Can you believe, my lovelies, we just have two shows left of 2024? The road to Uprising is running out and this week we head to Sheffield for one last hoorah before York Hall and what feels like a season finale for Revolution Pro Wrestling. We are three days removed from Live In Southampton 33 and, with storyline implications, some banger matches and another delve into the Francisco vortex to discuss, let's break it down into 10 Takeaways shall we? Here goes...

1. Southampton Doesn't Forget

I can't earnestly start the Takeaways without talking about David Francisco, can I? If anyone thought the outpouring of love for The Centerpiece was going to be a one-off last time out then they haven't been paying attention. Francisco's Southampton reaction isn't Big Bill for AEW in Cardiff when the crowd decided to hijack a match for their own amusement; this has been coming for a long, long time. It was in the 1865 that Francisco was violated by Spike Trivet this time last year - whipped and lacerated in an incredibly violent scene. It was Southampton that Francisco was beaten by Levi Muir in the highlight of Levi's RevPro run. It was Southampton that Anthony Ogogo knocked Francisco out in the highlight of Ogogo's RevPro career. It was Southampton where The Centerpiece arrived post-Revolution Rumble and, when the crowd refused to boo Francisco, he began to utilise the crowd to his advantage and to force this movement. Do not for a second downplay how much Francisco has curated this crowd reaction. He is the cult leader in Southampton and his flock ADORE him. 

I just loved how Sha was rejected to chants for Francisco because they hadn't forgotten what happened in the Respect Match. Pleasingly, though, the crowd knew when to drop the schtick and embrace Harry Milligan for the benefit of their match.

2. "You're A Wrestler, Harry!"

And good Lord, how bloody good is Sha Samuels? You give Sha the most basic of ingredients and the fella can make gourmet grub each and every time. Everything he has done since he returned to RevPro has meant something and has been worth investing in. From his quest to become a Triple Crown champion to his blood feud with Spike Trivet to the New Age Revolutionists with Josh James to Sha-Shine Machine to Sha & Harry; everything the man touches turns to gold. Genuinely one of the most underrated in the business for me - just think what he could do with a main event storyline. Our main takeaway here is that this team is far from over - with Josh James currently recovering from injury (get well soon Heavy Artillery) it looks like Sha & Harry is going to be explored further and I'm so happy about that because it is GOLD. After all, Harry doesn't belong behind the production desk - you're a wrestler, Harry!

3. The Patron Saint Of St Mary's

And so what of the Home Away From Home Away From Hometown Hero? The man stole the show and was the centre of everything great about the Revolution Tag main event. He was the captain of his team, he was integral to key eliminations and he was, undoubtedly, the MVP of the match. He showed the intelligence, the guts and the teamwork skills of a leader, a Hero if you will, and, most importantly, perhaps, of all...

4. The Number One Contender To The Number One Contender

... He eliminated Michael Oku. There may have been an assist from an interfering Ethan Allen but the record books will forever state that David Francisco pinned Michael Oku whilst Oku was the number one contender to the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship. It very much felt like Oku underestimated Francisco - in fact he jovially laughed at the idea of him defending the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship to Francisco as "fantasy booking" but the facts remain; Francisco pinned Oku. So, if Oku defeats Luke Jacobs at Uprising in York Hall on Saturday 21st December, I make David Francisco by rights the number one contender to that championship. When is the next Southampton show? Oh look, my birthday... 🥰

5. York Hall Bound?

And speaking of York Hall, surely we are building to Jay Joshua and Connor Mills Vs Sunshine Machine for Uprising, right? My gut says we get a four way tag match with Barcelona Blacklist and CPF too and I'm all here for it as that sounds banging. Jay and Mills dominated the plucky underdog Flying Bryant Brothers in Southampton and have made their intentions clear when it comes to tag gold. However, TK and Mambo have a score to settle with Sito Sanchez and Joey Torres of BBL after the Barcelona boys knocked Sha-Shine Machine out of the Trios Grand Prix and Danny Black and Joe Lando have the opportunity to call their shots as the GP winners so that feels like the play to me.

6. Brought Down To Earth?

Speaking of plucky underdogs, Leon Cage appears to have arrived in RevPro, working three successive shows in featured spots - facing the Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion then Michael Oku and now Ethan Allen in a 25 minute (yes you read that right) war of attrition. This was my match of the night besides the Revolution Tag and was one I was locked into from the off. Ethan had lost three on the spin prior but returned to winning ways here. It's also looking like Uprising might pass Ethan by with Robbie X now confirmed to face Mascara Dorada in a match which blows my prediction of Ethan Vs Robbie II at York Hall. We have two spots for the show left and neither the Tag Champs or the Cruiserweight champ or the Cut Throat Collective have been confirmed as yet - there's just not enough spots for everyone right now, it seems. Therefore I expect we will see Ethan challenging to climb the Cruiserweight ranks in the new year and don't be shocked at all if Ethan Allen is your Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion come High Stakes 2025.

As for Leon, this was a great showcase for him, even if Ethan "brought him down to Earth". Let the lad keep "win(ning) or learn(ing)"; it's exactly what he needs at this stage. The key is to keep him booked and working the best RevPro has to offer. This does bring me back to the point I made on the This Is A Revolution podcast last week (Episode 27 on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts); can RevPro balance the minutes, arcs and stories across all the talented British wrestlers in 2025 given how many debutants have impressed this year and how much the existing crop of wrestlers have improved? 

7. Brillhampton

And that problem is highlighted by James Ellis, a man who impressed once again in Southampton but ten fold more this second time around thanks to a really clear dynamic between him and Shane Hooker, who also made an impressive debut. Ellis is someone I think fits perfectly into a hole in the Cruiserweight division which would benefit from a wrestler of his style and personality. He is someone who I think should be looked at as being a permanent addition to shows but, again, there are only so many shows and only so many matches on those cards. It's a problem for RevPro owner and booker Andy Quildan but it is something I trust he will do a sterling job of balancing based on the long lineage of Pro Wrestling At Its Best he has produced. As for Ellis, I think I'm in awe of the Excellence and I'm certainly keen to see more of him. 

8. The King Of The (New Breed Of) Cruiserweights

And all these newcomers seem to fit the bill to be part of a new look Cruiserweight division in RevPro which, for a time there, felt a little light with JJ Gale and Connor Mills moving up to heavyweight this year. And, let's face it, how long can we call Leon Slater a cruiserweight when he is as hench as he is these days? He's taller and broader than most on the roster and he looks like mountains when they are in there with the smaller cruiserweights.

Atop that division, Will Kaven continues to be the man after defeating Nino Bryant in a match I really enjoyed. I strongly believe that Will Kaven is restoring the Cruiserweight Championship without even defending it - the way he carries it, the way he clutches it, the way he canonised his rejection of the J Cup to protect it... It all makes that belt feel meaningful. I really, really want to see him beat Lio Rush to cement it and I believe, then, we will look at Kaven as a pivotal champion in the evolution of the belt, as it has felt a bit lost since Robbie X was defeated for it in July of 2023. Feed the new breed to Kaven, let him conquer Lio Rush and then, when the time is right, give us Will Kaven Vs Ethan Allen and I'll melt into my chair at ringside at the sight of pro wrestling piss and vinegar personified.

9. Take A Bow, Taylor James

Now these past two Takeaways are all about giving guys their dues and we start with Taylor James. Few in the 1865 were familiar with James and he was in a spot in the main event alongside Michael Oku, Leon Slater, Zozaya, CPF, Cameron Khai and David Francisco - it would have been so easy for him to get lost in the shuffle but he sure as hell did not. He looked the part, had the confidence to match and everything he hit in the ring got exactly the reaction he wanted - the oohs and ahhs of the crowd could be heard with each and every spot. The guy definitely earned a call back and I'm really hoping to see him included on the Sheffield card or at least on one of those early 2025 shows to allow him the chance to show what he can do one on one. I was very, very impressed and so too were a lot of those in the 1865 who I spoke to. Take a bow, man, take a bow.

10. Anita Fucking Vaughan

And finally, who predicted Anita Vaughan defeating Nina Samuels? The woman I thought should be our next Undisputed British Women's Champion was upset by AV with the newcomer picking up her first RevPro singles victory at the fourth attempt after suffering defeats to Alex Windsor, Safire Reed and Nina Samuels once before.

Interestingly, her victory was not enough to ruin Cut Throat Collective's night, though, as Windsor and Reed defeated Chantal Jordan and Ronnie Knocks earlier in the show and Mercedez Blaze and her trusty kendo stick ensured that CTC had the last laugh over Vaughan. In Sheffield they announce their sixth member, apparently. Does Mercedez except Millie Mckenzie to join the Collective? Or is this a red herring and it will actually be the other woman confirmed for the card joining the best stable in pro wrestling? Can you feel it? We will see.

Bravo, RevPro! You saved the best 229 of the year for last. A show that will be discussed on end of year lists and one that was formatted perfectly in terms of the match order and balance between the extension of arcs, stories and rivalries and the delivery of absolute banger matches. Opening the two halves with Ethan Allen Vs Robbie X and Kaven, Trew & Lacey Vs The Flying Bryant Brothers set the tone and closing the two halves with Jay Joshua & Connor Mills Vs Leon Slater & Zozaya and Michael Oku Vs Leon Cage, which were the two match of the night contenders, bookended perfectly proceedings. It was also an absolute flex in terms of booking power that RevPro have at their disposal currently. Then sandwiched in between we had Cut Throat Collective story extension, JJ Gale and Charlie Sterling feud development and the setup for at least four matches we could see announced for Southampton or Sheffield.

Jordan Saeed Vs Robbie X?

Greedy Souls Vs Sha Samuels and Harry Milligan?

CPF Vs Kaven, Trew & Lacey?

Charlie Sterling vs JJ Gale in an [insert stipulation match here] match? Last man standing sounds tasty to me; let it headline Sheffield on the 15th December.

So, all in all, rather bloody good, that. Let's look a wee bit closer, shall we?

Here's 10 Takeaways From The 229!

1. "No Right To Be That Good"

Quite simply, I have never heard anyone get that loud of a reaction in their first appearance at the 229. Leon Cage, as Michael Oku declared post-match, at 17 years old, has "no right to be that good". He and Oku put on a match we will all be researching come the end of the month when making our year end lists and everyone leaving the 229 was discussing the same thing; when, where and against whom do we get to see Leon again? 

2. Can They Coexist? Well, Yeah, They Can!

So, Oku and Cage was fucking awesome. And so too was Zozaya and Leon Slater Vs Jay Joshua and Connor Mills, our two main events of their respective halves of action. One thing I loved here was how RevPro avoided the "can they coexist?" trope that comes with putting two rivals together in a tag match. Leon and Zozaya had matching colours in their gear, worked harmoniously, and the match benefited so much as it was allowed to go into that all important fifth gear. At the close there was a moment between Leon and Zozaya and Leon walked away from the match with that dangerous look in his eye, reminding us that we have a 60 Minute Iron Man match betweent these two in just two and half weeks. This did so much more to up the ante in terms of excitement for that match than it would had they ended up scrapping. Brave and bold booking. Loved it.

3. Killers

As for Jay and Mills, they looked like absolute killers here and the pairing of them looks more and more inspired each week. I love that the boys legit feel tight - they enter separately but they greet each other, they do merch together; they really are kindred spirits. The Undisputed British Tag Team Championships seem under threat by their mere presence. I've long said that Mills has been a revelation in 2024 - the transformation from Uprising 2023 to the upcoming Uprising 2024 in every element of his work has been incredible. He was damn good then but he is great now - amongst the elite of the elite in British pro wrestling talents. Jay Joshua has taken the bull by the horns, the bollocks and the throat since he arrived in RevPro and has forced Andy Quildan's hand - he has to be considered firmly cemented in the long term plans of the company now. Man, you love to see it when that happens.

4. Cut Throat & Merciless

And speaking of killers, we got two further doses of the merciless nature of the Cut Throat Collective in what was a strong week for the stable, earning two more victories and backing up their claim to be THE women in the women's division. Mercedez Blaze and Nina Samuels teamed to defeat Kanji and Chantal Jordan, dividing and conquering their opponents to isolate and double team Chantal to victory. They left so much on the table, though, in terms of how much I could watch these women, the very finest the UK has to offer, scrap, brawl, wrestle and fight week in, week out. It feels like we are running towards another five on five at Uprising and, if that is the play, I will be so happy because every single one of the women in the CTC and those who are opposing them have done wonders in 2024 to elevate the women's side of RevPro into a full blown division and, not just any division, but one to rival any division in the world.

5. Can You Feel It?

And what we thought would be Millie Mckenzie Vs Anita Vaughan evolved into Safire Reed Vs Anita Vaughan in what was AV's best performance so far in RevPro, for me. Millie could not make the show and so the expected development between her and Mercedez Blaze had to pivot, possibly towards Southampton or Sheffield, but we can fully expect to see Millie, all being good, as part of the Uprising card as this slowly built feud between her and the CTC has stretched satisfyingly over three months now. If I get all my Christmases at once and it is Medusa Complex, Kanji, Chantal and X versus the CTC then I will be one happy, happy Mark. 

6. The Return Of Sha & 'Arry?

And every single other Takeaway from this show links us to a match which has had its seeds sown at the 229 sandwiched between those four absolute banger matches which opened and closed the two halves. The first comes on the back of CPF's victory over Greedy Souls in what was a terrific tag match showing the benefits of styles clashes. As Brendan and Danny looked to seal the victory through nefarious means, the 'Workhorse' grabbed a chair from beneath the ring to put the ever resilient Danny Black and Joe Lando down for three. However, he was prevented by Harry Milligan who jumped up on to the apron from the production table to prevent the rule break. Pissing vinegar, Brendan and Danny interrupted the main event announcement to make an example of Harry, hitting him with some vile chair shots and embarrassing him in front of everyone. Whilst the attack was uncalled for, the idea that we might see Sha and 'Arry reform after their incredible performance in the Revolution Tag Team Gauntlet in Coventry took over my little Mark brain and it's all I've been able to think about since. Sha & 'Arry Vs Greedy Souls in Southampton? Surely? They found GOLD in that team in Coventry and it would be a crime if they don't capitalise on it. And what better team for them to face than Greedy Souls, the biggest bullies in British professional wrestling?

7. Five On The Bounce For The CPF Boys

And so that victory for CPF over Greedy Souls meant it's five on the bounce for the Close Personal Friends, combining their two wins over the former Undisputed British Tag Team Champions with their three trios victories at the Grand Prix. They really are finding their groove in RevPro now and are adding such freshness to the tag division and, like that, in just a few weeks we have a whole host of fresh challengers for Sunshine Machine to make their second run with the belts exciting and new. How long can they keep them with so many teams gunning for them is the question, though, and you have to think that one of CPF's three matches they can call their shot with as reward for their Trios Grand Prix victory must see Danny and Joe Vs TK and Mambo?

8. The Trio The Grand Prix Forgot

Next up for CPF, though, might be Will Kaven, Mark Trew and Kieron Lacey, after the trio overcame the spirited and highly impressive performance of Nino, Zander and Leland, the Flying Bryant Brothers. After overcoming the high intensity, high octane and highly original offence from the Bryants, Kaven, Trew & Lacey got the job done and we are reminded that this is one trio who were not represented at the Trios Grand Prix; Kaven has made his intentions clear that all of his focus is on his belt. However, their absence from the tournament does not seem to have gone by CPF as Danny, Joe and Maverick Mayhew made the save for the Bryants as Trew and Lacey looked to take liberties post-match. Sounds like a banger for the 1865 on Sunday or the Network next week, to me, and I'm well up for it.

9. Safety First (?)

And, if I had my way, we now come to the match which would main event that Sheffield Network show, in JJ Gale Vs Charlie Sterling. Going into their encounter at the 229 it felt inevitable that this was not going to be the final part of their two month journey together. Again, though, I really enjoyed the originality of this one; it would have been easy to go for a countout victory, a disqualification or a lucky pin to seal a win for JJ and have Charlie attack him post match. Instead, this one ended in referee stoppage in a finish which really split the crowd between "work" or "shoot" finish. Regardless of what it was, the destination could be something awesome if given the right spotlight and the right stipulation. For me, a Last Man Standing without referee stoppages in the main event in Sheffield is exactly that. Sunday's match was levels above their first encounter in Southampton and Charlie wrestling with the dominance his stature demands worked for both men. There's juice left in the fruit and I think, given the right crowd, bells and whistles, there is potential for a great feud ending blow away match between these two. The Sheffield crowd who can be really loud in that tight venue when the action hits the higher gears and they would respond really well to a brawling match which brings the fans into the action and, with the bar, the stage, the sofas at the rear and the separate merch areas, they could make a great scene for something violent.

10. EXTREME Robbie X

And finally... Robbie X had one well of a show! He cranked up the nastiness of the Extreme Robbie X character, who returned from Japan under the influence of the Bullet Club War Dogs, he turned the crowd from supporters into haters AND he set up two matches for the coming weeks. Teasing the crowd with the threat of some popular high flying action, which Contender Jordan Saeed was ready to support with, ended in a kick to the jaw for poor Jordan. Unprovoked and unnecessary but a move which popped Robbie himself and sets up a match I am 100% up for seeing. Then we have the beautifully technical, nasty and gnarly scrap that was Robbie Vs Ethan Allen, a match which feels designed to appeal to my exact tastes in wrestling. It was a bold opener - the bar was set early and it was set high. But the cheap finish, which did nothing to take away from the match, sets up a rematch and, with Uprising around the corner and these two, one would assume, poised to be announced for it, what better place than York Hall, what better time than December 21st? 

And there we have it my lovelies. Incredible matches. Story beats plotted. Matches set up for the Road To Uprising. Unpredictability in the right places (man I felt Leon was going to win that main event at times!). Everything you could want from the episodic nature of the 229. I freaking loved it!

Oh my lovelies, I adored the first ever Trios Grand Prix. The competition itself was excellent with unpredictable outcomes, character development, a couple of incredible matches and an insane way of keeping me from knowing who I thought would win, who I thought should win and who I even wanted to win. I said if Viva Espana or CPF made the final I knew who'd I'd cheer for and then they both ended up in the final! There was a good case to be made for all of the teams to win and so, for me, it was exquisitely booked. Then, we had the remainder of the card. Pre-announced for Saturday, we saw Jay Joshua and Ethan Allen wrestle my kind of pro wrestling to a tee and Will Kaven and Leon Cage wrestle a wonderful clash of styles with Mercedez Blaze and Chantal Jordan extend their story as a complement. Then we had the absolutely wild ride that was the Sunday, with the ingenious decision to keep the card a surprise, and what we got was the perfect variety show of everything I love in wrestling. I'm trying to not sound hyperbolic but it was genuinely a terrific weekend and that Sunday show was a legit show of the year contender.

Ok... Brace yourself... Let's get to your 10 Takeaways From The Trios Grand Prix!

