd was devastated when Dennis’ protoge was the one to finally eliminate him.
Oku is really, really good. I don’t mind that he lost earlier in the show, only to come back and win the Royal Rumble. Lio Rush always delivers, and the crowd loved the surprise that he was actually there. The women’s match topped my expectations as it was really hard-hitting. Top to bottom, this was an exceptional show.
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