By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
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Revolution Pro Wrestling “High Stakes 2024”
February 18, 2024 in London, England at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre
Available via RevProOnDemand.com
This building is packed with maybe 2,000. Andy Quilden is play-by-play and Gideon Grey is the heel commentator; I’ve gotten to see him in NJPW. Lighting is good.
1. Orange Cassidy defeated Flash Morgan Webster, Sha Samuels, Richard Holliday, Spike Trivet, Shigehiro Irie, and Cameron Khai in a scramble to retain the AEW International Title at 8:03. Sha had a run in NXT-UK before it shuttered, he looks like the Gallus guys. I always compare Irie to EVIL or Shingo Takagi in size. We had six in the ring but then Orange Cassidy’s music played, and he joined the match. “Why is he dressed like a homeless man?” Grey shouted. “Jesus Christ, he looks like Kenny Loggins.” (I stopped/restarted stopwatch.) Irie and Guy traded forearm strikes. Sha hit some hard clotheslines on Trivet at 3:00, then a spinebuster. Holliday applied a Torture Rack.
Orange and Holliday squared off in the ring and the crowd chanted “Freshly squeezed!” The crowd loved the spot of Orange putting his hands in his pockets. “I hate everything about this,” Gideon said. Holliday got a rollup on Orange with his feet on the ropes. Orange hit the Superman Punch to pin Richard. Cassidy got on the mic and thanked the fans, and said he’ll be back for All In on Aug. 25. I love how he casually undersold his statement, like he knew he had to say it, but yet was indifferent.
2. Dani Luna defeated Safire Reed at 9:42. My first time seeing Reed, who wore black and green and made me think of indy veteran MsChif. She has long brown hair and appears to be of average height and size. Of course, Luna is a former NXT UK wrestler and she’s currently in TNA and she’s a powerhouse, and she has two belts with her. Luna hit a fallaway slam, then a sliding dropkick for a nearfall at 1:00. Reed hit a baseball slide dropkick to the floor. Back in the ring, Luna hit a snap suplex at 4:00. Safire choked her in the ropes. She hit a stomp to the back as Luna was tied in the ropes at 5:30.
(Don’t play a drinking game with how many times Gideon Grey takes the Lord’s name in vain. You would be drunk quickly from all his ‘Jesus Christ’ comments.) Luna hit a piledriver for a nearfall at 7:30 and Dani was surprised that didn’t get her the win. Safire hit a leaping headbutt and a short-arm clothesline. She nailed a Shining Wizard for a believable nearfall. Safire picked up a title belt and yelled at the crowd. It allowed Dani to hit a German Suplex, then a sit-out powerbomb for the pin. That was good for the time given.
* Dani went to the back. However, seconds later, Alex Windsor came to the ring, and she had Luna on a chain! She dragged Dani to the ring and assaulted her in the ring with it. The crowd loudly booed Alex.
3. “Young Blood” Oskar Leube and Yuto Nakashima defeated Kieron Lacey and Mark Trew at 9:27. Young Blood charged into the ring, and all four immediately began brawling. I don’t know Lacey and Trew at all. Of course, Leube and Yuto are recent NJPW Young Lion graduates. Lacey and Trew worked over Yuto extensively in their corner. Leube made the hot tag at 6:00; I have compared his pale skin and tall build to a younger Gunther, and he hit a double clothesline. The heels began working over Leube. Leube hit a boot to the chest. He put a heel on his shoulders, and Yuto hit a second-rope flying knee to the head. Oskar made the cover. I never did figure out which heel was which.
4. Luke Jacobs defeated JJ Gale at 17:02. Jacobs is thick and has always reminded me of a young Bryan Danielson. I don’t recall seeing Gale before; he has short black hair and he wore a long, black robe and reminds me a bit of Mike Bailey. They charged at each other and immediately traded stiff forearm strikes. Gale hit a huracanrana and a pair of dropkicks at 2:00. Gale hit a flip dive over the top rope, and they brawled on the floor. Gale hit a superkick; he tried to springboard off the guardrail, but it shifted and he crashed awkwardly to the ground. (Very happy we didn’t hear a “you f—ed up” chant.) Gale hit a moonsault in the ring for a nearfall at 5:30.