1. Your First Ever Trios Grand Prix Winners... CPmuvvafuckinF

Ok, let's get the results out of the way for those of you rock dwellers out there; we ended up with a CPF Vs Viva Espana final after CPF eliminated the Flying Bryant Brothers on Saturday and Spectral Envoy on Sunday, whilst Viva Espana defeated Sha-Shine Machine first and Heróis Do Mar second. CPF were undoubtedly the MVPs of the weekend, with their opening match and the final match Match Of The Weekend contenders. I've never seen Maverick Mayhew perform at that level before - he, for me, was the MVP of the MVP team. Danny Black and Joe Lando wrestled with such focus and intensity but Mayhew had the matches of his (RevPro) life. I'm so delighted that this was the direction RevPro took - the boys really are the standard in European trios wrestling and so they deserved the accolade of being the first ever Trios Grand Prix winners.

2. Mantengan La Cabeza En Alto

And a huge shout-out to Barcelona Blacklist and Zozaya; they were so, so good (to the shock of no-one). Zozaya was the captain of the team but, man, Barcelona Blacklist are something, aren't they? I really enjoyed their match with Grizzled Young Vets in April and have been eagerly anticipating their UK arrival ever since and they did not disappoint. One big takeaway is that Joey Torres and Sito Sanchez combined to eliminate Sha-Shine Machine, getting the pinfall victory over TK Cooper. We will come to who looks poised to challenge for the Undisputed British Tag Team Championships at Uprising in York Hall on December 21st but please, please, please can this lead to TK & Mambo Vs Joey & Sito? With Sunshine Machine off to the US for a month, it would have to be the Uprising go-home show in Sheffield but, with two teams with a claim to the belts, why not run one in The Network and the other in York Hall? We will circle back to this shortly...

3. "Not My Trio"

This one bucked my prediction, straight off the bat. I'd picked Robbie, Zachary and JJ to go and win the whole tournament and Robbie sabotaged that within minutes of the Quarter-Final. After some accidental friendly fire, the team broke down and Robbie bailed out when they had the Spectral Envoy poised for victory, laughing as he left. "Not My Trio", Robbie said. Robbie is not just a Bullet Club member; he's a War Dawg. Shout out to Zachary Wentz, too, who is just as good as I had believed he was watching from afar. He and Robbie went one on one on Sunday in a fantastic sprint of a match that was proof that quality does not always have to go long. And to think Zachary's nose was busted in the opening exchanges and he had to wrestle the remainder gushing blood... A true professional and absolute warrior. Please can we have him back.

4. Christmas Came Early

So Zachary Wentz Vs Robbie X was one of the four Sunday surprises but perhaps the biggest surprise was this chaotic, thrill ride of a pro wrestling match in a Revolution Tag Team Gauntlet Match, much akin to the Casino Gauntlet AEW have made a frequent occurrence on their product. And let me tell you, this was a freaking riot. From debutants, to unique tag teams, to some intergender confrontations, to the absolute hilarity that was #HARRY. To summarise, watch the confrontation between Cut Throat Collective, JJ Gale, Cameron Khai and Sha Samuels. Watch everything involving Sha and 'Arry Milligan. Watch everything between Sha and Sunshine Machine. Basically, watch Sha Samuels and give that man his absolute flowers as someone who owes nothing to pro wrestling at this stage of his career yet continues to be a highlight of every damn show and every single story, arc and development he is involved in.

5. Challenge Made

So... Barcelona Blacklist have a claim to the tag titles, right? Well, at the end of the tremendously fun Tag Team Gauntlet, it was Sunshine Machine with their heads and hands held high but only until Jay Joshua crashed the party and nailed the champs from behind. He held the belts aloft and made his intentions clear; he and Mills want those belts.

So, here's my pitch. Sunshine Machine are away until mid December so can we have Barcelona Blacklist Vs Sunshine Machine in Sheffield for the belts, as Joey and Sito have that pinfall victory over TK and Mambo. Then, if Mills and Jay want those belts, let them earn their shot at the 229 and in Southampton so they can face the winners at Uprising.

Sounds good to me!

6. Stepping Up...

Now, a theme for the whole weekend was giving the young stars of BritWres a stage to demonstrate their talent and, good Lord, did they. Nino Bryant may rival Maverick Mayhew as my stand out from the whole weekend - the way he led his brother's into the tournament and captained them in both kayfabe and in reality, was incredibly impressive. His move set was unique, his facials emitted so much emotion and he knew how to draw the crowd in. The Bryants closed Night 1 and opened the Tag Team Gauntlet whilst Nino faced Lio Rush (!) in singles action on Night 2 in my favourite singles match of the weekend. If that was an audition, Nino passed it with Flying colours (pun unintended but happily left in). Take a bow, son, take a bow.

7... And Showing Out

And whilst we give the young guns their flowers, here's to Leon Cage. At seventeen years old, Cage came into RevPro and had a match of the night contender with Will Kaven on Saturday and then, with Shane Hooker, opened the Gauntlet on Sunday and continued to impress. What an incredible talent he is. We are in a boom period in this country for young talent - look at the amount of INCREDIBLE potential there is in the UK aged 25 and under. We might not yet be in a boom in terms of filling seats up and down the country every weekend, like have been the case in previous boom periods, but the talent is there for one. This weekend highlighted that like RevPro highlights it every week.

8. Still THE Guy

And the man atop the scene, though slightly over 25 these days, is still Michael Oku and he showed that in a very understated way on Sunday. Iker Navarro wrestled Luke Jacobs in April and Robbie X in May in his first two RevPro outings but the man had by far his best showing here against Michael Oku and that is no coincidence. Oku is the standard in Europe and has been for the past eighteen months, if not longer. I genuinely believe Oku could have a stellar performance wrestling an empty tracksuit. That is not to discredit Iker, only to praise Mike. Navarro had good chemistry with both Mike and Amira, had good craic with the crowd and looked like a killer when on the offence. I'd like to see how he works with Leon Slater and Zozaya - that's two matches for down the road to see what 'El Cazador' can offer.

9. Wrinkles, My Lovelies, Wrinkles

The final unannounced match we got saw Millie Mckenzie defeat Kanji and Chantal Jordan in a triple threat match, a match which also saw Mercedez Blaze involvement extending the storyline between her, Millie and anyone who gets in her way, including Chantal Jordan this weekend. These wrinkles are so important to the long term storytelling at play. Mercedez offered Millie a place in the CTC after Millie was defeated by Kanji in September. She then assisted Millie to defeat Chantal Jordan in October, despite her and Millie then coming to blows. That led to Chantal Vs Mercedez on Saturday and Mercedez attacking Chantal on Sunday, which helped Millie win, keeps the question mark over Millie open; she still hasn't given an answer, right? I'm desperate for this to lead to CTC Vs Medusa Complex at Uprising but, if that is not the play, then I trust where it is going because it has been really well plotted thus far.

10. Bad Times For The Portugeezers

And a final word for Heróis Do Mar, the Portugeezers, if you will. They provided A LOT of entertainment this weekend, even if the weekend didn't quite go to plan for them. After a positive start, defeating Men Of The Hour's Lio Rush, Leon Slater and Cameron Khai, it could not have gone worse on Sunday. Their Semi-Final match lasted less than two minutes with Viva Espana catching them on the wrong foot. Francisco was then tremendous value on commentary and his chemistry with Dave Bradshaw was really promising. Then, in a wonderful play with the concept of a gauntlet match, where the winner is the first to win a fall, Francisco and Santos were making their entrance as TK and Mambo picked up the winning pinfall meaning they never even made it into the ring. A brilliant detail which also added some brilliant humour given who it happened to and how well they both played it. 

Live In London 90

Now that, my lovelies, was exactly what was promised - essential, episodic professional wrestling. The 229 will not have many contenders for Top 10 shows of the year, whereas Southampton, Sheffield, Stevenage, Crystal Palace, the Copper Box and York Hall will all undoubtedly be represented. However, the 229 is the most essential of all shows for laying the story beats, developing the arcs and setting the table for all of these shows and it always delivers that one match which BANGS from start to finish and, in this show, we had all of that AND we had two of those matches to boot. If you weren't there, head on to RevPro On Demand and catch up before the Trios Grand Prix next week (wait for the HD version, it's top notch). If you can't wait, don't have the means or simply don't have the time then that's what I'm here for, delivering your 10 Takeaways from every RevPro show. So, without further adieu, let's get into it...

1. Busted, Broken But Still Brilliant

Jesus Christ. Within the first minute or two of the highly anticipated first time ever contest between Michael Oku and Ethan Allen, Oku was busted open with a suspected broken nose, with blood gushing from his face onto the ring mat, the ringside area and Ethan Allen. It was a shocking sight. The match that followed was still everything it was built up to be and is one I would love to see run back again and again and again. It was Ethan Allen's best match back by far and Oku, even when working for 15 minutes heavily injuried, proved that he is still the best in the country (the continent, the world?) when it comes to fighting from underneath. Oku has a date with Luke Jacobs at Uprising in December and we look ahead to see what's next for Ethan. For what this was, though, we all bore witness to one of the matches of the year and one which will be cruelly and unfairly overlooked because of the levels reached by another match on this same card in a similar vein to how Oku Vs Will Ospreay III took the headlines over ZSJ Vs Connor Mills at High Stakes. Special stuff this. Find the time, I implore you.

2. Dani Luna (Still) Doesn't Die

A fourth time main eventing Revolution Pro Wrestling for Dani Luna and an MVP performance in the Revolution Tag taking on the Cut Throat Collective and overcoming them despite stacked odds against her. Anita Vaughan and Chantal Jordan fell relatively early on and Kanji was forced to the back after Safire Reed tried to break her ankle with a steel chair. That left Dani 3-1 down but Kanji returned to help increase the chances. Dani still, though, found herself alone with Safire and Alex Windsor in the final three and had the guts and the guile to prove, as always, that Dani Luna DOES NOT DIE. This was a great main event in extending the story from Royal Quest to Uprising in cementing Dani Luna as the number one contender to Mina Shirakawa's title belt. Match graphic incoming, one suspects.

3. "Millie Mckenzie, This Is For You, Bitch"

I liked that little detail. Mercedez Blaze is the trash talker of the CTC. If Alex Windsor is the Queen Bee of the group then Mercedez is the Queen Bitch. As Blaze took the action to Chantal Jordan, she turned to the camera and said "Millie Mckenzie, this is for you, bitch". Ironically this lead to Chantal rolling Mercedez up and eliminating her. Blaze had the last laugh, grounding and pounding Chantal which led to her elimination. This beautifully set up a Chantal Vs Mercedez singles match and added fuel to the storyline between Millie and Mercedez which began with Blaze offering McKenzie a place in the CTC, an offer Mckenzie seemingly rejected last month in Southampton. Chantal Vs Mercedez, Millie Vs Mercedez and Medusa Complex Vs CTC are all viable and desirable; hopefully we get all three in the coming weeks.

4. Fight Forever (Or 60 Minutes If You Prefer)

Well, shit me, that was masterful. Time limit draws are devisive but I am a big fan. Personally, I would like more matches to come close to the time limit draw so we get used to the time calls - I a call at 15 minutes for every match and then 5 minute intervals thereafter, with the odd match going 25 minutes plus but ending in a victory, would alleviate that complaint of predictability once you here the first time call. It would also mean that they are only used once, maybe twice, per show as most matches are sub-15 mins. However, one trope that they avoided beautifully here was to suggest the match was on the cusp of ending in one man's favour when the bell went. The way Leon and Zozaya were brawling, looking for a knockout and not a finisher, showed how much they still had to give, which sets up the Uprising match, but also denied an overused trope of Wrestler X hits their finisher on Wrestler Y just as the bell goes for the draw. The destination had to be getting these two in front of a bigger crowd after their incredible match earlier this year in the 229 and this does just that. A 60 Minute Iron Man match? Now that is going to be special and if it is not enough to get £40 out of you for the last show of 2024 then I'm honestly bewildered. Take my money, Mr Quildan, take my money.

5. "Home"

I'm going to try to write this in less time than it took RKJ to dispose of Jordan Saeed. Here goes:

• Ricky made no attempt to engage the crowd as he arrived and got straight in the ring.
• He offered Jordan a free shot.
• He then threw haymakers and strikes at an unprotected Saeed until Chris Hatch called the knockout.
• 77 seconds says Gadge.
• Whats next for RKJ, asked Dave Bradshaw, who was on commentary for a second successive show; "Home" said The Killer.

I'm on the hook already.

6. Sha-Shine Machine

Well that took me by surprise. Sha Samuels partnered Sunshine Machine in the Trios Grand Prix qualifier and, what surprised me more, was the boys tagging for the first time beat the now established trio of Kaven, Trew & Lacey. Beginners luck for Sha-Shine Machine or simply what happens when you put three class veteran wrestlers together? The Trios Grand Prix just got a hell of a lot more entertaining, that's for sure. Sha and the boys had a beer backstage and the party now rolls into Coventry on 16th and, hopefully, the 17th November as the Quarter Finals will occupy much of Saturday's card and the Semi Finals and Final will bookend Sunday's show. A class weekend I cannee wait for. However...

7. Double Duty Doesn't Pay Off

... all of this came at a cost to a "good bloke", as Sha put it, who deserved more from Sunday in the 229. Sha has made no secret of his reluctance to tag with Josh James; he's been there and done that as a tag wrestler in RevPro. He held those belts three times with three different partners in Terry Frazier, Josh Bodom and, most importantly, James Castle and it is Josh's enthusiasm to honour their late friend by bringing back the The Revolutionists' name as The New Age Revolutionists which has Sha so apprehensive. However, Sha inadvertently mugged Josh off on Sunday not once but twice.

First he pulled double duty when he did not need to; TK and Mambo are popular lads and would have found a partner but Sha put himself forward. The shift he put into that opener would certainly have affected him, and visibly did, as he struggled at times in his scheduled tag match with Josh James against Jay Joshua and Connor Mills. The work done to his upper arm and shoulder by Kaven, Trew & Lacey was exploited expertly by the technically brilliant bastard Connor Mills that led to a submission loss for Sha.

But, what's more, Sha showed his lack of trust in Josh to get the job done as, when Josh seemingly had the chance to finish Jay and Mills off, Sha tagged in to finish the job himself. He was apologetic at the finish and took the blame for their loss and, you never know, this might bring the lads closer together, but it was a bit muggy for Josh James and a lesser man would have kicked off or walked out. This is being paced beautifully, crafted perfectly and I'm all in on it, knowing my heart is likely to be broken down the line.

8. Big One For The Big Man

Charlie Sterling certainly welcomed Cheeseburger to RevPro with a pretty dominant victory from the Smokin' Ace. Cheeseburger was highly entertaining in the role and it was a pleasure to see him on his first visit to RevPro but this was all about Charlie, really. He looked the best he has looked since his return and the size differential and the styles clash really worked to the big man's advantage.

9. JJ Saves The Day

The programme with JJ Gale then continued as Sterling looked to take liberties with the World Famous CB, something JJ took umbrage to, making the save and chasing Charlie off. I'm very much enjoying this and it is great to see so many storylines running throughout the card. This started in Sheffield and I'm hoping we get a big pay off in Sheffield on 15th December - a sprawling no disqualification street fight would be my preference. 

10. Champ Shit

And finally, we saw Luke Jacobs and 'Goldenboy' Santos go hell for leather in what was arguably Santos' best showing in RevPro. Luke kept momentum on his side as we continue the road to Uprising, but he would have been much aggrieved by David Francisco who attacked him at the finish. Francisco had Santos help put the boots in to the champ before Ethan Allen made the save and chased them off. Young Guns Vs Santos and Francisco? Or are North West Strong entering the Grand Prix and this was designed to set up North West Strong Vs Herois Do Mar? I'd love to see that, personally. Santos has looked so strong and impressive of late and the growth in his performance the more he has become settled into RevPro has been really impressive. I am hoping we get to see more Ws in that man's Win - Loss record to build him up as the threat his in-ring and presentation have promised. Santos Vs Dynamite Lee Dawson is something the sadist in me is keen to see 🫣

Global Wars UK

What a weekend for British wrestling. On Saturday, wrestling returned to the Doncaster Dome and wrestlers from RevPro, NJPW, Stardom and CMLL came together to celebrate Pro Wrestling At Its Best with Global Wars UK and then, on Sunday, NJPW brought Royal Quest IV to Crystal Palace, an event organised and promoted by RevPro owner Andy Quildan and a show which featured some of the best talents in the world with British wrestling fingerprints over every inch of it. We live for weekends like this one, we really do. If you want to see both shows in one place, for one subscription, hit up RevPro On Demand with both livestream recordings available and the HD versions due imminently (at time of writing 23/10/24). However, if you came here for the TLDR RevPro latest, I got you friend, here's your 10 Takeaways From Global Wars.

1. 3rd Times A Charm

On the This Is A Revolution podcast last week, George and I discussed if Ishii Vs Jacobs III could top Ishii Vs Jacobs I and we felt that it would be very, very hard to manage due to the breakout moment Jacobs had in the Copper Box fourteen months ago in that first clash. However, I said that the catcharsis of Jacobs finally getting that win could tip it. However, I realised in the Doncaster Dome, sat watching two of my favourite wrestlers in the world, that catharsis wasn't the order of the day. I expected Jacobs to win, not just in story but on merit; he has cemented his place so firmly at the top of European pro wrestling that Ishii's aura was matched by that of the Young Gun's. It was a special way to bring an end to an incredible trilogy of matches and, with Jacobs bringing it to 2-1, I'd certainly not be against a five match series across two more matches down the line. In fact, I could watch those two beat the piss out of each other any day of the week.

2. Worth The Wait

And now we know it is Michael Oku Vs Luke Jacobs next, likely at Uprising in York Hall on 21st December. Speaking of five match series, this will be the fourth one on one match between these two, with Jacobs leading at 2-1 currently. It could also be Oku's last RevPro match - at least for the foreseeable future - with rumours of his departure still hovering and with the man himself saying he won't go anywhere until he gets a chance to win back the gold he carried with honour for 412 days, successfully defended 14 times and held up in victory in arenas as inconic and as far afield as Philadelphia's 2300 Arena and Arena Mexico. Oku overcame RKJ in what was the match of the night for me - a match we have all waited so, so long for - and a match I could not take my eyes off of; it was magnetic and the Dome came alive for it. This really was a must-watch match which has been the talk of RevPro, both sides of the curtain, ever since.

3. And Still (We Want Mina)

Pro wrestling is done best when the outcomes of the matches are unpredictable and when there is storyline intrigue in either wrestler coming out on top and we got exactly that with Mina Shirakawa Vs Lizzy Evo for the Undisputed British Women's Championship. Mina came out on top, tapping Lizzy out in the centre of the ring, after a really tough and engrossing contest. The RevPro love affair with Mina continues and now we get to see if the rumours of the Undisputed British Women's Championship being defended in Stardom have merit. Meanwhile, we were fascinated to see how the Cut Throat Collective would cope if Lizzy held the gold and Mercedez Blaze, Nina Samuels, Alex Windsor and Safire Reed did not - is the collective good really more important than the individual's success? Well, we won't know just yet. But, what we will see now is how the CTC responds to Lizzy's loss. Nightshade failed to do the same and was cast aside. Nina failed but she was seen as more valuable than the Deadly One; where do the CTC see Lizzy?

4. And Still (We Want Kaven?)

And making it a clean sweep for championship retentions we saw Will Kaven sans Trew & Lacey defeat Cameron Khai, surely bringing to an end Cameron's chances of capturing that title in 2024 and sending him and Leyton Buzzard back to the drawing board. Meanwhile Kaven can now prepare for Lio Rush, with Uprising looking the likely destination once more, as 'The Disruptor' managed back-to-back championship defences with the belt he won back in August. Hats off to Kaven - he won convincingly and without any question marks and looked the best he has ever looked in doing so. Cameron Khai, though he came up short, looked like he belonged on that stage, a stage shared across the night by world champions, G1 winners and Wrestle Kingdom headliners. In 2025 Cameron Khai will win the British J Cup and become Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion - I'm taking bets now and banking on it. 

5. Black & White (Not Black & Orange)

Did Robbie X join TMDK? Was he the X at Royal Quest IV? He was... The latter! He and Zack put on a clinic in Doncaster which I was glued to and adored; technical mastery from the best at it and one of the most underrated at it. Then ZSJ offered Robbie the black and orange TMDK shirt which Robbie didn't take - he was disrespected by Robbie Eagles in Sheffield and he was patronised by Zack Sabre Jr in Doncaster and, by rights, he rejected the offer. Then, continuing the thread from Ishimori Vs Robbie X at RQIII, Robbie joined Bullet Club and he and Ishimori now enter the NJPW Junior Tag League after defeating CPF in Crystal Palace. A deserved opportunity for an unbelievable wrestler who fits in with Ishimori perfectly and for whom I will be really interested to see how the Japan run goes; I cannot wait for Bullet Club Vs VeloCities and Bullet Club Vs Catch 22.

6. Welcome Home Tsuji, Yota Tsuji

Bad news - Lio Rush didn't make Global Wars after missing his flight in the US.

Good news - Yota Tsuji, baby! Yota got a HUGE pop as the surprise opponent for Mascara Dorada and it was a special moment for a man who RevPro fans have a lot of love for.

7. Team Zozaya Stand Tall

Zozaya, Leon Slater and Hiroshi Tanahashi versus Connor Mills, Gabe Kidd and Jay Joshua... What an amazing array of talent for a match to break up the high stakes singles bouts. The fact that Zozaya and Mills are integrated in a feud and Jay Joshua has now joined the fold and finds himself within a feud with Zozaya of his own was icing on the cake and the fact that everyone was keen to show out in front of President Tanahashi made it all the more enjoyable. Team Zozaya stood tall. Let's see how Mills and Joshua respond.

8. Paying Attention President Tanahashi?

And Mr President, I hope you were paying close attention. Connor Mills should be on every Royal Quest card and should be being looked at next time a War Dog is required. Leon Slater and Zozaya are insane talents ready to step in at a minutes notice - Leon would be incredible in a BOSJ and Zozaya could walk into any company in the world; a diamond ready to be moulded. As for Jay Joshua, tell me you don't want to see Ishii Vs Joshua, Shingo Vs Joshua, Cobb Vs Joshua, Henare Vs Joshua... Do I need to go on?

9. Show Stealer

For me RKJ Vs Oku was match of the night. Anyone shocked at that? Hell no, you're not. Ishii Vs Jacobs a stellar main event? Anyone shocked? Nope. AZM Vs Kanji coming in to round out the top three? Does not surprise me in the slightest but it might surprise some because it is not one with a huge build or a tonne of story but was a match between two of the best women in the world working at the top of their game. Incredible stuff. Can we have AZM back please, Mr Quildan? As for Kanji, I may want a CTC member to hold the gold next but Kanji deserves it. She is the MVP of the RevPro women's division in 2024.

10. The More Things Change...

JJ Gale and Callum Newman, eh? Two wins and fourteen defeats across their sixteen times tagging coming into Global Wars BUT 2024 Callum Newman and 2024 JJ Gale are very different beasts to the 2020-23 versions of both men but, sadly, their fortunes didn't change. I loved the dynamic between both men at the end, which added some depth to what was otherwise an awesome first time tag team match. Charlie Sterling rocking up and decking JJ was a lovely touch which leads into their feud continuing which I'm all here for. 

Layers upon layers to this card. What a show.

Live In Southampton 32

Live In Southampton 32 will be remembered for a long, long time for one match, one visceral, violent match and one of THE greatest moments in RevPro history. Supplementing it was a card full of intrigue and incredible talent, showing the wealth of RevPro's riches in 2024 that so many stories can be developed adjacent to a Global Wars show that is so stacked in story, build and stakes that Royal Quest is at risk of being NXT Takeover'd. So let's get into it; grab a midweek tipple of whatever floats your boat - a cheeky midweek Guinness 0.0 for me - and let's explore the 10 Takeaways from RevPro Sunday.

1. R E S P E C T

Ospreay and Oku staring each other down at High Stakes.

The Cut Throat Collective's arrival.

Sha Samuels striking a kendo stick across David Francisco's neck and the back of his head as he shouted "I'm done with you, you fucking mug!"

These are the three moments of the year. The list is written.

This match had so much hype and it still over-delivered. The crowd were electric, the 1865 really did feel like the ECW Arena and Sha and Francisco NAILED their respective performances. Sha Samuels will never be able to walk into Southampton again without feeling like HBK in Canada and Francisco will forever be able to walk through The 1865 like Punk in Chicago. This was truly special and I feel truly blessed to have been there to witness it. I've seen a LOT of wrestling across my 60 live RevPro shows and I've never witnessed anything like that.

Watch it, I implore you.

2. He Who Laughs Last...

For RevPro to have RKJ Vs Michael Oku up their sleeves still in 2024 is incredible. With approaching 300 RevPro matches between them, they have only shared the ring in singles once and it was in front of an empty Portsmouth School Of Wrestling during the empty arena era of COVID. It really is remarkable. It is one of the most eagerly anticipated matches RevPro could book and we get it in just a few days in Doncaster for Global Wars UK. The two inevitably came together in Southampton. A handshake, some animosity, a cheap shot from Oku and a laugh from RKJ. The dynamics and story have been teased; can the best defensive wrestler in Europe find a way to cope with one of the best offensive strikers and grapplers around? Cat and mouse, twist and move, checkers and chess wrestling. I cannot wait. A great closing moment.

3. Foreshadowing

RevPro love to leave breadcrumbs leading in different directions and to foreshadow multiple routes for wrestlers and they did it so beautifully and subtly here. They showed us how much we want to see Mills Vs Oku again, with Uprising upcoming two years to the event since they last fought. Does RKJ beat Oku and then Mills Vs Oku and RKJ Vs Jacobs at Uprising? Oku mentioned Ishii and suddenly the mind races to know what Ishii Vs Oku looks like - does Oku beat RKJ and Ishii beat Jacobs and then we have Oku Vs Ishii at Uprising? Oku was the first to strike RKJ, unprovoked... Does Oku turn at Uprising and we get heel Oku Vs face Jacobs at Uprising? For the second Southampton show in a row, Zozaya and Oku headlined and for the second show in a row, Michael Oku found himself in the wars at pivotal moments of the match, leaving Zozaya at the mercy of two opponents... Does Oku turn on Zozaya in either the Tag League or the Trios Tournament?

So many breadcrumbs, so much foreshadowing and so many fascinating directions.

4. Delayed Gratification

How will Millie Mckenzie respond to Mercedez Blaze and the offer to join the Cut Throat Collective? That was a question pondered and discussed during the build up to the show and I love how everyone involved extended that story without paying it off too soon. Not everything needs an immediate pay-off and not everything needs to be a long, drawn-out saga - somewhere in between is often ideal. Millie rejected Chantal Jordan's handshake at the end of her match and she stared down Kanji at the end of her hers - two nudges towards her accepting the CTC offer. But then she shoved Mercedez Blaze and she threw a turnbuckle towards Kanji, encouraging her to use it - two clear indications she wanted no part of Mercedez's offer. It's still up in the air and I am all here for it. If it gives us Medusa Complex at Uprising then I'll pop my socks off.

5. Layers

And whilst the Mercedez, CTC, Millie and Kanji storyline runs in one direction, and as we look ahead to Mina Shirakawa defending the Undisputed British Women's Championship against Lizzy Evo, this show reminded us very nicely how far the women's division has come in 2024. It's more than just having two matches on the card, it's that the two matches were part of a storyline and that they aren't focused around the championship which has its own story. Then we have the layers of the division and that was shown on Sunday with the return of Chantal Jordan, a talent I am desperate to see used more in RevPro as she is so, so good and different to everyone else on the roster. Chantal Jordan Vs Millie Mckenzie was the highlight of the first half and was well, well worth fifteen minutes of your time. Pro Wrestling At Its Best, this.

6. Relief Is A Cursed Feeling

Relief is a strange feeling. It comes after anxiety and, although it has positive connotations, the negative that precedes it is awful. Trust me, I've spent 30+ years supporting West Ham; I know. Sunshine Machine were certainly anxious coming into The 1865 - look at the photo that sits above this Takeaway - looks at the anguish in TK's face as he shouted at Chuck Mambo for the tag. Then look at the photo below this Takeaway - the relief Teeks felt at the end of the match, when, despite Will Kaven, Mark Trew and Kieron Lacey's best attempts, Sunshine Machine retained their championships. There is something to be said for the "Southampton Curse" and what it does to these lads. A big win for TK and Mambo, so, curse lifted? Don't be so sure. Teeks told me post-match that, until they have more wins than losses in Southampton, they won't feel like they've shaken the curse.

Three wins and five losses in The 1865 for the team. Two singles wins and two losses for Teeks. Three singles defeats for Mambo. So, I make that ten losses and five wins. A six match 1865 winning streak please boys, let's kill "The Curse"!

7. Saw It Once. Liked It. Want It More.

I like to think that a wrestler worth their salt can captivate you in one singles match and that is exactly what James Ellis did in his RevPro debut against RKJ. His confidence and character come across clearly, his work was entertaining and accomplished and he had me hooked on every movement he made. There is a really interesting spot that Ellis could fill in the role of a heel cruiserweight very much contrasting to the spot Will Kaven has. Kaven is deplorable, dishonest and grimy whereas Ellis is cocky, arrogant and ambitious. The Cruiserweight division could do with some brilliance and Ellis is certainly that. 

8. No One And Done

Charlie Sterling was a bolt out of the blue when he rocked up in Sheffield and laid his challenge to RevPro and the locker room. He had the experience and the sense to walk away from JJ Gale when he realised he had bitten off more than he could chew in a scrap he had not prepared for and he came into Southampton looking to prove a point to one and all. He was imposing, dominant and almost insurmountable but JJ did what he has often failed to do and pull a win out from a poor performance and win ugly, to use a football phrase. However, this ain't over - oh no - as Charlie battered JJ post match and virtually guaranteed a round two. I wonder if it will come at the Trios Grand Prix with a couple of friends apiece?

9. Champ Shit

The Luke Jacobs UK Tour continued in Southampton with the champ coming out with the belt, kicking ass and then cutting a promo before handing the stage to those whose stories are being built. I like it. Jacobs Vs Ishii III needs no build and Jacobs hitting that line I love of "staring down the barrel of the Young Gun" pops me every time and it was all that was needed. I am enjoying the use of Jacobs currently knowing that he will be the main event of Global Wars and, I'd imagine, Uprising and that him being used further down the card (2nd in Southampton) creates room for the other stories to be fleshed out. It's helped Global Wars feel super stacked with a double main event of Jacobs Vs Ishii and Oku Vs RKJ, not to mention all the other insane talent and match ups on the card.

10. A Final Word For...

And a final word this week for Josh James who, on a show that was dominated by a feud he is integral to between Sha Samuels Vs David Francisco, wrestled the Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion in a major notch on his belt and milestone in his journey. The music, the ring gear, the entire presentation is working for Josh. His matches are hitting harder, he is becoming THE hoss of RevPro and deserves his flowers for the work he has put in to make it happen. A big York Hall singles match for Uprising feels earned and logical in his journey and, I'm hoping, a really entertaining Tag League and/or Trios Grand Prix ahead to get him there. 

Live In London 89

thoroughly enjoyed that my lovelies. Live In London 89 may not be on any end of year lists for show of the year but it was a vital installment of episodic wrestling, setting up so much for Global Wars. Sometimes there needs to be some table dressing and that is exactly what RevPro did here and it was expertly done with a couple of absolute BANGERS in there to make sure everyone left with a fantastic return on their twenty quid investment. Haven't caught up? RevPro On Demand mon amis. Need the TLDR version? Eh bien, bonjour! C'est pour cela que je suis ici. Without further adieu, therefore, here's 10 Takeaways From The 229!

1. Four Years In The Making

I love a Revolution Tag for so many reasons but the main reason is the way they bring people together to tease matches you want to see down the line or matches you know are incoming. That is exactly what RevPro did here, by showing us the enormity of RKJ Vs Michael Oku, now confirmed for Global Wars, without the two laying too many hands on one another until the end of the contest when it was Ricky Knight Jr who stood tall, a clean as a whistle three count pinfall over Michael Oku after a devastating Kishi Driver. RKJ was dominant. Oku fights best as an underdog and we have the dynamic for Global Wars laid bare - RKJ leaving, laughing and shaking his head at Oku whilst the former Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion left rattled and in the arms of Amira. 

2. Kaven Vs Khai Is Official

Announced via Lio Rush in Sheffield.

Confirmed post-229.

Will Kaven vs Cameron Khai for the Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship whilst Lio Rush awaits the winner and meets Mascara Dorada who answered his open challenge.

Khai and Kaven only had eyes for each other. They were locked in and ended up taking one another out of the match with Khai taking Kaven over the top to then be thrown over himself, not that he seemed to care; he had done what he came to do.

This feud is making Cameron Khai look like the star he has promised to be these past two years and Will Kaven is ready to embrace being a top heel in the company. My only issue is deciding how I want this to play out at Global Wars as I want Kaven to run with this 'Reign Of Terror', backed up by his stooges Trew and Lacey, but it feels more likely that Cameron Khai may be being set up to be the man to bring that to an early end.

We will know soon enough.

3. Oh My...

And speaking of Lio Rush... My oh my... Take a bow gentlemen as Lio Rush Vs Leon Slater was EVERYTHING. Their first encounter, just shy of two years ago, was really entertaining and had the drama of the British J Cup and the importance of a win for either man holding it up. This match, though, was poised as J Cup Winner '24 Vs J Cup Winner '23 and the two men wrestled with all the prestige of those titles beneath them. This was Lio Rush's best RevPro performance for me, which is a high bar, and highlighted how far Leon Slater has come in the two years between matches; these are two bonafide STARS of professional wrestling and it was an absolute joy to witness their match. Go and watch it, eh? It's worth every penny of a £7.40 sub to RevPro On Demand. 

4. Respect Match - On! Santos - Gone! Southampton - A Shit Hole? FULL ON*

*According To The 229 Choir

David Francisco (shock) tried to weasel his way out of the match HE wanted. Sorry David, I am trying to embrace objectivity here, but these are facts. Sha said that if Santos could beat him, the match was off. BUT, if Sha won, Santos was banned from The 1865. Nice little wrinkles to the story and, with Sha winning, we should get a stellar violent scrap in Southampton without any outside interference other than the incessant Francisco-loving from the Kool-Aid drinkers on the South Coast. Big win for Sha, a learning opportunity for Santos and a plan that didn't quite come right for Francisco this time.

Cannot wait for Sunday. This match is worth your trip to The 1865 alone.

5. Cut Throat Dominance 

I said in the preview that I was a wee bit worried for Lucia Lee and Aluna going into this one but Act Lu put on a good showing baring in mind the quality and experience of their opposition. There are levels to this game and Lucia and Aluna are looking to level up to two of the best women's wrestlers this country has ever produced. 

1) Great to have Lucia back from injury - she was hitting her stride before and I can't wait to see her back at it

2) Aluna got a strong reaction from the crowd and certainly deserves another look at

3) I can't believe I'm going to say this but it was good to have the CTC back. They may have come together in an unforgivable way but they are legitimate stars and RevPro is all the better for their presence on every card

6. Number One Contender

And to crown a fantastic return all round for the CTC, how about this; Lizzy Evo is going to Global Wars to face Mina Shirakawa for the Undisputed British Women's Championship. Lizzy Vs Dani Luna was up there with the best matches on the card and was another stellar performance from Evo, who has been the standout from the CTC for me. She defeated Dani, clean I might add, and subsequently challenged Andy Quildan to book her against Mina Shirakawa, a wish he granted. The match will be excellent and the prospect of a new champion is very, very real. Lizzy is the real deal and has been championed by many, myself included, to be the one to dethrone Mina and bring the belt "home to RevPro" (Lizzy's words, not mine). Global Wars has unpredictable match results and a stacked card; that is what we love to see.

7. Cold Hard Truths From Mills

Connor Mills Vs Maverick Mayhew is one of those leftfield match graphics which you see and think... Why this? Why now? Where is this leading? Mills and Mayhew were once partners, as Mills reminded us post-match after a dominant performance. He told the crowd that he wanted to give Mayhew a chance but that he now wants Mayhew to question if he really wants to be a pro wrestler at all. It was cold, hard to hear and deep from Mills. But, with the Trios Grand Prix just three shows away, this could add a lovely little sense of doubt and storyline for CPF, who are surely a dead cert for that weekend? Lando and Black on fire whilst Mayhew is full of self doubt could lead to various interesting directions and I'll be studying every little movement and bit of body language to see if that's what they're feeding us.

Intriguing this for sure.

8. CP F'n F!

And why will Lando and Black bounce into Coventry for the Trios Grand Prix should they get the expected nod? Well, they only went and beat Greedy Souls, didn't they?! CPF's FIRST EVER REVPRO WIN, ladies and gentlemen. Danny Black has had one singles loss and seven tag losses coming into this one whilst Joe Lando was his partner for four of those tag defeats and has two Scramble losses to go with it. It's safe to say this one has been a long time coming for CPF and what makes it even bigger is that they overcame former Undisputed British Tag Team Champions and one of the most dominant teams in Europe in Brendan White and Danny Jones. Big moment for Joe and Danny and I hope it leads to them repping CPF in both the Tag League and Trios Grand Prix.

9. Say Less? Say No More

CPF were not the only ones to get a major victory on Sunday. Jay Joshua picked up a huge win, his first in RevPro at the fifth time of asking, as he led Zozaya to back to back defeats after his loss to Barbaro Cavernario last time out in Sheffield. Massive for Jay. But... But, but, but... That doesn't tell the full story. With Ref Harv checking on Jay, Connor Mills snuck in to the ring, clocked Zozaya with a kick to the back of the head before Jay Joshua hit a Gotch-Style Piledriver for the 1-2-3. Jay seemingly didn't see Mills interfere and seemed shocked to see him at ringside and then immediately conflicted over how this had tainted his win; a thought he dropped as quick as he dropped Zozaya to the floor and took a place by Mills' side. A massive moment for Jay Joshua in more ways than one it seems.