Gale charged into the corner but Jacobs caught him and hit a uranage, then a German Suplex for a nearfall. Jacobs hit a running Facewash in the corner at 8:30 and was in charge. Gale hit a German Suplex. He hit a superkick. Jacobs hit a pair of standing powerbombs for a nearfall at 10:30. Gale hit a Falcon Arrow for a nearfall. Jacobs applied a Boston Crab and sat down for pressure, but Gale reached the ropes at 13:30. This crowd was HOT. They got up and traded more forearm strikes. Jacobs hit a headbutt that dropped Gale and made Jacobs stumble. Gable hit a spirngboard stunner for a nearfall at 16:00. Jacobs hit a decapitating clothesline for a nearfall. Jacobs nailed a brainbuster move for the pin. That was excellent. “That was pro wrestling at its best,” a commentator said.
* Jacobs got on the mic and he said he hasn’t lost all year. He wants a title shot, and he called out Michael Oku.
5. Mustafa Ali defeated Robbie X at 13:06. Standing switches to open, and Ali is taller. If you are unfamiliar with Robbie, think an older Alan Angels; short bald and a very good high-flyer. Ali dropped him with a shoulder tackle at 4:00, and he hit some dropkicks. Robbie hit a Triangle Moonsault to the floor, then a springboard summersault in the ring for a nearfall. Ali hit a piledriver at 6:30, but Robbie rolled to the ropes and clutched at his sore neck. Ali hit a Rude Awakening standing neckbreaker for a nearfall. He hit a running neckbreaker for a nearfall. Ali applied a crossface. Ali charged into the corner but Robbie moved and Ali crashed head-first on the top turnbuckle, and both men were down at 9:00.
Robbie hit a running Shooting Star Press for a nearfall. Robbie went for a top-rope move to the floor but Ali caught him with a dropkick. In the ring, Robbie hit a Pele Kick, then a spirngboard moonsault into a DDT for a nearfall at 11:00. Ali hit a Tornado DDT for a nearfall. Robbie hit a Pele Kick in the corner. They fought on the ropes in the corner; Ali hit a sunset flip bomb out of the corner, then a top-rope 450 Splash for the pin. That was really good and Ali continues to look great on his post-WWE world tour.
* Ali got on the mic and put over Robbie X as “one of the best wrestlers in the world.”
* Gabriel Kidd was in a brutal 10-man cage match last week in New Japan and he was not cleared to compete here against Shingo Takagi. The commentators noted that Trent Seven is filling in on less than 24 hours notice.
6. Shingo Takagi defeated Trent Seven at 21:58. They shook hands and had an intense lockup at the bell and a feeling-out process early on. They traded hard chops. Shingo hit a left-arm clothesline at 4:30 that dropped Seven, and Trent rolled to the floor to regroup. Shingo shoved Trent back-first into the ring post. In the ring, Shingo hit a senton at 6:30. He hit a brainbuster and remained in control. He hit some Moxley-style elbow strikes to the side of the head. Trent hit some chops and a low blow; he hit a bodyslam into the corner at 9:00. Shingo hit a back suplex; Trent hit a Dragon Suplex and a side slam for a nearfall.
Seven grapevined the leg on the mat, but Shingo reached the ropes at 11:00. He went for a dive through the ropes, but Shingo caught him with a European Uppercut. Shingo hit an Air Raid Crash onto the ring apron, and they both tumbled to the floor. Back in the ring, Shing hit some jab punches, a DDT, and a sliding clothesline at 13:00. Seven hit a spinning back hand, then a Rainmaker clothesline, I mean, a “Seven-star lariat.” Shingo nailed the Made In Japan powerbomb for a believable nearfall. Seven hit another swinging sideslam for a nearfall, and they were both down at 16:30.