10. Global Trios

And with that we had Mills and Jay Joshua, two thirds of a trio ready for Global Wars, and Mills confirmed the third man as Gabe Kidd as he wanted "killers" and "mad men". Leon Slater came to the save of Zozaya and Zozaya accepted his hand of support, confirming that their third man would be none other than Hiroshi Tanahashi. What a match that will be!

British J Cup & Live In Sheffield

What a weekend of professional wrestling that was. After three weeks off since the last trip to London for the 229, we bounced back with the British J Cup in Stevenage followed by the trip north to the Sheffield Network for our latest Live In Sheffield offering. And, once again, the Sheffield show stole the weekend, delivering a show which will live LONG in the memory. Couldn't be there live? Head to RevPro On Demand as both shows are there in full HD beauty. Want the TLDR version? I've got you. Here's 10 Takeaways from the J Cup weekend you need to know before this Sunday's return to the 229.

1. The 2024 J Cup Winner Is...

Lio Rush! 'The Man Of The Hour' was THE man of the weekend, overcoming Barbaro Cavernario in the opening match of the J Cup and continuing the trend of the past three J Cups; he who steps through the curtain first lifts the Cup in the end. In the main event in Stevenage we had Lio, Kid Lykos II, Cameron Khai and Dante Martin, with Lio overcoming Dante in the final two. Congratulations Lio; we couldn't have asked for a better winner and there is no-one more deserving of the moment.

2. Khai Vs Kaven (By Order Of Lio Rush)

So Lio Rush is the Number One Contender to Will Kaven's Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship but there is a complication and a lovely little wrinkle in the form of Cameron Khai. Kaven cost Khai his crack at the J Cup; after overcoming Robbie Eagles in the first round, Khai was jumped by Kaven in his entrance, with the 'Disruptor' breaking Leyton Buzzard's cane over Khai's knee, leaving him hobbling to the ring to an early elimination by Kid Lykos II in the final. That didn't sit well with Lio. Then, in Sheffield, it was Cameron who pinned Will Kaven in the stellar trios main event between Kaven, Trew and Lacey versus Khai, Lio and Dante Martin. And so, Lio has made his intentions clear - he will delay his J Cup spoils of a title shot until after Khai faces Kaven one on one, at Global Wars.

3. Open Challenge

So no Lio Rush at Global Wars? Oh no, Lio will be there and has issued an open challenge to anyone in RevPro and anyone around the world. Lio Rush Vs Titan sounds wonderful to me, as does Lio Rush Vs Mascara Dorada with both men confirmed to be appearing. Alternatively, Lio Rush versus ANYONE is a pleasure to see live - can't wait to see that graphic drop no matter who the opponent is.

4. Perfect Trios Promotion

And a final note on the Sheffield main event and all things Kaven, Lio and Cameron... What a way to promote the Trios Grand Prix in Coventry. RevPro don't do many trios matches and so the trios tournament felt a bit out of left field when announced in June but, if this main event is anything to go by, we are in store for a hell of a weekend of Pro Wrestling At Its Best.

5. Uninvited Guest

Will Kaven making his presence felt and spoiling the main event of the J Cup was not the only time an uninvited guest attempted to disrupt proceedings. Now it's not uncommon for the Sheffield Network to have a star studded crowd; Saxon Huxley, Will Kroos and Powerhouse Blake have all been seen at shows this year, taking in the best pro wrestling in the country. So, Charlie Sterling being at the Network on Sunday wasn't a shock but him getting in the ring, berating Francesca, belittling Lee Dawson and demanding a challenge from someone in the locker room led to an impromptu scrap between Charlie and JJ Gale, not a drop of ring gear in sight, that led to Sterling retreating, licking his wounds and threatening to return. I'll call it now, give us Charlie Sterling murdering Lee Dawson in the 229 on Sunday then give us Charlie Vs JJ in the 1865 next weekend please. 

6. Worth The Wait

The match of the weekend that I was most excited for was Robbie X Vs Robbie Eagles. I've watched 50 RevPro Robbie X matches live and over that time fallen in love with the guy; he is legitimately one of the best in the world. Along the way I've dreamt of matches I'd love to see including Robbie X Vs TJP, Robbie X Vs Hiromu Takahashi and, top of that list, Robbie X Vs Robbie Eagles. It is safe to say, therefore, my expectations for this match was HIGH and it surpassed everything I had possibly hoped for. It was incredible. Of the whole weekend, make time for this match - it was at the very top of the best Robbie X matches I have seen and Robbie Eagles demonstrated just what makes him such a COMPLETE wrestler, an elite technical cruiserweight. I'm still purring over it three days later.

7. TMDK TBC

I loved this. Robbie X has made no secret of his desire to go to Japan. He changed his moniker from 'King Of The Cruiserweights' to 'The Best Junior Heavyweight In The World'. KUSHIDA announced his Best Of The Super Junior tournament began when he wrestled Robbie X at Epic Encounter. ELP posed with Robbie and the King Of Sports logo in Berlin. And then Zack Sabre Jr alluded to X joining TMDK. It felt made that TMDK would have two new members on the 29th of September; one in Kobe, Japan, and the other in Sheffield, England. Ruphei Oiwa joined in Japan and it looked set for Robbie to join in Sheffield but there was another wrinkle, another hurdle, before the plan can be put in motion. Robbie Eagles revealed that he was sent by Zack Sabre Jr to test out Robbie X for himself and to arrange a Global Wars encounter with Andy Quildan, which is is now confirmed; Zack Sabre Jr versus Robbie X in what is effectively a TMDK tryout match. This has to end with Robbie joining and going over for the Junior Tag League to team with Robbie Eagles. I will pop my socks off if and when that happens.

8. Take A Bow Wolves, Take A Bow

Kid Lykos and Kid Lykos II were two relatively surprise announcements for the British J Cup and putting them together to face off in the opening round seemed, to me, the unlikely option. Then, when it was announced, I suspected we might get a Shitwolf versus Shitwolf 'Who Can Cheat The Most To Overcome The Other' encounter in somewhat of a comedy match. Instead, what we got was the match of the night. A technical clinic that told a beautiful in-ring story. This match is one I will remember for a long, long time and I'm already looking forward to watching it back again this weekend. Again, if time is tight for you and you don't have time to watch the whole weekend's action, this is a must watch match if you love mat wrestling, in-ring, psychology, and storytelling at its best.

9. RKJ Vs Oku - Finally

Jesus Christ, what a match between RKJ and Mike D Vecchio. Their first encounter in Sheffield was one of my matches of the year, but this one was even better. In a Two Out Of Three Falls encounter, it was an absolute sprint coming in under 20 minutes, with a two to nothing victory for RKJ, they ripped up the formula of a match which can easily fall into a trope format, similar to what they did when Robbie X beat Will Kaven 2-0 in December 2022 for the Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship. Losing two nil did nothing to affect D Vecchio's aura due to the nature of the match and the nature of the falls. It was so hard-hitting that they damn near broke the ring doing it. And what followed was the announcement that Ricky Knight Jr will face Michael Oku at Global Wars after a four-year wait for their rematch from the Portsmouth School of Wrestling during the pandemic era. What a match, what an announcement and what an absolute pair of studs.

10. Undeniable Manders

I fell in love with 1 Called Manders in the last ten days, getting to invite him on to the This Is A Revolution podcast, getting to shoot the shit with him on all things pro wrestling in the most relaxed interview I've ever conducted and getting to meet the guy in person to confirm he is the loveliest dude and, most importantly, a colassus in the ring. The man said it himself, watching tape only takes you so far and seeing him in person, up close and getting the feel for a 1 Called Manders match, which you can only get from being ringside, confirmed to me that he is the real deal and someone RevPro should make every effort to get back as often as the schedule allows. His match with Luke Jacobs was an absolute triumph and his match with Josh James was the perfect complement to it; we saw Big Game Hunter Manders and we saw Hunted Manders in one weekend and I loved every second of it. Again, if you can, find the time for at least one of these, though it matters not that which you choose as both were beautiful pro wrestling violence. 

Live In London 88

Was that the best 229 show of the year so far, my lovelies? COMFORTABLY for me. Live In London 87 was formatted perfectly to extend stories and had two bangers to bookend the show. Live In London 86 had THE moment of the year in the arrival of the Cut Throat Collective. However, this was top to bottom the strongest card, with the most overdeliveries, with matches that extended stories, promos that left me intrigued for me and angles which I'm strapped in for. Absolute freaking perfection. If RevPro can have the autumnal run they had last year then we are in for a goooooooooood few months here. So, why the hype? Well, here's 10 Takeaways From The 229 for 10 damn good reasons why!

1. Card Subject To Change

What a way to make lemonade from some pretty rotten lemons, eh? We knew Michael Oku was a doubt for the show, we knew he was pulled from GWF x RevPro Double Impact and we knew that this meant our main event was in jeopardy. Well, when you have a match like Zozaya Vs ELP on the undercard, you're pretty damn covered, and that match took the main event slot (and DELIVERED). However, what I loved most was how the card change was incorporated so well into the show and into the unfolding drama and table setting that took place for Season 13 of Revolution Pro Wrestling, with the Anniversary Show, and the anointing of four new heads of each of the four RevPro divisions, very much feeling like an end of season finale.

2. A Glimpse Into The Post Copper Box Landscape

So what does that landscape look like? Well, Oku and Amira came to the ring to address multiple issues - his injury, the fact that Luke Jacobs deserves the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship and that him and Amira aren't going anywhere until he has the chance to win back the belt he is now synonymous with. However, before then, it looks like he may have to deal with Ricky Knight Jr for the first time in four years (more on that on Sunday for those of you regular readers, I'm going to bring you something tasty on our NOT RevPro Sunday). RKJ and Oku have existed in and amongst each other's spaces without ever coexisting for the entire post-pandemic run but now is the time to bring them back together with Luke Jacobs confirmed to be wrestling Tomohiro Ishii next month at Global Wars for Round 3 of their epic clashes.

3. North West Strong Takeover Season

And speaking of our Heavyweight Champion, we didn't have to wait long to give him that hero's welcome as Young Guns and CPF start proceedings in a killer tag match which got me salivating over just how good this year's Great British Tag League could be. It was amazing to have Joe Lando back for the first time since his injury and he and Danny put in the best RevPro performance they've delivered in what was their fourth RevPro appearance together. The star of the show through, undoubtedly, was Ethan Allen who was dominant in the ring and surly, sharp-tongued and frothing at the mouth on the outside. Young Guns, for me, have to continue as a tag team and go into the Tag League. Every match they are in will have the additional drama of the Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion being in the ring; a no brainer to me. Secondly, get Ethan Allen chasing the Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship as that division is screaming for an anti-hero to get behind with Kaven as the champion and Cameron Khai, Leon Slater and Robbie X our truly beloved, traditional heroes. Allen Vs Kaven in a proper piss and vinegar scrap sounds incredible to me.

4. Yes She F'n Kanji!

Next up we went to the first of three match of the night contenders and a match I know I will be banging on about for months and maybe even years to come. Kanji has been a revelation in 2024, going from strength to strength in every appearance and growing into this role which was either designed or organically formed where she stands as the face, lower case and upper case, of the division. Opposite her was Millie Mckenzie, a woman whose history I know but whose wrestling I've never seen live, and by all that is holy did these two deliver a masterclass in professional wrestling. The simplest, most stripped back match on the card, with the most classic of stories, and it was phenomenal professional wrestling, deserving of the standing ovation it received and will go down as one of THE matches of they year at years end. Pure artistry, this.

5. Cut Throat Collective Expansion?

However, they couldn't give us one week of peace, could they? In the first show since they arrived to not feature a CTC match, maybe, just maybe, we could have a week without Alex, Lizzy, Nina, Safire or Mercedez but no... The latter made her presence felt. (Full disclosure: I'm bloody delighted they were there as they have been a HUGE part of RevPro having their best ever year, for me). Mercedez offered Millie a CTC shirt, told her to take her time to consider the offer and watched as Mckenzie took the shirt backstage with her before Blaze attacked Kanji. Kanji Vs Mercedez, please. Medusa Complex Vs Cut Throat Collective, please. Unless, of course, the CTC is to expand? Time will tell but, like every week of the three months they have been with us, the new look women's division has me HOOKED.

6. Fuck Southampton

Pop! Piss funny, this. Next we had Sha Samuels & Josh James face David Francisco & 'Goldenboy' Santos in a match that really over-delivered. What I loved was how well they've woven in Francisco Vs Sha and Francisco Vs Josh whilst having Santos there to constantly get 'The Centrepiece' (The Weasel) out of trouble. The match was given time and went to levels beyond what I thought it would and the post-match was equally hilarious and exciting; Sha Vs Francisco in a Respect Match (effectively an I Quit Match with different verbiage) IN SOUTHAMPTON in front of all the Kool Aid drinking Francisco congregation as the Patron Saint Of St Mary's (Thanks Spike for making this a thing) returns to his home away from home away from home. Wonderful lore and fantastic utilisation of an organic development between the fans and the wrestler. Love it.

7. RKJ ✅ JJ Gale ✅✅ Leon Slater ✅✅✅

Jay Joshua is one hell of a talent, eh? The RKJ match was very enjoyable. The JJ Gale match was excellent. This, though; this was a seminal moment, I believe, in this man's RevPro career as this was his most high profile spot on the card (the coveted fourth match) and it was a level above even the match with JJ Gale, earning the second standing ovation if the night. This surely confirms the fact that Jay Joshua is one talent who has been given a chance to impress and impressed so much that he must surely now be here to stay. In my 56 live shows at RevPro and over the two and a half years no-one has made such an impact except the human cheat code that is Zozaya. I'll be shocked if the lad hasn't turned three RevPro appearances into ten by the end of the year.

8. Kaven Retains

Next, RKJ defeated JJ Gale in an Epic Encounter rematch, with Ricky offering JJ a handshake, a nice extension of their rivalry after the disrespect and bully-boy-nature in which 'The Killer' approached their match in April. And after this match we had our Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship match stuck between a rock and a hard place. Following a really engrossing JJ and RKJ battle and going prior to ELP and Zozaya was a tough spot for Cameron Khai and Will Kaven as it was a pressure spot with expectations. Kanji and Millie McKenzie were in a no pressure spot and smashed it out of the park, whereas the Cruiserweight title match was in a high pressure spot at the top of the card. The way Kaven and Khai built their match, though, was absolutely commendable and it was arguably Kaven's and Khai's matches of their respective careers to date. The drama, the near falls, the extension of both Khai and Kaven's arcs... A real overdelivery, for the second time on this card. The Cruiserweight division is ready to be rebuilt in Kaven's image and I am so here for it.

9. Zozaya Levels Up

In my preview I painted a pretty sorry picture for Zozaya after three defeats on the spin. However, how do you bounce back from three disappointing defeats? By headlining the 229 and beating EL f'n P, that's how! Incredible scenes, great drama and legitimate shock throughout the crowd. I loved this so much. ELP navigated his emotions beautifully as he evolved in the match, asking questions from "did you miss me?" to "is this the best they've got?" to "how does this kid keep getting back up?" with every facial expression. This match, though, and the result going the way it did, projects Zozaya straight back to the top of the list of challengers for Luke Jacobs as the only man to have pinned both Oku and Jacobs in 2024 and, now, with the scalp of ELP to back that up. I can't say enough about just how special Zozaya is and how lucky we are to be seeing him so young, so raw and with such untapped potential.

10. True Prick

And here he is, 'True Grit' Connor Mills proving to be the 'True Prick' as he denied Zozaya another crowning moment with a low blow and some ground and pound post match, making his intentions clear once again - Mills will use Zozaya to get to Jacobs. Unless, this is to be used to get to Oku? Zozaya and Oku have been aligned for months but Mills has teased a Destination Everywhere reunion; is he jealous? Is he playing Oku? Or does he just want Jacobs and sees Zozaya as a shortcut to get there? Mills is cerebral and he doesn't act randomly - I'm keen to see the 'why' unfold in front of our eyes, knowing there is more than one potential route, such is the beautiful way RevPro tells stories.

RevPro XII Anniversary

Revolution Pro Wrestling - if ever there was any doubt - just proved that they are THE number one independent promotion in the world. Just shy of 4,000 people turned out to see a RevPro show headlined by two British wrestlers producing art that was very much made in Britain. RevPro XI was ambitious but RevPro XII was more so - last year they came for Ospreay Vs Shingo, would they come this year for Oku Vs Jacobs? Last year it was heralded and critically acclaimed - could they deliver again? Could they outdo it? That's a lot of questions but there is only one answer; YES! It's Wednesday my lovelies which means it's Takeaway night here at davethemark.com; here is 10 of them!

1. North West Strong

I can't start anywhere but there, with 'Wanted Dead Or Alive' still playing in my head and the image of Luke Jacobs centre of the ring as Michael Oku and Amira embrace at ringside marking the end of a huge chapter in Revolution Pro Wrestling history. Ladies, gentlemen and Marks, Luke Jacobs is your new Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship after an all-timer of a main event. I witnessed it live, I felt it in person, but I also watched it back for due dilligence and I can confirm - Oku and Jacobs took the bar set by Shingo and Ospreay last year and raised it. They manipulated the crowd to turn a 70-30 Oku advantage into a 70-30 Jacobs advantage to set up the finish and give Jacobs the pop be deserves. They delivered their best match - which is quite the statement given the Southampton, Manchester and London Chapters I, II and III. It was paced perfectly, very much in a New Japan main event model of escalating drama and building suspense, and they proved without any doubt whatsoever that they are both WORLD-CLASS and I say that with no bias, no hyperbole and no hesitation. Enjoy them whilst we have them folks; there is no guarantee on just how long that will be. What made it even better was seeing Ethan Allen win at the start of the show and Luke Jacobs win at the close of the show. Allen, Jacobs, Oku and Mills are four men who represent exactly what RevPro does better than anyone else with their interwoven, long term stories built on generational rivalries. What do we call it? Pro Wrestling At Its Best.

2. Once More With Feeling

Now if you'll excuse me one moment...

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That's better.

Sunshine Machine won and join Aussie Open as the only ever two time Undisputed British Tag Team Champions and I will NEVER forget how they made me feel in this match. TK Cooper looked into the ring at a beaten and worn Chuck Mambo, with the intimidating and seemingly fresh pair of Zack Gibson and James Drake daring him to step to them. Teeks' confliction overwhelmed him, he stepped down and he went to walk away. In that moment I lost all sense of myself and found myself screaming - legit screaming - at TK; "What the fuck are you doing? Get back in the fucking ring!" And he did, and our boys hit the Designated Driver and the rest is history. Magical, truly magical. This is what makes pro wrestling real, the feeling that it can generate in the people who watch it and share in it.

3. We Want Mina!

Welcome to Revolution Pro Wrestling Mina Shirakawa and congratulations are in order - we have a new Undisputed British Women's Champion! I did not see this coming. A course redirect after Stephanie Vaquer was snapped up by WWE felt likely to me, with Vaquer already confirmed for the Germany tour this weekend, it felt telegraphed that she was likely going to conquer Dani Luna. Mina felt like an incredible make-good and further evidence that Andy Quildan always delivers. However, I thought Dani would get over the line but lo and behold, Shirakawa tapped Luna out to the Figure Four Leg-Lock, at the second attempt, in the centre of the ring and with nowhere to go. A huge pop. A huge shock. Fascinating to see where we go next but two things are for sure - We Want Mina and we must thank Dani Luna for nine incredible months as champion and two incredible years with Revolution Pro Wrestling. I hope this is not goodbye and I hope to now see some Mina and Cut Throat Collective interaction. Lizzy Evo Vs Mina Shirakawa for Global Wars, please, Mr Quildan.

4. One Swift Kick To The Dick

And with one swift kick to the dick, Lord Gideon Grey's words not mine, we have a new Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion in an acca spoiler for many. Who can honestly say they had 'Ruthless' Will Kaven, 'The Disruptor', leaving the Copper Box with the strap? Kaven played it beautifully, if you look at it though a certain lense; ELP, Leon Slater, Cameron Khai, Dante Martin (yep, there's your guest appearance) and Neon kept it clean, they kept it honest and fair but Kaven did what the rules allowed him to do - he kicked Cameron Khai low, he locked him in a Jackknife Pin, and he is now Undisputed. You can't be mad at this, not really. It was all within the rules of the match.

And as surprises went, I didn't too bad. Gisele Shaw was number one on my list of potential opponents for Dani, but she instead was the fifth woman for Team RevPro, which was my Cromulent Wrestling prediction on last week's podcast. Dante Martin was mentioned alongside Lio Rush for the sixth man in the Scramble and Mina Shirakawa was sixth on my list of ten women to replace Vaquer. All in all, not too shabby!

5. THE Best Division In The World

Kanji, Rhio, Debbie Keitel, Nightshade, Gisele Shaw, Alex Windsor, Lizzy Evo, Nina Samuels, Mercedez Blaze and Safire Reed - that was sensational. What an advert for British and Irish wrestling. Just shy of 23 minutes, full of insane drama and beautiful pro wrestling violence. To give everyone an indication of just how good this was - Donovan Dijak and Gabe Kidd had the unenviable task of following it. This was the Jacobs Vs Ishii match of last year - the match that took up all of the fans' collective energy and, from which, they needed a solid 15 minutes to recover. I can't do it justice by trying to list all the incredible moments but I can say this; go and watch it. RevPro On Demand. £7.40 for a month or 60-odd quid for the year. This story line has been on a par with the heavyweight title picture as the best part of RevPro in 2024 and my biggest fear was that it would lead to this match and then the collapse of the CTC. Instead, this felt like the end of just the first chapter. The ten wrestlers on display here are STARS of the present and the future and need to continue to be a focal part of everything RevPro does whilst they remain available, as they are tailor made for weekly television wrestling and worthy of a huge contract. Now, let's make that happen here in the UK for Revolution Pro Wrestling, please, or else we may one day have to say goodbye to such talented performers and artists.

6. Take. A. Bow.

JJ Gale, take a bow. Facing Ishii at the Copper Box after THAT match last year was unenviable. Whether he wanted them or not, the matches would be compared and JJ and Jacobs would be compared as part of that. And JJ is not Jacobs - he is his own man, his own wrestler, and he wrestled his own match, his own style, and he and Ishii tore the house down. The match went to heights we knew it could, but just because it can does not mean it will, and I was made up to see JJ get the reaction he got and he earned it. I recall a conversation with Kelly Sixx who told me that he loves wrestling in Japan as you have to earn the reaction - the matches begin quiet and you have to draw the reaction out of the crowd and, when you get that reaction, it is incredibly satisfying as a performer. This was JJ on Saturday. Ishii got the reaction. The crowd, most of whom would be new/relatively new to JJ were calling from the first bell for Ishii to "fuck him up". Yet, by the key moments in the match, that momentum had shifted from 90-10 Ishii, to 70-30 Ishii to 50-50 and, by the end, to 70-30 JJ. That is highly commendable and a huge milestone in JJ's career. Like I say, take a bow mate, you earned it.

7. He's Our Mad Man 

Gabe Kidd coming to the ring to batter Donovan Dijak within an inch of his life, with no wasted motion, no delays, just a sprint of a fight, was everything it needed to be to bridge the crowd from the anarchy and chaos of the No DQ Ten Woman brawl to the emotional rollercoaster of Titles Vs Careers in Sunchine Machine Vs GYV. "He's Our Mad Man" was a genuine and wholesome chant and I loved it. Gabe is a RevPro success story - both personally and professionally - and he is, in 2024, a major player in the global wrestling landscape. Now Luke Jacobs is our champion we need to direct the paths to ensure we see Kidd Vs Jacobs on a BIG stage this year or next. Until then, the 'Mad Man' is a tremendous ambassador for RevPro carrying that NJPW Strong Championship. Let's hope we see that defended at Global Wars. He's OUR Mad Man, after all.

8. Wrestling Is Art

Zack Sabre Jr Vs Hechicero took the semi-main spot, it took just shy of 23 minutes and it took an active and attentive audience on a journey around the world in technical, artistic and beautiful wrestling. It was both British and Mexican. It was carch-as-catch-can and jjave. It was perfect. George and I struggled to find words for this one on the Cromulent Wrestling 'This Is A Revolution' podcast we recorded last night, which drops at 7pm on Friday as always, because there are no words for art as pure as this. Watch it, switch your brain off from the world, immerse yourself in it and you will lose yourself in world class pro wrestling. Magicians at work performing at their very finest.

9. Thriving With My Family

When RKJ released his "you've awoken something in me" video after Zozaya knocked him out in York Hall, there was a tease that resembled Sting and I thought we would be seeing 'The Killer' don 'The Icon's face paint for the big show. What he did, instead, was so much more. Entering to Marilyn Manson's 'If I Was Your Vampire', Ricky was masked, covered in body paint resembling The Punisher, with a demonic entrance reminiscent of Demon Finn Balor, accompanied by an at-first-masked Saraya and Zak Knight. He vowed to KILL ZOZAYA and that he did; this was as one-sided and dominant a performance between two of RevPro's top dogs since Gabe Kidd destroyed Michael Oku in Birmingham in February 2023. At the end of this brutal match, after a Vertebreaker (not a Muscle Buster or Kishi Driver) it was RKJ with his hand raised and he looked to feast on the leftovers of 'El Freestyler'. He didn't, mind, he shook his hand as Zozaya collapsed before him. Was Zozaya already dead? Was it mercy from RKJ with Zak bellowing at him to dispose of him? It was a moment I found a little jarring at first but have really enjoyed pondering since.

10. He Who Laughs Last...

And last but not least, let's rewind to the very start of the show to Grado (yes, you read that right) who introduced Greedy Souls, David Francisco and 'Goldenboy' Santos Vs YOUNGBLOOD and The New Age Revolutionists, Sha Samuels and Josh James. In the opener to the show we got an advert of the depths of the RevPro roster, the multiple stories told simultaneously and a big moment for some top notch talent who missed out last year to get their moment in front of nigh-on 4,000. And, as expected, they delivered exactly was needed to open the show. The biggest takeaway from it? Josh James pinned Brendan White dead centre of the ring and the Copper Box rejoiced. I don't know when the Tag League is scheduled for this year but I would say strike whilst the iron is hot - here's four teams that must feature alongside Sunshine Machine, Trew & Lacey and, let's manifest it, Destination Everywhere and Young Guns. Blimey, Autumn and Winter in RevPro are going to bang - we have the J Cup, the Trios Tournament and a Queen Of The Ring to take us from the Copper Box to the end of the year! Let's m'fin' go.

Live In Southampton 31

Good morning my lovelies! It's Copper Box Week! I cannot wait for Saturday, for the most important show in Revolution Pro Wrestling history and for the most thrilling conclusion to so many feuds I've been emotionally locked into for months and months. Before we get there, though, we were in The 1865 on Sunday for Live In Southampton 31 and, if you haven't had chance to catch up before your wrestling week of madness commences, then here's everything you need to know; here's 10 Takeaways From The 1865.

1. RKJ Vs Zozaya III

Let's start with the latest confirmed match for the Copper Box - Ricky Knight Jr Vs Zozaya. After Zozaya defeated RKJ in York Hall at Summer Sizzler by referee stoppage, Ricky is gunning for vengeance. Call it pride, call it ego, call it revenge - it's added an extra edge to a match we have speculated on for the past few weeks pre-Sizzler. In Southampton, the production team aired the video Ricky has since posted to his Instagram confirming the match and having his final say. A tidy bit of admin to get us started - 10 confirmed matches for the card with the final match to be announced being the opener via the Pre-Show.

2. The Champ Had Tears In His Eyes...

Seeing Michael Oku come to the ring for the main event, accompanied by the wonderful Amira, with literal tears in his eyes, soaking in every inch of The 1865... It was emotional; there were genuinely fans crying. This felt, in every way, a goodbye from our Champion, from the face of Revolution Pro Wrestling and from his manager who adds SO much to his presentation, SO much to the performance and SO much to the live crowd experience.

3. ... But He Ain't Going Anywhere

However, after the match, Michael Oku declared that he and Amira are not going anywhere. Now there are different levels to this - you can leave forever, never looking back and never returning. I do not believe Michael Oku will ever do that. You can leave but still come back, just in a supporting role, likely to get back in the ring one day down the line, like I suspect Will Ospreay will. Or you can leave and come back regularly, like a Gabe Kidd or a (G1 F'n Winner) Zack Sabre Jr. This, I believe, is more likely. Alternatively, Oku and Amira could stay with RevPro like Alex Windsor, Leon Slater and Dani Luna have, yet still make appearances in other companies. Time will tell. It's win, win, though; either we get to keep our cherished Oku and Amira or they get to make a life-changing amount of money after years of grafting. Time will tell.

4. Champion Stands Tall

So how did the Go-Home show to the 12th Anniversary end, the Final Stop On The Road To The Copper Box? Oku's shoulder was taped up and vulnerable. Ethan Allen and Luke Jacobs decimated him in the early stages, leading to medical attention. BUT you can never right off Michael Oku and the champion was the one standing tall in the centre of the ring having tapped Allen out to the gnarliest of (Arched Back) Half Crabs. A match of the year contender this without a shadow of a doubt. UNBELIEVABLE. The main event of Saturday is one so delicately poised - I cannot wait!

5. "If this is the final time..."

After TK Cooper saw off 'Goldenboy' Santos in a match which stole the first half of the show, Chuck Mambo took to the mic. Having been defeated by David Francisco's mindgames, intelligence and willingness to break the rules in the opener, Sunshine Machine's TK and Mambo had a win and a loss between them. They addressed the crowd, a chance to say goodbye if Saturday does not go to plan in their self-imposed 'Titles Vs RevPro Career' shot at GYV and the Undisputed British Tag Team Championships. However, Teeks took control and delivered a rousing promo epitomised by the line "last year they wouldn't let us on the show; this year WE ARE THE SHOW." There will be tears on Sunday, I can assure you of that. One way or the other. However, I will say it now; I BELIEVE.

6. The Patron Saint Of St Mary's 

This was my fifth consecutive visit to Southampton, a city I've grown fond of and a crowd who have welcomed me in, making my visits ones I look so forward to. With that in mind, and with all due respect, Southampton, are you NUTS? Ladies, gents, Marks, go watch Live In Southampton 31 and, if you only have five minutes to spare, watch David Francisco's entrance and the unenviable but wonderful job Francesca did of announcing the 'Patron Saint Of St Mary's'. The Southampton faithful were unglued at the sight of their 'hometown' hero who calls The 1865 a "home away from home away from home". There were Centrepiece and Contender No More t-shirts everywhere you looked. And The Weasel™️ LOVED every single second of it. He is undeniable at this stage and has flourished in his new role. He HAS to be on the Copper Box card.

7. The New Age Revolutionists

There was something very familiar about Josh James and Sha Samuels as they came to the ring. Josh is emotional right now. David Francisco is well and truly under his skin and Brendan White continues to be the vile bully he has always been to anyone associated with the Contenders division and sunk to a new low this week when he called Josh "billy no mates" given the terribly sad events of the past nine months. Sha Samuels, therefore, had to focus Josh, talk him through the match and keep him focused - VERY reminiscent of how he used to with his former tag team partner James Castle. It was a wonderful tribute of sorts but it also ties in beautifully with everything going on in the exciting RevPro tag team division right now. Give us Souls, YOUNGBLOOD, Sha, Josh, Francisco and Santos in the Copper Box's final match - it is perfectly set for it.

8. Welcome To RevPro, Eric Dillinger

The Copper Box takeaway is Will Kaven picked up a big win to carry into Saturday and to give him the momentum he needs to disrupt the Cruiserweight Scramble. The personal takeaway is that Kaven, in a crowd who generally despise him more than anywhere else for being from Portsmouth, got some cheers and some support for quite possibly the first time in his career. Maybe it was because he was facing a newcomer who himself is no angel, maybe it was because of the events of Summer Sizzler with the tribute to James Castle. The main takeaway from this match, though, is that Eric Dillinger f'n rules. Literally taking the breath away from people with his first strike on Kaven, the 'Public Enemy' put in a performance I'll remember for a long time. We get a lot of visitors to RevPro who come to see why it is THE number one independent promotion in the entire world but Dillinger is one I would advocate for bringing back whenever there is the chance. Loved it, loved him and, overall, a match which massively over-delivered.

9. Jay Joshua. Say Less.

And if we want to praise newcomers, Jay Joshua WELCOME TO REVPRO. Jay Joshua Vs RKJ last month in the 229 was an introduction but his match versus JJ Gale on Sunday was an ARRIVAL. Said with no hyperbole or recency bias, this and the Young Guns, Oku, Zozaya main event were two matches which, for me, were the two matches of RevPro's August so far, an August which has featured Donovan Dijak Vs Robbie X, Luke Jacobs Vs Trevor Lee and Michael Oku Vs MJF. JJ came away with a big win ahead of his match with Tomohiro Ishii on Saturday - a mature, focused and accomplished win from a man wrestling at his very best right now. As for Jay, he offers something unique to RevPro - a powerhouse, heavyweight wrestler whose aura has not been affected by back to back defeats. He has an incredible charisma and charm to him that makes him immediately popular with fans and he is someone I expect to see lots, lots more of. Say less.

.

10. No Disqualification 

And finally, we can't have a week go by without taking about THE most talked about faction in all of professional wrestling right now - the Cut Throat Collective. What a match this was. Heated, violent, electric - it was perfect. Kanji has grown into her role as the standard bearer of women's wrestling in RevPro in 2024 and Rhio is a bonafide star. Lizzy Evo has come into RevPro, taken the place by the balls and basically said "I run this now" and no one can deny her it. Safire Reed was the MVP of this match; it was impossible not to focus on everything she did and then there was Nightshade, who made the save and proved to be a difference maker. This was such a great way to get us fired up for Saturday and the 5 Vs 5 match at the Copper Box which was confirmed in Southampton to be no disqualification. The match has gone from being a match I suspected would open proceedings on the Pre-Show when first announced to being one of the most highly anticipated marquee matches on the card. Unbelievable work from everyone involved.

And there we have it my lovelies. Incredible stuff - find time for it if you have it this week as it will be in the Top 10 RevPro shows of 2024 at years end. Who was the Hero Of The 1865? Who must wear the thorny crown of Villain Of Southampton? I'll be back tomorrow with that one. For now, I'm off to Cardiff to see if any of my beloved RevPro stars are going to pop up on this AEW All In Trios Wild Card match 👀 Mark Out.

Summer Sizzler

Happy Wednesday, ladies, gentlemen and Marks! How was your Sunday? If you were at York Hall, I'd imagine it was sizzling as the action looks like it was a tonne of fun, full of drama and sprinkled with surprises to ensure the 1,000+ packed, capacity crowd left happy. As regular readers will know, I was not in attendance as I have been on holiday with family in South Wales and so this was my first watch via RevPro On Demand in a long, long time but, thank goodness for that service, and well done to RevPro for the notable upgrades to the production which have slowly but consistently been occuring in 2024 to make the On Demand service that much sharper and smoother. For those who weren't there and weren't able to catch up On Demand, I've got you; here's everything you need to know about the (2nd) biggest event of the summer in the TLDR format... Here's 10 Takeaways From York Hall!

A Tribute That Made Everyone Proud

I said both on the Cromulent Wrestling This Is A Revolutuon Podcast and in the Dave The Mark Preview of Pro Wrestling At Its Best that I did not want to speculate on this match but that I simply hoped that it was one where Lord Gideon Grey and Dan Magee were happy with it, proud to have honoured their friend and one where everyone in York Hall showed Jamie Stacey a.k.a. James Castle the love the man deserved. Mission accomplished in every possible way. Gideon and Dan put on a wonderful tribute match, Andy Quildan gave the moment some real emphasis with his own pre match announcement and the inclusion of Zoe Lucas, Aiden Taylor, Kenneth Halfpenny, Sha Samuels, Will Kaven, Rob Lias, Josh James, Craig Almond and Shaun Jackson was really heartwarming. And the fine folk of York Hall, you did your job to perfection. Of everything that happened on this show, this was the one moment I felt truly saddened to have missed.

Oku Didn't Book His Ticket For Wembley (Or Did He?)

MJF and Michael Oku did everything they set out to do - they put on a match worthy of main eventing the show and got the crowd hot for both the Copper Box and All In. The AEW American Champion played with fire with controversial presentation and an equally controversial promo to garner heat but it was not needed - Michael Oku is BELOVED in York Hall, the crowd were always going to give this the reaction it deserved. Luke Jacobs ran an interference spot to remind everyone who might have possibly forgotten that it is Oku Vs Jacobs ten days from now and Will Ospreay chased MJF off from attacking Amira at the finale of the show to remind everyone of his programme with MJF for the following day at All In London at Wembley Stadium. MJF won the match but I'll be shocked if Oku is not in the Casino Gauntlet Match after all of the the work done on both sides to present this match.

Dijak and Robbie Steal The Show

Match of the night without a shadow of a doubt, for me, this one. Donovan Dijak and Robbie X put on a classic styles clash which told the story of speed Vs power, a proper David Vs Goliath tale. This one had some real drama and unpredictability in it, knowing it was "Robbie's Copper Box" with the King Of The Cruiserweights in Mexico for a tour with CMLL over RevPro XII weekend which takes in a date with our very own Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion Neon and participation in the 2024 CMLL Grand Prix with a whose who of global talent including Claudio Castagnoli, Mistico and Kyle Fletcher to name just a few. Ultimately my question of 'Will Robbie go out winning or just swinging?' was answered, sadly, with the latter - Dijak picked up the win after a match which will live long in the memory. Another example of the incredible year Robbie X is having following on from MOTY contenders with the likes of Aigle Blanc and KUSHIDA and his high profile bout with Mustafa Ali in the first half of 2024.

Copper Box Match No-One Predicted

So, who had Gabe Kidd Vs Donovan Dijak on their Copper Box predicted card? Not me! I'll take it, however, as it will be a great first time ever encounter, this. As predicted, Gabe popped up on the screen for a promo challenge but, having always thought it'd be RKJ who was challenged, I was more than a little surprised to see it be Dijak who's name was in the Mad Man's mouth. Can't wait for this one!