Shingo hit a Burning Hammer for a nearfall. They fought on the ropes, where Seven hit another swinging sideslam for a nearfall. He hit a piledriver for a believable nearfall at 19:30. Seven hit a hard clothesline. Shingo hit a Falcon Arrow move for a nearfall. Shingo hit a headbutt and a sliding clothesline, but he only got a one-count. Shingo nailed the Pumping Bomber clothesline for a nearfall. He hit a second Pumping Bomber for the pin. The second half of that match was stellar; the whole thing built really nicely. “I love professional wrestling, my god. Was that a war?” a commentator said.
7. Anthony Ogogo defeated Ricky Knight Jr. at 13:27. They charged at each other at the bell and immediately traded forearm strikes. Knight hit a flip dive to the floor; his back landed square on the floor though. In the ring, Knight hit a 450 Splash for a nearfall at 1:00. Ogogo hit a Tower of London neckbreaker from the ring apron to the floor; one of the commentators referenced Nigel McGuinness with that move. In the ring, Ogogo hit a clothesline for a nearfall. Ogogo hit a release belly-to-belly suplex at 5:30. Knight hit a powerslam, then a DDT out of the ropes for a nearfall. Knight bit at the eye; a commentator said Ogogo is partially blind in that eye.
Knight hit a Lionsault press and they were both down at 7:30. Knight went for a springboard move, but Ogogo caught him, put him on his shoulders, and swung Ricky hard to the mat for a nearfall at 9:30. Knight hit a piledriver for a nearfall. Ogogo hit a Canadian Destroyer for a nearfall. They traded punches, and Ogogo hit a knockout punch. He put the UK flag over a prone Knight! “He tried to outbox a boxer; that was a mistake,” a commentator said. The ref began counting to 10, but Knight sat up at 13:00. Ogogo immediately hit another punch, and this time covered him for the pin. That was good stuff; Ogogo looked so much better here than he ever did in the United States. Also, I really liked this finish.
8. Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Connor Mills at 21:24.They stood nose to nose and are the same height and build. Connor has short blondish hair but a short darker beard. They immediately traded mat reversals. Sabre applied a leglock around Connor’s head. Mills hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip off the ropes at 5:30, and he began targeting the knee. Sabre applied an anklelock. He stomped on Mills’ elbow at 9:30. Mills grounded Sabre with a modified Figure Four. They traded slaps to the face. Mills hit a piledriver move for a nearfall at 12:30.
Connor applied a grapevine of the leg on the mat, but Sabre reached the ropes at 14:30. Sabre went for a crossarm breaker. He stood up and hit some loud openhand slaps to the face. Mills applied a crossface. Mills applied a double armbar and kicked at Sabre’s head at 17:00. Connor held onto Sabre’s wrists and repeatedly stomped on the chest. Sabre nailed a Zack Driver, and he went back to twisting the arms. Mills hit a running Penalty Kick, then another, for a nearfall at 19:30. Sabre hit a basement dropkick, a tornado DDT, and another penalty kick to the chest. Sabre hit two more running PKs and scored the pin. Another intense, believable wrestling match.
* I want to reiterate that Will Ospreay was in the same violent cage match in New Japan Pro Wrestling last week that put Gabe Kidd on the shelf.
9. Michael Oku (w/Amira) defeated Will Ospreay to retain the RevPro British Heavyweight Championship at 47:10. The announcers said the only thing Oku hasn’t accomplished in RevPro was beating Ospreay. This crowd was HOT and split before they even tied up. They traded reversals on the mat. Oku hit a Lungblower for a nearfall at 5:30. Ospreay hit a backbreaker over his knee and he took control. Oku hit a second-rope missile dropkick at 9:30. (I admittedly already know how long this match is going, but they have set a pace to go 40+ minutes.) Oku hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall. Ospreay hit a handspring-back-spin kick, then a plancha to the floor at 11:30. In the ring, he hit a springboard forearm strike for a nearfall.
Oku hit an Asai moonsault to the floor. He then hit a frogsplash in the ring for a nearfall at 16:00. Oku hit a leaping headbutt in the corner, then a dropkick into the corner. However, Ospreay dropped Oku face-first on the top turnbuckle at 17:30 and we got a loud “This is awesome!” chant. They brawled back to the floor and Ospreay was in charge. Oku was bleeding from the forehead, and Ospreay dug his fingers into the cut and wiped blood on his own chest, earning a “you sick f—!” chant. In the ring, Ospreay hit a snap half-nelson suplex, then a piledriver for a nearfall at 21:00. Ospreay hit a rolling forearm to the back of the head that dropped Oku at 23:00.
Amira got in Ospreay’s face as he was on the ring apron, so Ospreay planted a boot in her chest, knocking her to the floor. Oku hit a Generico-style dive around the ring post and turned it into a DDT on the floor at 26:00. Will was now bleeding from the forehead, and Oku gave him a slingshot, sending him head-first into a ring post. In the ring, Oku hit some dropkicks into the corner, then a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 29:00, and he began kicking out Will’s damaged knee. Oku flipped Ospreay overhead, with Will landing hard on his damaged knees. Oku applied the half crab, but Ospreay scrambled to the ropes at 31:30 to break the hold. Ospreay hit the Hook Kick to the jaw; Oku hit an enzuigiri.
Ospreay did a flip off of Oku’s chest but sold the pain in his leg upon landing. Ospreay hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly for a nearfall at 33:00. Ospreay hit the Oscutter for a nearfall. Oku nailed a Poison Rana, but Ospreay popped to his feet and hit a Hidden Blade to the back of the neck, and they were both down at 35:00. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Oku hit a series of kicks to the thighs. Ospreay hit a superkick. Oku hit a piledriver at 38:30. Oku hit a Hidden Blade for a nearfall! He hit a second one to the jaw but he pulled up Ospreay, and that shocked the crowd. He hit a third Hidden Blade, but pulled up Ospreay again!
Oku removed his elbow pad; he charged at Ospreay, but WIll caught him with a back elbow and they were both down, and the crowd chanted “you f—- up!” They got to their knees and traded forearm strikes. Oku hit a superkick. Ospreay hit a standing powerbomb, then a Styles Clash for a believable nearfall at 42:30. Amira got dragged into the ring; Ospreay went for a Hidden Blade on Oku but wound up striking her! A commentator pointed out that Will had no remorse. Ospreay set up for a Hidden Blade but Oku somehow applied the half-crab. Ospreay hit the Jay Driller that dropped Oku high on his shoulders, then another Hidden Blade, then the Stormbreaker off his shoulders for a believable nearfall at 45:00, and the crowd popped for the kickout.
Oku hit a mid-ring huracanrana for a nearfall, then a swinging head plant into the mat. He nailed a frogsplash onto Will’s back. He hit another frogsplash for a believable nearfall and the crowd was going nuts. Oku again applied a half-crab; Will got close to the ropes but Amira blew a kiss at him. Oku dragged Ospreay back to the center of the ring, pulled the half crab so Will was really bent in half, and Will tapped out! A truly exceptional match. For those who see it, it will be everyone’s “top 10” list of 2024. The commentators agreed it was the best match they’ve seen.
* Oku was presented with his belt and he hugged Amira. Ospreay handed the belt to Oku. They nodded at eah other, and Oku and Amira limped to the back, leaving Ospreay in the ring, and fans chanted “Thank you Will!” He got the mic and said he’s been part of RevPro for 11 years. He concluded by saying, “it’s not ‘I’ll see you later’ it’s ‘I’ll see you at Wembley,’ sunshine,” and that popped the crowd. He thanked the fans and he pointed out Tony Khan in the crowd. Fans chanted, “Thank you, Tony!” Ospreay then put on a black AEW hoodie and zipped it up.
Final Thoughts: I can’t say anything else about the main event that hasn’t already been written elsewhere. Oku and Ospreay had a great match a couple years ago and this one topped it. Ospreay made sure to go out on top in his RevPro finale. Jacobs-Gale earns second from me (I wouldn’t have guessed that going in), then Shingo-Seven for third. A very good Ali-Robbie X match can only get to honorable mention on this stacked show. Yes, I can’t go higher than fifth for a Zack Sabre match, which speaks volumes on the quality of action on this show.
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