RKJ Vs Zozaya II Leading To III?

First things first, this one ended with Ricky Knight Jr needing medical attention after Ref Harv called for the bell as a referee stoppage when RKJ was clearly rocked after a Zozaya Moonsault. Whilst The Killer was judged to have kicked out of the cover Zozaya attempted following the move, he was judged to be unfit to continue. So, one, we hope RKJ is ok and await an official update from him or from RevPro to indicate this. Two, we now need to see if RKJ will be fit for the Copper Box, and three, if he is, we surely need to run this one back as, with the Gabe Vs Dijak announcement, this feels like this was the play regardless.

And Still...

Your Undisputed British Women's Champion... DANI LUNA! The Queen Of York Hall Does Not Die and she proved that once more, fending off the entire Cut Throat Collective to conquer Nina Samuels and protect her reign as the Number 1 woman in RevPro. Surprisingly there was no sign as to her Copper Box opponent and you have to think that the announcement must be imminent if they are to get Meet & Greets on sale and the full card advertised on socials. As for the Cut Throat Collective's 5 Vs 5 challenge...

Team RevPro... 80% Loading

... We have four all-but-confirmed names in Kanji, Rhio, Debbie Keitel and Nightshade who came to Dani Luna's aid at the end of the match and did a four corner arrival and attack reminiscent of how the CTC invaded the 229 back in June. So who's the 5th woman? We know it can't be Lucia Lee due to the injury the Contender has recently suffered. Anita Vaughan is the best shout from a story perspective but I would not be surprised to see a name from RevPro's wider family step up akin to a Hyan or Gisele Shaw... if Gisele is not Dani's opponent of course! [insert a cheap plug for the 10 Possible Replacement's For Stephanie Vaquer article on the lists thread of the website]

Five Out Of Six Ain't Bad

And two more takeaways with Copper Box ramifications next. Firstly, it is confirmed for RevPro XII, Leon Slater will join the Cruiserweight Scramble. 'The Youngest In Charge' defeated Jack Cartwheel in a really entertaining encounter to qualify for the field of six on August 24th alongside Cameron Khai, Will Kaven, ELP and, of course, the Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion Neon. The sixth man will either need to be announced in the coming days or earn their shot in Southampton. Who you got as the sixth man? Comment on the socials post for this article and keep the RevPro chat on the timeline ❤️

It's Not Over, Not Over, Not Over Yet

And secondly, SUNSHINE MACHINE WON!

Arghhhhhjjjjjfjtjrjfjfjjhgnyntbrbeklsdbrbwbhshrbtbthrjrjeueeeehabaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrj!

Thank fuck for that.

The dream continues.

Grizzled Young Veterans? You had better Grit YOUR Teeth as TK and Mambo ARE NOT SPLITTING UP.

Copper Box. GYV. Designated Driver. 123. New Champions.

Put this nonsense of the boys splitting up to be bed ONCE AND FOR ALL.

Jacobs Stands Tall

And finally, a moment to consider how the two men facing off in the main event in less than weeks left York Hall:

Michael Oku; helped backstage by Will Ospreay and Amira after being beaten by MJF, after being BEATEN UP by MJF and after he was unable to capture another company's gold from another man's waist. Jacobs, though, who only has his eyes on one man, one belt, one match; he stood tall over Trevor Lee, he stood tall over Michael Oku AND he stood tall over MJF. The. North West Strong man overcame a spirited and motivated Trevor Lee, returning to RevPro for the first time in seven years. Then he took his opportunity in the main event to take out both champion and challenger to show who the real man in RevPro is, according to Manchester's own.

The real question is, will Luke Jacobs stand tall on August 24th?

Again, it's Copper Box season, let's fill everyone's timeline with our brand of professional wrestling, with Pro Wrestling At Its Best, and keep this discussion rolling. Oku or Jacobs, who you got?

Most importantly, though, I will be back at ringside on Sunday at The 1865 so come say hi and Mark Out and thank you for the support of davethemark.com 🙏❤️

Live In Coventry

Well, that was something wasn't it? A show which, for me, is evidence that less is more when it comes to pro wrestling and that balance is always carefully calculated. Nine matches may have been one too many, especially for a new crowd who are in the warming up stages, and a couple of matches may have benefitted from having two or three minutes shaved off for the overall fan experience. However, an epic main event worthy of a bigger stage and a bigger spotlight, with a closing angle which shocked everyone in attendance, ensured everyone left happy, buzzing for what's next. If you didn't get to see it live in attendance or on the livestream and if you don't have the time or the means to catch up On Demand, here's your 10 Takeaways From Live In Coventry.

1. MJ F'n F

If this is news to you then you must not be one of the HALF A MILLION people who have watched the video on socials but yes, it is true, MJF returns to Revolution Pro Wrestling on Sunday August 11th for the Summer Sizzler to defend his American Championship against Michael Oku in York Hall. MJF defeated Will Ospreay in an epic, near 60 minute encounter on AEW Dynamite earlier this month and will defend it in a rematch at All In London at Wembley Stadium on August 25th but, first, he wants to defend it against Oku as a man who epitomises everything MJF hates about Ospreay. A wonderful thread in an AEW storyline that also provides our Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion the opportunity to capture another championship in what will be an incredible sold out York Hall main event. At the conclusion of Live In Coventry, the promo played out over the big screen and the HMV Empire was shocked. A true mic drop moment.

2. Sizzler Setup & A Proper Main Event

This was beautifully dovetailed. In the semi-main event, Zozaya and Robbie X battled a competitive 16 minute encounter which either man could have come away with the win but, at the match conclusion, it was Zozaya who had his hand raised. Robbie looked physically exhausted and emotionally drained at the finish and took longer to vacate the Empire than he would normally, meaning his exit crossed over with Donovan Dijak's entrance and Dijak took the chance to rub salt in the wound, attacking Robbie on the ramp and setting up neatly the chance to run Dijak Vs Robbie X at Summer Sizzler. Dijak and Oku then put on a match worthy of headlining any show in the RevPro calendar - a dramatic, immersive and aggressive main event with very obvious character dynamics to draw the crowd in. Personally I was really hanging on the finishes, curious to see which way this would end as, Dijak winning could have led to Dijak Vs Oku for the belt at Sizzler and Oku winning felt massive for him in his list of accolades. It was the latter and I was delighted at the result. Dijak Vs Robbie X and Oku Vs MJF is far more exciting than Dijak Vs Oku II, as well, and it just makes it an even more bitter pill to swallow that Summer Sizzler is a rare one I will not be there live to see.

3. Keitel Steps Up

I said in Previewing Pro Wrestling At Its Best that I was curious to see where Debbie Keitel's allegiances lay, if she had any at all, and she did! And, more importantly, they were on the right side of the line. Keitel and Kanji were fourth on the bill of nine and, for my money, were the match of the night outside of the main event. Kanji got the eventual win and offered Keitel the handshake but she chose not to take it, exiting the ring and heading backstage; cue the Cut Throat Collective to circle the ring like sharks who can smell blood. Keitel returned, though, to make the save for Kanji, throwing a cup of coffee into the face of Mercedez Blaze and, united with Kanji, fended off Safire Reed, Nina Samuels and Lizzy Evo. The Copper Box card has a 5 Vs 5 women's scrap ready to be announced with the CTC issuing the challenge earlier this month... Looks like Kanji and Keitel make two of those 5. Rhio, Lucia Lee and Anita Vaughan would make 5. Something tells me, though, that one friend may come from further afield 👀

4. Mills Vs Allen... It's On!

Thank fuck for that. I had not really allowed myself to comtemplate how emotionally difficult it would be if Ethan Allen had come out said "That's it, I'm done" and it legit be an injury reveal, leading to what would likely be, at this point of his comeback, a career ending admission. Thankfully, that is not the case and we are getting Connor Mills Vs Ethan Allen at the Copper Box in a match which I cannot wait for. Mills declared Allen unfit for the match and offered Dynamite Lee Dawson the chance to take Ethan's spot at RevPro XII, if the Contender could last five minutes with 'True Grit'. Despite a spirited effort from Dawson, Mills put him away (just in time) with the Ankle Lock whilst simultaneously stamping on the back of his head to force the tap-out. Mills called Ethan to the ring to make his announcement and Ethan lured Mills in, until Mills turned his back, before beating him down with his crutches and announcing that he's fully fit to face him on August 25th.

5. Cameron's At The Copper Box!

And another step towards a complete Copper Box card was made with the knowledge that Cameron Khai will join Neon and Will Kaven as one half of the six man Cruiserweight Scramble match in which Neon will defend his title in the same manner as Connor Mills defended the same belt last year. Khai defeated Danny Black to get there, with the support and guidance from Leyton Buzzard in a fantastic use of the injured star, who was also working commentary for the show once again. Leon Slater takes on Jack Cartwheel at Summer Sizzler and then we have the Southampton go-home show to complete the Scramble. Leon (surely), Jordon Breaks (hopefully) and... We will see!

6. The Dream Continues 

Twice my anxiety spiked but all is well that ends well and Sunshine Machine are still alive, still in the hunt for the Undisputed British Tag Team Championships and, most importantly, still a team. Mark Trew hit a huge Shooting Star Press whilst Kieron Lacey prevented Chuck Mambo from breaking the count but TK Cooper, despite a busted lip and potentially broken nose, KICKED out. Then, with TK Cooper screaming at Ref Harv and pleading with Mambo to kick out, Trew had him on the ropes, literally, as you can see in the photo above, but Mambo KICKED out. And, so, Sunshine Machine roll into York Hall for their first tag team appearance since Uprising in December of 2022 with the chance to become Number One Contenders to Grizzled Young Veterans' Undisputed British Tag Team Champions or that's it, their run is done and they most go their separate ways in Revolution Pro Wrestling. Standing between them is their biggest RevPro rivals, Greedy Souls, YOUNGBLOOD and David Francisco & 'Goldenboy' Santos. Massive, massive stakes but the dream continues.

7. The Weasel Weasels Out

What a shock. You knew that this would not be the conclusive end to the Contenders No More saga as David Francisco would find a way to weasel his way out of it. We are going to need a very carefully selected set of stipulations to give us what we want and need at this point; a straight one on one fight between 'The Centrepiece' and 'Heavy Artillery'. However, credit where credit is due, Francisco did not bring Santos with him, he did not (successfully) cheat to defeat Josh James, he simply benefited from a rare moment of observant officiating from Oscar Harding. After a really enjoyable contest, Francisco went to low blow Josh after Oscar had come into the firing line and was out of position but Josh blocked it and delivered one of his own, an act out of frustration and a mistake masked by anger, which was seen by Oscar and Josh was disqualified. A really enjoyable wrinkle to their ongoing battles with what should be a really satisfying pay off coming in the near future. I'm interested to see where, when and how but I trust the process to believe it is coming and will be worth the wait, as the journey has been a really enjoyable one.

8. "Together We Bring Each Other Up But We Tear Everyone Else Down"

What a line that was from Safire Reed to describe the Cut Throat Collective's objectives in RevPro. When I interviewed Rhio last week, which will drop this weekend, she explained how there are too many egos in the CTC for any of them to stand back and let another shine when it came to championship opportunities. Look what happened to Nightshade when she failed to defeat Dani Luna when she got the first shot at the championship. However, in Coventry match booked was Lizzy Evo Vs Anita Vaughan but the CTC are a law upon themselves and Lizzy, ever the mindgame player, made her entrance but passed responsibility over to Nina Samuels who benefited from the element of surprise with AV having prepared for Lizzy, going  on to win a really enjoyable opener. I first described the CTC as a Many-Headed Monster and that is exactly what they need to be if they are to succeed as Nina's victory has led to her being given a shot at Dani Luna at Summer Sizzler. Had Lizzy won here, you'd assume it would be her getting the title shot. I wonder if she now regrets standing aside? If the five women are truly a collective, truly a Many-Headed Monster, then she won't. But if she does, there's the first crack in their armour. You should be paying close attention at York Hall, let's see where this one goes.

9. Still No Indication Of What's Next For The Killer

Well, we are no closer to knowing the fate of RKJ come the Copper Box...

If it is Gabe Kidd, maybe Gabe will address Ricky in a G1 post-match interview. Gabe won't be at York Hall for Summer Sizzler but he could appear via video segment like MJF did at the HMV Empire and that would make sense - you wouldn't want to run two of those video packages in the same show. If that is not the play then I really don't know what we are waiting for as, right now, Ricky feels a little like he is treading water whilst everyone else is having big moments, big matches and are the talk of RevPro. I still think he is poised to challenge either Oku or Jacobs coming out of the Anniversary show but I would like to see more of a focused direction for him going into the Copper Box.

10. First Annual Trios Grand Prix

A two day weekender in Coventry, Saturday 16th and Sunday 17th November for the first annual Trios Grand Prix? Don't mind if I do! Andy Quildan announced this to the crowd prior to the event beginning and, with Craig Almond saying they want to make Coventry shows "York Hall level", it looks like the HMV Empire will be a must for all RevPro fans as the calender looks to be growing to new heights.

Live In London 87

Happy Wednesday my lovelies! And, with regret, a goodbye to the 229 for two months until September whilst the venue has some all important AC upgrades. However, if that is how we say goodbye then, fuck me, it will be worth it as I LOVED Live In London 87; perfect episodic pro wrestling. For a deeper dive into the show, my Good Brother George and I will be back on Friday with Cromulent Wrestling's This Is A Revolution podcast series, available on YouTube and all audio podcasting platforms. For now, though, let's get to it, let's explore your 10 Takeaways From The 229!

1. It Will Never Be Over

That was some show closer. The match was exceptional, the promo was on point and the angle was unexpected, fantastically executed and story-driven. I was purring the entire time. JJ and Luke get something so spectacular out of each other - they opened the 229 in October, they had a Match Of The Year contender in Crystal Palace at High Stakes and then they closed the 229 with a huge main event worthy of the spot and proof, for anyone who wasn't aware, that JJ Gale has evolved into one of RevPro's Too Guys. Great match - check.

Jacobs picked up the win and then hit a killer promo - he hits lines with such cadence and power - and told JJ Gale that they are done; JJ had chances, failed all three times and now they have nothing left to prove to one another - Jacobs is Top Dog, JJ ain't and now JJ can stay the f out of Jacobs business. Great match, great promo - check.

And then, AND THEN, JJ hits the killer come back, that he will prove to Jacobs he is his equal by doing the one thing Jacobs has not been able to do in two attempts - beat TOMOHIRO ISHI-FN-I. Match, promo and angle - CHECKMATE.

Jacobs and JJ are too good together to not be part of a legacy feud, something RevPro does as well as the tippy top companies in pro wrestling but the pair need to do some travelling on their own paths before coming back together and this does this so, so well. And this is why I'm a Mark and Andy Quildan is the owner and orchestrator of the most successful independent promotion in Europe - I had called for some more match graphics to drop for RevPro XII as recently as last week but this angle makes that match graphic hit so, so much better. This isn't a big match exhibition for the big show with the big crowd - this is long term storytelling with Ishii in the middle of this JJ and Jacobs feud and I absolutely love it.

2. Bookends

The format for RevPro shows has been torn up of late and I am enjoying the variety and unpredictability so much. This week, they delivered as close to a perfect card as I can fathom by bookending the show with two INCREDIBLE contests and that show closing revelation. In between we got story advancement, debuts, different flavours of pro wrestling and a card that flew by. And, good lord, that opener. When I say they bookended the show incredibly... Just go watch Zozaya Vs Leon Slater which kicked off proceedings. Honestly, that was a special match from two special talents. We can get carried away with wrestlers when we invest in them as much as we do but there is an undeniability to these two like nothing I've seen. They are ready made for major companies and, with incredible ability at such young ages, they have the growth to grow exponentially. Just go watch it, eh? Then tell a friend to watch it. Then maybe watch it again.

3. Say Less

The opener was exceptional and, because of that, there was a tonne of pressure on Jay Joshua as he made his RevPro debut and had to follow the match that everyone was still raving about as the match of the night as the 229 faithful dispersed into the night three hours later. Say less, though; the man who is Sicker Than Your Average took it in his stride. Jay and RKJ slowed the pace down and built the crowd back up really, really well and the upside to Joshua was apparent for all to see - a popular big man with a vulnerability, a real audience connection and likeability and an ability to lose the match without losing any of his aura. A really impressive debut for how well he and Ricky worked their specific spot on the card and drew the audience into their contest when many were reeling after the opener. The more I think about it, the more impressive a job they did. Jay Joshua, please come back, man. 

4. Cut Throat

Loved. This. 

Mercedez Blaze and Ronnie Knocks was everything it needed to be - a dominant Cut Throat Collective win which showed how accomplished Mercedez Blaze is and that generated sympathy and support for Knocks. Then the promo that followed got the name out there for all to hear, addressed the "cut throat" displacement of Nightshade for her weakness and failures against Dani Luna and Haley J and the recruitment of Alex Windsor. The tag match that followed, with Safire Reed and Lizzy Evo facing Kanji and Lucia Lee was so, so good at showing the development of a division with frequently featured wrestlers we can invest in and showed each woman at their best. Lizzy is an absolute badass in that stable whilst Safire is the gobshite, cocky prodigy which is a lovely bit of mirroring for heel Alex Windsor, who had Maya Matthews as her apprentice for so long when she was the popular face of RevPro, until exactly one year ago this past weekend. On the other side of the ring, Kanji is the hero we want and need to face these villains and Lucia put in her best ever performance working as Kanji's vulnerable tag partner, growing in confidence within the story of the feud. The total is sometimes greater than the sum of its parts and that is exactly what this is.

Raw Deal & Live In Sheffield

A bumper weekend of Revolution Pro Wrestling is in the rearview mirror. Saturday brought Raw Deal to Stevenage with a highly eventful and monumental night and Sunday's Live In Sheffield followed with no less significance. 10 Takeaways this week is a double whammy, therefore, with fifteen matches to condense into your ten things you just HAVE to know going into the return to London and the 229 this Sunday. So, what better place than here, what better time than now... Let's dive in!

1. The Man

Couldn't start anywhere else, right? What a weekend for Michael Oku - it was almost perfect. After an EPIC main event at Raw Deal, which was UNDOUBTEDLY the finest match in Anthony Ogogo's career thus far, there is yet ANOTHER massive notch on Michael Oku's record breaking championship reign. Ogogo's first loss in the UK, his first loss in three years and his first loss to anyone other than the WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. That is some milestone, champ. And then, to take an amazing night and turn it into an incredible weekend, Michael Oku pinned Luke Jacobs clean as a whistle in the centre of the ring in Sheffield in the incredibly fun and star-studded Revolution Tag main event. It would have been perfect but for Luke Jacobs' reaction to his pinfall, where he decimated the champion in seconds, leaving him motionless and at the mercy of Ethan Allen to pick up the win. Fabulous stuff. Jacobs can KILL Oku's reign in seconds if he hits a sequence like he hit in Sheffield at the Copper Box. However, Oku has an incredible ability to grind out wins in a similar style to Bret Hart's New Generation run as the face of WWF. This RevPro XII main event is going to be f'n awesome.

2. El Campeón Retiene

And from one champion to another, our Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion picked up back to back wins over the weekend, defeating both Cameron Khai at the Gordon Craig Theatre on Saturday and then Will Kaven in a championship defence at the Network on Sunday. Looking ahead, we got confirmation this week of a six man scramble match at the Copper Box on August 24th and, with Neon entering as champion, you have to believe this will truly be a Best Of The Super Juniors. Get Robbie X and Leon Slater in there immediately. Give us a surprise or two and then let's see Cameron Khai and Will Kaven scrap it out for the sixth spot. I'm bang up for this.

3. The Last One Standing

Being the last one still standing at the end of a Revolution Tag is significant - the match stipulation has become a staple of RevPro the past two years and always has meaning within stories and character arcs. The fact that Ethan Allen was the one to be left in the ring after both beating Zozaya, in what was effectively round one of their inevitable singles match, and after pinning Michael Oku is massive for the Young Gun. Two incredible matches over the weekend really heightened Allen's claim that he's returned in a Different Gear. However, to say Ethan was the last one standing doesn't tell the full story...

4. Last One Standing Part 2

... For that would forget Connor Mills. After beating Chris Ridgeway in what was my match of the night in Sheffield, 'True Grit'' returned to the ring after the Revolution Tag and FLEW across the ring into a chop block to take Ethan out. And what followed was difficult to watch, in all honesty. Playing the audience like an absolute fiddle, Mills had us cheering throughout his match and then had us shocked, hand over mouth and then booing in disgust as he tried to put Ethan well and truly back on the shelf, slamming his knee into the ring post, locking in a Figure-Four Leg-Lock around the post and leaving Ethan unable to stand, let alone walk. Being physically carried backstage by Josh James, Zozaya and Chuck Mambo at the Network is not how Ethan's weekend had looked set to end but JESUS CHRIST am I well and truly up for their Copper Box clash. Get that match graphic up please, Mr Quildan, and get them both on the card at every opportunity between now and the 24th August as there is so much fun to be had here with Young Guns, North West Strong, Destination Everywhere and a hell of a lot of history.

5. Just A Matter Of Time

Zozaya versus Ricky Knight Jr was a fantastic bit of booking as, whilst it would be a guaranteed banger, it would also tell us exactly where Zozaya fits in within the pecking order at the top of the card. 'El Freestyler' has only been beaten by Michael Oku, and even then he has a 1:1 record with the champion. Ricky, though, has a defeat to Anthony Ogogo on his record for 2024 and that is his only singles blemish. You have to go back to the British J Cup '23, and notably against Luke Jacobs, for his last loss prior to Ogogo. And as for Oku... Well it's been four LONG years since two of RevPro's cornerstones faced each other one on one. That record, his history with both champion and challenger and this significant win over the hottest act in Europe right now points towards Ricky being the next challenger for whomever leaves the Copper Box with the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship.

6. Cut Throat Collective

Incredible scenes, absolutely incredible scenes coming out of Raw Deal on Saturday involving the stable of Nina S... Involving the CUT THROAT COLLECTIVE. Oh it's good to have a name and it was worth waiting for - it is epitomises the group beautifully. And hats off to Alex Windsor, she worked the f out of me. When she came out in St Neots to confront the group, I thought she would join them. She didn't. She challenged them and I could then see the rationale - she has always respected Kanji, it's embroiled in their history, and Dani Luna surely earned her respect in their brutal Dog Collar Match. Excellent, Windsor will lead the home team against the invading outsiders. Nope! When she came out in Stevenage to confront the group after Haley J had defeated Nightshade, she coordinated a vicious attack on 'The Deadly One' that saw Nightshade triple-powerbombed through a table and the 'Iron Willed' Windsor took up the her place with Samuels, Evo, Blaze and Reed as the Cut Throat Collective. The women's division feels like exactly that - a division - and it is thriving with this new direction and long may that continue. 

7. Get Well Soon Sha

Sad news... Sha Samuels will be taking some time away from the ring to heal up some injuries which have racked up the past few months and was written off from RevPro excellently in his and Oskar Leube's Street Fight with David Francisco and 'Goldenboy' Santos in a match that never really happened. The Portuguese contingent attacked Sha and Oskar as they made their entrance, and whilst Santos subdued Leube, Francisco brutally attacked Sha, Pilmanising his ankle again and again and again. It was brutal and violent and perfectly over the top for the unhinged Francisco who has been an absolute revelation since graduating from the Contenders role and taking on a new direction. Get well soon Sha!

8. Welcome Back... YOUNGBLOOD!

Good news... Yuto Nakashima is BACK! Francesca made the announcement that Sha would be seen by the doctor and they would run the match later in the show if he was cleared. That did not happen and so Oskar looked to be embarking upon a handicap match before he was joined by his YOUNGBLOOD partner Nakashima, with two kendo sticks in hand, and the pair picked up a huge win over Francisco and Santos and then went on to the Revolution Tag in Sheffield. And there we saw potential for YOUNGBLOOD Vs Sunshine Machine... Vs Young Guns... Vs Greedy Souls... And I'm all here for all three matches. Welcome back Yuto; we missed you!

9. Monumental Winners

There were two matches this weekend which defied my predictions resulting in two big wins for two of my favourite people in RevPro. Firstly, in the opening contest in Sheffield, Josh James picked up a well earned victory over 'Goldenboy' Santos, Josh's first singles win of 2024 and his first win since graduating the Contenders division. Sadly he did not get to enjoy the moment for two long as Santos and David Francisco attacked 'Heavy Artillery' and left him humbled in the ring but the records will state the win for Josh and that is the most important thing.

The second surprise result was a huge win for Cameron Khai over Robbie X, again in Sheffield, in a match which, for many, was the match of the night and Cameron getting the victory, and the genuine shock and joy it brought me, was my moment of the night. Khai doesn't win often but he is always learning and some day soon his win-loss record will be transformed as the 18 year old has the potential to be a STAR in professional wrestling. A massive moment and one that adds to the story of Leyton Buzzard's mentorship as it was a defeat against Robbie X which led Buzzard to first approach Khai. Really enjoying this angle and looking forward to seeing where it goes.

10. Still Alive!

First and foremost, Sunshine Machine are still alive and have back to back wins in RevPro for the first time since December '23. Greedy Souls put TK and Mambo to the test on Saturday but Sunshine Machine came out on top and, with their next defeat promised to be their last time teaming in the company, the dream that we will see TK and Mambo as the next Undisputed British Tag Team Champions is still alive. As for Greedy Souls, they returned in Sheffield and got one back over on their rivals by causing the distraction that led to Chuck being eliminated from the Revolution Tag and it looks like Souls and Sunshine Machine will forever be rivals, something I am all in on. Some stiff tests could be in Sunshine Machine's near future though with the return of Young Guns and YOUNGBLOOD, both of whom are undefeated, and with GYV the ultimate destination, again a team undefeated in RevPro. I could not be more invested in this!

Live In St Neots

Happy Wednesday my friends! Three days removed from the last trip that Revolution Pro Wrestling will be making to the St Neots Priory Centre for some time due to venue refurbishments and it is time to break down all that went down ahead of this weekend's Raw Deal and Sheffield double bill. We had "This Is Awesome" chants, surprise shenanigans, Copper Box challenges and some absolute crackers. First of all, though, before we get into it, there was a wonderful tribute paid at the opening of the show to Jamie Stacey a.k.a. James Castle. In a highly emotional tribute, all of those involved did a wonderful job in awful circumstances. A Go Fund Me has been set up to support the family of Jamie at this tragic time; I have included the link for anyone who wants to contribute by donating or sharing the link on socials - gofund.me/11816d06

1. Hail Windsor

So where shall we begin my lovelies? I said to on the preview that I was looking forward to seeing where some of those involved are heading on the Road To The Copper Box and one person I knew was poised to reveal just that was Alex Windsor. Main eventing the show, in a bold, brave and logical bit of booking considering the closing angle, Alex Windsor found herself the centre of attention after defeating Anita Vaughan. For wider discussion around the sequencing of matches on this card, check out the latest episode of Cromulent Wrestling which drops on Friday at 7pm, wherever you get your podcasts from, where both myself and my good friend Cromulent George explore the pros and cons of the show in a little more detail.

Putting Anita and Alex on in the main event gave the opportunity for us to see both sides of Alex Windsor's character as she faced a dilemma when the faction of Mercedes Blaze, Safire Reed, Lizzy Evo and Nina Samuels came out at the end of the show to attack anyone who got in their way. At first Windsor walked away from them, leaving them to attack Anita Vaughan defenselessly, which drew out Kanji and then Artemis, Ronnie Knocks and Evie Madden to try and even the odds. However it was Windsor who stepped up and showed that she was not going to stand for this invasion, standing side by side with Kanji and the like when she returned with her infamous dog collar to even the odds. It was a great show ending angle and very much showed that Alex Windsor will be the forefront of the home team in the inevitable five on five match at the Copper Box which was teased at the end of the Undisputed British Women's Championship match last time out. Windsor, Kanji and three others versus the five woman faction which has formed this past month? Seems logical and feels like it is where the story is naturally going. Will the three other women be Knox, Artemis and Madden or will we see three other women step up and step in?

2. Point Made

Staying with the women 's side of the show, as all three matches had the running storyline of this new faction, brings us to the second match on the card and one of the shortest matches that I have ever witnessed since I joined the Revolution in 2022. Safire Reed, Mercedez Blaze and Lizzy Evo fought Artemis, Ronnie Knocks and Evie Madden in a match which came in under four minutes but did everything that it needed to do to extend this story, continuing to show this stable as single-minded, dangerous and effective and introducing three new wrestlers to the RevPro fanbase. There was a pre-match attack, a mid-match mauling and a post-match beatdown which worked perfectly in the sequencing of the first half and set everything up for the closing angle. I've had numerous conversations with fans over the last year or so about how much they would appreciate more variety in the match length and structure of a RevPro card and it really feels that, in the last month or so, we have seen that with matches such as this, the introduction of the new contenders and a freshen up off the formula sheet in terms of which wrestlers take which spots on the card.

3. This Is, In Fact, Awesome

The third and final women's match of the show was by far the best and, based on the "This Is Awesome" chants which echoed around the venue, was the match of the night for the vast majority at the show. Hats off to Nina Samuels and Kanji for an absolute masterclass in professional wrestling. Nina was returning to RevPro for the first time in several years and, effectively, was re-debuting in the company given the changes which have occurred since she was last seen and she did so in absolute style. From her entrance, to the quality of everything she delivered in the ring, to the incredible chemistry that she had with Kanji, to her excellent character work; Nina really blew me away. Anyone that follows my content knows I'm a massive Kanji fan and it was wonderful to see her in such a prominent position on this card getting the time to put on a match of this calibre and my only regret is that I feel this should have been the women's match to headline the show and that the closing angle could still have run with the same impact from this match rather than from Windsor's match. The joys of hindsight of course!

4. Mindgames

Heading over to the men's division and I feel the only place I can start is with Luke Jacobs. Luke and Robbie X took on the role of closing the first half of the show with the match which was by far the highlight of that first half, as you would expect it to be with the level of investment we have in both men. I think I could watch Robbie and Luke in singles contests once every few months for the rest of their professional wrestling careers and I would never get tired of seeing it; they have chemistry which is unreal and demonstrates just how good both men are at fighting opponents of varying physical statures and varying professional wrestling styles. In the end, the power of Luke Jacobs proved too much for Robbie and a barrage of killer lariats put the King Of The Cruiserweights down for the three count. However, the takeaway here is not from the match per se but from the aftermath, where Luke Jacobs put Robbie X into a half crab to send a message to Michael Oku. The dynamics of the Copper Box main event, if Oku gets past Ogogo, are becoming very clear. Luke blurs the lines between heels and face so well, but now might be the time to pull the trigger if we want a clear Oku versus Jacobs heal versus face dynamic. Two side notes here though; one RevPro may want to keep the dynamics exactly as they are and let the three-dimensional characters split the crowd, and two, if they do want an out and out heel Luke Jacobs, they are going to have to do something severe to get that reaction as he is so beloved, as was seen by the split of the crowd when the two last fought for the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship at the tail end of last year in the 229.

5. Heart and Soul

And it was interesting to see who it was that came and made the save for the Jacobs attack on Robbie X. I was half expecting either Connor Mills or Zozaya given their recent interactions with North West Strong but it was in fact JJ Gale. Having defeated the impressive, returning Scotty Rawk in the opening match of the card, JJ returned to save a man he tagged with in Sheffield last time we went up to the Network by attacking Luke Jacobs, a man he has a storied history with; aeally lovely bit of dovetailed booking, linking the history between JJ and Robbie with the history between JJ and Luke. I'm fully expecting this to lead to a tag match this weekend between Young Guns and Robbie X and Gale which would be a great match for either Saturday or Sunday's show. Special mention to Scotty Rawk who I thought really delivered in this opening match and added something that is really refreshing in RevPro at the moment as a dirty, heel cruiserweight. We have Kaven and Ridgeway who got that mould but are stylistically different from one another and from Rawk and I think Scotty could really help pad that division out moving forwards; I hope to see him back soon.

6. Neon, Leon & The Spoiler

And speaking of Will Kaven, the ruthless one had an eventful show himself, interrupting the tail end of the Leon Slater versus Connor Mills match to help Connor pick up the victory. Kaven has a date with Neon in Sheffield this weekend for the Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship and he seemed to just enjoy playing spoiler to the match, adding fuel to the conflict he had with Leon back in the 229 earlier this month. Credit to both Mills and Slater, the dirty finish did nothing to take away from the excellent work they did prior and this was a highlight of the show and an angle that got me thinking. So one. can assume Leon has Kaven coming up, maybe at the 229, as Leon will want vengeance on Kaven and, whilst I expect Neon to retain in Sheffield, this makes me think we may be getting Leon versus Leon at the Copper Box coming out today all of this and, if we do, I feel we may be seeing a new two-time Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion...and I am very much here for that!

7. Copper Box Challenge

As for Connor Mills and his Copper Box intentions, they were made clear at the end of the match when he called out Ethan Allen. Mills and Allen have been in and around one another's orbit since Ethan returned at the Revolution Rumble and the inevitable showdown between them has felt like it has been coming, it was just a matter of where and when and on how big a stage. I half expected it for Saturday's Raw Deal, but I'm really pleased that it is going ahead at the Copper Box for Ethan to have a big singles match in front of the largest crowd having worked so hard to return to fitness from career threatening injuries.

8. Two Down, One To Go?

And that brings us nicely to Zozaya versus Chris Ridgeway. As, for the second show in a row, Zozaya found himself opposite a member of North West Strong which leads me to the question; Does he have a date with Ethan Allen lined up for between now and the Copper Box? A huge victory last time out over Luke was followed up with an even more impressive victory this time out over Ridgeway. More impressive in the sense that there was an element of surprise to his victory over Luke and an element of shock in the finish, whereas this was Zozaya showing everybody exactly what the mould is for him; defeating accomplished seasoned veterans by having an incredible resolve to soak up their offence and an ability to hit a killer finish out of nowhere. The Spaniard soaked up Ridgeway's pressure, his strikes and all of his nastiness but never looked defeated and then, when opportunity arose, hit the Death Valley Driver for the victory. Once again I find myself purring at the work of both Zozaya and Ridgeway who, over the last few months, have become highlights of every show they are on.

9. Killer Vs Freestyler

And then in a move that took me by surprise but made me very happy; RLJ challenged Zozaya via stare down on the stage of the St Neots Priory Centre. No words were said but RKJ did all his talking with the look that screamed that the hardest hitter in Revolution Pro Wrestling wants to see exactly how good the talk of the town is. I'm expecting this one to be announced for Raw Deal as I still expect RKJ versus Gabe Kidd for the Copper Box. Let's see if those match graphic pop up this week. Special mention to Vaughn Vertigo who earlier fought RKJ in a really entertaining contest - 'Double V' had an immediate connection with fans and understood his brief really well as he and RKJ put on an entertaining exhibition which continues the idea of Ricky being the standard for new imported wrestlers to face, which ties in nicely with the build for this Zozaya contest. Hope to see the V Daddy back down the road.

10. Poor Old Dynamite

And finally, an honourable mention to poor Dynamite Lee Dawson who took an absolute battering this past Sunday. First, he felt the full impact of a Luke Jacobs forearm when he tried to separate Jacobs from JJ Gale and then, after, he was launched out of the ring by Lizzy Evo during the melee at the end of the main event. Welcome to the role of the ringside Contender Dynamite Lee Dawson; it's not an easy ride by any stretch of the imagination! 

And there we have it my lovelies, everything you need to know from RevPro Sunday. Tomorrow we will wrap the week up with the Hero Of The Priory Centre and the Villain Of St. Neots before we begin to look ahead to this weekend's double bill in Stevenage and Sheffield. Please keep your eyes and ears open for the second episode of the Cromulent Wrestling podcast,  'This Is A Revolution' from myself and my friend Cromulent Goerge which will drop on Friday. Thank you to all those who took the time to listen last week and persevere with any teething issues that we had as a brand new adventure; its only just beginning of what will be something we promise to deliver on a weekly basis for you. And I'll take the opportunity to thank each and every person who takes the time to read anything that is posted on this website or anyone that comes to speak to me at shows; you have made my wrestling Markdom all the more beautiful. Thank you all so so much.

If you are in the Gordon Craig Theatre on Saturday, I will be there with one of my Mini Marks and if you are in Sheffield on Sunday I'll be making the journey North so come say hi; it's always a highlight of the shows for me. Until then, Mark out.

Live In Southampton 30

fter the extremely hot 229 last week, in both temperature and quality of product, I was extra buzzed for my 5-hour round trip to Southampton this week. It's one of my favourite shows on the RevPro circuit as there is always an absolute banger or two, it has some of my favourite people in attendance and it is a really welcoming and inviting crowd who have made me one of their own in just a few shows. The card on paper looked really intriguing as well, as I hopefully put over in the preview, and it was certainly full of developments. So, for those of you who were not able to attend, and for those who were who want to see if we interpreted everything the same way, let's break it down and explore the 10 Takeaways from Revolution Pro Wrestling's Live In Southampton 30.

1. Details

Those of you who have come to know me on a personal level, or those who have read articles from this website on a regular basis, will have come to know that I am a details guy; I like to pay close attention to everything in front of me as that is when I feel most rewarded with a company and a product that consistently delivers Pro Wrestling At Its Best. Therefore, I was keen to see the consequences of last week's 229 on those who are not normally in the firing line. For Francesca Oliver, who was the victim of the worst of the assaults and humiliation dished out by Nightshade, Mercedez Blaze, Safire Reed, Nina Samuels and Lizzie Evo, she was in attendance, back to doing what she does best, but clearly nursing some injuries and a shaken confidence level; she was seen holding her ribs routinely throughout the show and there was an air of caution around her as she delivered the introductions. Ref Harv, who took a beating himself, was a little jumpy throughout and the way he dived out of the ring as 2/5 of those women returned was incredible. And finally, coincidentally or intentionally, the absence of Chris and Sarah Hatch, two mainstays of 99% of RevPro shows for years, really fed into just how much these women have shaken the foundations of RevPro. Small but very important details and details that I very much enjoyed.

2. The Many Headed Monster

There have been lots of names circulating which can be used for this stable which seems to have formed - some I like more than others - but whilst we await to hear them referred directly to by name, I will think of them as a many-headed monster as that is exactly how they are being portrayed; five equally dangerous and impressive wrestlers fighting for one purpose - to shake shit up. There was a lot of discussion as to whether or not we would see them again this week and we most certainly did, with a different style of shock and intrigue. Last week was all about the unexpected nature of the invasion and the level of violence towards people who we would not have expected it. This week was more about the timing of their appearance and the tease of what is to come with it. Laying waste to Jordan Saeed and Dynamite Lee Dawson at the end of the opening match, Mercedez Blaze announced that they are here to do as they please and to run the show how they want it run and therefore the Undisputed British Women's Championship bout was to happen immediately, to the shock of everybody in the crowd. A shout out needs to be made to Safire Reed who did an amazing job of the introductions for Nightshade and Danny Luna; a great combination of banter and disdain. And so, Luna Vs Nightshade did not headline but went down ten minutes into proceedings, second on the bill.

3. One Down

And still your Undisputed British Women's Champion... Dani Luna! I loved how Mercedez and Safire tearing up the script made sense here - why would Andy Quildan give them what they want? Why would Dani come out to face Nightshade? Well, she didn't, she jumped them from behind and took Safire and Blaze out like the clever babyface that she is. Anyone who's been to The 1865 knows the commentary booth, the production table and the dressing room are all together - queue Dani's music, queue her run in from behind, queue RevPro getting one back at the women who thought they had the upper hand. The match was strong, Nightshade made a lot of new fans and Dani conquered the first of many tests this faction will pose her. All eyes are now on Nina Samuels Vs Kanji and Anita Vaughan Vs Alex Windsor in St Neots in ten days time - keep the water boiling please RevPro.

4. Copper Box Tease

So the arrival of Safire and Mercedez this week wasn't shocking but this was more about starting to level the score and generate intrigue that create shock. Dani came out looking even more badass than before and she gave us something to chew over; Dani has friends. Dani wants Stephanie Vaquer at the Copper Box Arena for RevPro XII Anniversary but she put Nightshade, Safire and Mercedez on notice - a Copper Box match graphic is waiting to drop, clearly. Who are Dani's friends who could face their five adversaries? Rhio took a beating at the 229, Chantal Jordan did the month before from Nightshade. All eyes on St Neots - if that goes down how I think it might, we could see our woman's team soon enough and we could have a hot 5 Vs 5 women's match to go alongside Dani Vs Vaquer.

5. More Than One Way To Close A Show

Last week's 229 was described by yours truly as one of, if not the best, non-York Hall or non-York Hall adjacent shows I had been to this year. The big fight feel of the main event - not knowing where the title might land - the buzz, the intrigue and the dread for the Sunshine Machine match on their incredible journey (which I am so emotionally invested in) and then THAT finish. It was - and I've used this word time and time again - breathtaking. This show felt like it might lack that one big moment, or that one big match. Chris Ridgeway Vs Michael Oku was fantastic and was worthy of a main event slot but went on at the tail end of the first half and then the realisation that Luke Jacobs Vs Zozaya was getting the main event slot sank in. I knew this would be special as it was the perfect clash of styles and the action would be incredibly intense. It surpassed my very high expectations. The video of Luke Jacobs nigh on beheading Zozaya doing the rounds on socials is just the tip of the iceberg with this one. And then the biggest shock of all, Zozaya pinned Luke Jacobs clean in the middle of the ring. I have never stood up at the end of a match involuntarily - it's always been a conscious decision to give a performance a standing ovation - but this one drew me to my feet. The breath was sucked out of The 1865 and there was legitimate shock everywhere. It was a proper show closer and a moment I will remember for a long time to come.

6. Destination Everywhere

A great RevPro show, for me, has to have a killer match and a killer storyline development and we got both here. After an incredibly violent contest between Chris Ridgeway and Michael Oku, the 1865 got TENSE. Now, first of, watch this match if for no other reason than to watch some of the most brutally administered and beautifully sold Dragon Screw Leg Whips you will ever see. Overall, though, this was everything I knew it would be - technically nasty professional wrestling like Ridgeway always delivers with such piss and vinegar and the 'Main Event Anywhere On The Card' feels that Oku always brings. Then, the post-match to Mills Vs Teddy Reay brought an extra layer of intrigue - Ridgeway went after Mills, Oku saved Mills to repay the favour from the 229, but unlike in London, Amira was in Southampton to show her response. Part apprehension, part panic, part disbelief - it was a real moment and I was glued to it.

7. North West Strong

The booking here was beautifully dovetailed - the dynamic between Oku and friends past and present, Mills and Zozaya, and Luke Jacobs, Chris Ridgeway and Teddy Reay as members of North West Strong was really nicely done. The stylistic similarities between Mills and Ridgeway were seen in their two matches and the decision to have Ridgeway close the first half and Mills open the second half was a good touch. A nod to Teddy Reay, he put a real shift in but Mills looked like a killer, picking up the win after transitioning from a pinfall cover until the Heel Hook submission for a quick tap-out win. Next up we already have booked for us Zozaya Vs Ridgeway in St Neots and the North West Strong dynamic continues to fascinate me. Zozaya, Oku and Mills Vs Young Guns & Ridgeway feels likely - Destination Everywhere Vs Young Guns feels inevitable.

8. It Ain't Over Yet

Every card needs variety and in between the Women's Championship match, which offered high stakes and drama, and the Ridgeway Vs Oku match, which was a technical war, we had Sha Samuels and Oskar Leube Vs David Francisco and 'Goldenboy' Santos. This one brought some humour to proceedings amidst a grudge match as Francisco has made a habit of upsetting people these past few months. His schtick of innocently protesting when rule breaking that he doesn't know the rules popped me - he really has the most innocent face and the most wicked smile. The Portuguese contingent picked up the win after Francisco launched a chair at Sha's head with Oscar Harding distracted BUT this one is not over - on Saturday June 29th at Raw Deal we have the rematch in a Street Fight and I cannot think of a better venue on the RevPro circuit to run such a match - this one will be a tonne of fun!

Live In London 86

We are three days removed from RevPro's Live In London 86 and it is safe to say that the tremors from the company-shattering event are still being felt. Whilst recency bias is most definitely a thing, objectively speaking, that has to be the best 229 show of 2024 without question, and it has to be in the conversation for RevPro show of the year and the most dramatic show in company history. The final scenes were genuinely shocking, breathtaking and game-changing. Let's get into it and break down all you need to know heading into the 1865 this Sunday for Live In Southampton 30; here's 10 Takeaways From The 229

1. Dani Luna Does NOT Die

Before we get to what came after, your first Takeaway is that Dani Luna is STILL the Undisputed British Women's Champion after an incredible MAIN EVENT match with Rhio. First up, I was absolutely bloody delighted to see that this headlined - making Dani Luna one of an elite club of women to headline a RevPro show twice, alongside Gisele Shaw and Alex Windsor. The events that followed meant this had to headline, but the match deserved the spot regardless - it was match of the night without doubt - and it had the in-ring drama of a championship defence where the outcome was really unpredictable. Literally seconds before the match I put all those around me in the crowd on the spot - "Rhio or Dani; who's winning?" and the split was literally 50-50. That says a lot about just how good Rhio is and the level of star power she exudes. If you watch one match from this show then (what's wrong with you, watch the whole show!) make it this one as it truly was Pro Wrestling At Its Best.

2. Everything Is About To Change

"We have been overlooked for far too long and everything is about to change"; the words of Nina Samuels as Live in London 86 came to a close, words which had every man, woman and mark in attendance talking as we left the 229. How did this shocking turn of events come about? Well, after Dani pinned Rhio, following her second Luna Landing, she took the mic, put over her opponent and challenged NJPW STRONG and CMLL Women's Champion Stephanie Vaquer to what promises to be an incredible match at the Copper Box if the challenge is met. At what felt like the natural end to the show, the first surprise came from seeing Nightshade come down the steps from backstage, a turn of events that surprised but did not shock everybody, as groundwork had been laid at the 229 two months prior. The shock, though, came with the carnage and anarchy that immediately followed as, whilst all eyes were on Nightshade, Mercedes Blaze, Safire Reed, Nina Samuels and Lizzy Evo all appeared from different parts of the 229 to storm the ring and attack both the champion and the contender. Seeing Lizzy and Nina in the 229 was the first shock; two top tier talents who we have not seen in Revolution Pro Wrestling for years now. Many were delighted to see them, momentarily. However, that delight soon turned to disgust as the five women laid waste to everybody at ringside, and not just those who tried to stop them. Oscar Harding was launched into the ring post. Lucia Lee, Dynamite Lee Dawson and Jordan Saeed were each taken out. Ref Harv was stomped into the floor. And then, the most shocking and unforgivable of sins; they put the boots in on Francesca Oliver and humiliated photographer Sarah Hatch, as well as her husband and referee Chris Hatch, in a brutal, merciless and jaw-dropping attack. The message was loud and clear; these women are here to force their way onto the agenda and we wait with bated breath to see what comes next and how RevPro owner and booker Andy Quildan responds.

3. We Go Again 

On to far more positive news and an overriding sense of relief was felt around the 229 as Chuck Mambo and TK Cooper picked up a huge victory over Connor Mills and Chris Ridgeway, their first win in RevPro of the calendar year and, more importantly, a positive result coming from the first match since TK Cooper's huge announcement last month. Knowing that the future of Sunshine Machine as a tag team in Revolution Pro Wrestling was on the line, Ridgeway and Mills tried every tactic in the book to get into the head of Teeks, trying to isolate Mambo and aggravate Cooper into a mistake. In the end, it was a mistake and breakdown in communication between Mills and Ridgeway that cost them as they struggled to maintain the incredible chemistry they showed in Sheffield. Demonstrating what a combustuous pair they are, they imploded at the first sign of inner conflict, as Ridgeway inadvertently took Mills out with sone mistimed offence, eventually leading to Mills walking out on his partner. So, on the one hand, that may be the end of that particular alliance but on the other hand, a continuation of the long-standing alliance between TK and Mambo, a team very much beloved amongst the Revolution Pro Wrestling fanbase. In the post-match comments, Teeks reinforced the message; they want the pressure upon themselves in their pursuit of the Undisputed British Tag Team Championships and, should they fall again in any hurdle on the journey there, that will be the end of Sunshine Machine in RevPro.

4. Welcome Home Young Guns...

Sticking with tag teams, it was also a huge occasion on Sunday to see the Young Guns back doing what they do best, teaming together to be one of the most well-drilled and aggressive tag teams in all of Europe. A huge victory for the Manchester lads over Trew & Lacey came after extended periods of dominance and sheer survival for Mark and Kieron. The young pair had their moments in the match where it felt for a moment here and there that they could spoil the party, but Ethan Allen proved exactly what he has told everybody since he returned at the Revolution Rumble; he is back in a different gear. What does this mean moving forward? It means the entire tag team and singles divisions should be on notice.

5. ...And Destination Everywhere?

And continuing the theme of tag team reunions, who had Destination Everywhere chants on their 229 Bingo Card? If Young Guns had the crowd support and the enormous sense of occasion at seeing a reunion three years in the making, they sure as hell put that to the test in the aftermath. Luke Jacobs took the opportunity to call out Michael Oku aggrieved at the fact that Oku will be defending the title, not once, but twice now before RevPro's 12th Anniversary Show at the Copper Box Arena on Saturday 24th of August. Jacobs has tunnel vision on Oku but the champion seems to be facing challenges from all directions. With the confirmed announcement during the week that he will be defending the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship in Mexico for CMLL against Angel De Oro, we now have confirmation following a video stream shown in the 229 that he will face Anthony Ogogo in Stevenage at Raw Deal on Saturday, June 29th. Ogogo will be returning to RevPro from AEW to take his shot after eliminating Oku from the Revolution Rumble and laying waste to him in Southampton the following night.

Unimpressed with these two announcements. Jacobs and Ethan Allen attacked Oku when given the opportunity, Allen  holding him down as Jacobs hit him with unprotected shots. With the crowd expecting Zozaya to be the one to make the save, there was an audible gasp of shock around the 229 as Connor Mills came out to chase off Young Guns, two men Mills has his own personal issues with and, for a moment, chants of Destination Everywhere were heard for the first time since 2022. What this means for Mills and Oku, only time will tell, but it has me on the hook.

10. The Spoiler

And finally, a result I think few had predicted coming; Will Kaven pinned Fuego Del Sol to win the 4 Way Match in the Cruiserweight Division. I've been a big fan of Kaven for a long time; I get that he is so despisable, has the face of a complete prick and has the disdain for us fans which makes it impossible to cheer him BUT the dude can go in that ring, has incredible technique and is a snug, hard hitting grappler with explosivity that is impossible to not admire. The crowd wanted Leon. The crowd wanted Robbie. The crowd wanted Fuego. The crowd wanted anyone but Kaven; but the 'Ruthless' one played spoiler and will now be facing Fuego one on one in Southampton with an eye on Neon at Raw Deal IF he can go back to back for the first time since 2022. Don't rule it out.

And there we have it - a JAM PACKED 10 Takeaways this week with so much of grand significance spread out across a three hour show that the ramifications are still being felt. The first show of the Summer has set the tone. We have Southampton, St Neots, Stevenage and Sheffield before we return to the 229; the Road To The Copper Box is underway, my lovelies, and I cannot fucking wait. 

Fantastica Mania UK

A las estrellas del Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre, muchas gracias por venir a Londres; fue un privilegio verlo. That was one hell of a day - my first ever "two show day" which thanks to great company, incredible  wrestling and a welcome dose of caffeine and grub at Hulya's Cafe in between shows, the day was one I will remember for a long, long time. If you were not able to partake in the action live or On Demand, though, I've got you covered with the 10 Takeaways you need to know coming out of Fantastica Mania UK and heading back to the 229 for Live In London 86 in a fortnight's time.

1. A Celebration Of Professional Wrestling and Lucha Libre At Its Best

I will get into title changes, retentions, new challengers etc in just one moment (well, just one more Takeaway) but I can't start anywhere without acknowledging just how much fun these two shows were. RevPro focuses on a sports-based blend of traditional British Catch-As-Catch-Can, Japanese Puro and high-speed, modern-athletic Pro Wrestling. It's a style of wrestling made up of various influences but this collaboration with CMLL increased the diversity of the smorgasbord that was a York Hall show, bringing traditional high risk, high flying Lucha Libre, Llave and Mexican comedy to create a unique and wonderful celebration of the art of professional wrestling. From Hechicero and Connor Mills' mat-work, to Dulce Gardenia's camp comedy and Lykos' shithousery, to the unbelievable athleticism of Mascara Dorada and Mistico, to the intensity of Gabe Kidd and the heel mastery of Okumura. These two shows delivered something for everyone and, given we took in six hours of wrestling, both shows flew by with a carnival atmosphere throughout. Una verdadera celebración.

2. A Level Up

And the final word on the shows from a holistic stand; Fantastica Mania UK 2024 felt like a level above the inaugural event last year. Quantity does not always mean quality but three additional matches over the two shows and two additional championship matches, including a championship change, added to the prestige and the importance of this event to the calendar for each company. Add into that the star power brought by the incredible Stephanie Vaquer and Mistico, along with the well-paced match lengths and ordering of the matches really helped to raise the bar. Everything had the time to showcase both companies and their stars and the overall quality really benefited.

3. New Champion

Now as has been alluded to, we had a championship change which shocked York Hall. When Jordon Breaks won the Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship in the 229 in London in March, he left the ladies, gentlemen and Marks of the RevPro fandom in complete shock, awe and surprise. Breaks even showed genuine shock himself. But then to lose the belt on this show, a show where everyone and their nan had Breaks to retain, came as an even bigger shock! (Shout-out to Phoebe from allaboutgraps who predicted this title change as she was the only person online I saw who did!) The impressive Neon picked up the win in a tightly fought contest and, for now, our Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship will be taken back to Mexico until the luchadore returns. An interesting prospect, that one, and one I'm keen to see unfold. The British J Cup is upcoming at the end of September at the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage, and we obviously have RevPro XII at the Copper Box Arena prior to that, so all eyes will be on those for Neon's future challenges.

4. Grizzled Young Champions

How did the other champions fare? Well, the Grizzled Young Vets made it seven wins from seven in Revolution Pro Wrestling, first by teaming with Luke Jacobs to overcome the trio of Neon, Futuro and Mascara Dorada, and then by defending the Undisputed British Tag Team Championships for the second time, against Atlantis and Atlantis Jr. A title change never looked likely with GYV at the very peak of tag team wrestling anywhere in the world, but it was very much a generational showcase between a true legend in Atlantis, genuine best in the world contenders GYV and a future CMLL legend in Atlantis Jr. A wonderful moment for all men in their respective careers.

5. 11-0

318 days. 10 successful defences coming into the main event of Fantastica Mania UK Show Two. And, by the time a wonderful day come to a beautiful end? 11 and 0; Michael Oku survived the experience, the grit and the guile of Ultimo Guerrero. In a really enjoyable main event, the champion proved exactly why he is The Guy in RevPro - a stellar match and a face of the company address afterwards to bring the show to a close and bringing together all of the stars from both promotions.

6. Oku In Mexico City

But the first show didn't go as I had foreseen it for the champ. Ultimo Guerrero and Angel De Oro felt well positioned to win the semi-main of Show One with Guerrero and Oku set to headline Show Two but it was Angel De Oro who picked up the win for his team and it was Oku who took the pin. Following the defeat of Guerrero, and following De Oro's defeat of Zozaya, Angel De Oro confronted Oku and challenged him to a title match for the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship in Mexico City IF Oku can get past Kevin Blackwood in Ottawa for C*4. The grind of being the top champion continues in what is becoming a more and more global promotion the longer Oku holds the belt.

7.  Strong Women's Championship Defended

And one championship we did not know would be on the line until Francesca announced it was the NJPW Strong Women's Championship as the INCREDIBLE Stephanie Vaquer defended one of her three titles on Show Two against Rhio. It was a moment that was sweet for Rhio after her match with Dani Luna for the Undisputed British Women's Championship was postponed earlier this month. It was, however, a strongly fought retention for 'La Primera' who proved exactly why she has the reputation she holds for being one of the very top female wrestlers in the entire world. After opening Show One in a great contest with Kanji which really showcased her aura, she faced a more physical battle in Show Two against Rhio but the outcome was the same. The two matches were two of the biggest highlights of the entire day and Stephanie Vaquer was my personal MVP of the day - an absolute STAR. Completely captivating.

8. Copper Box Return Confirmed

And with that in mind, I MARKED OUT when Stephanie announced that she will be returning to RevPro in August for RevPro XII at the Copper Box Arena. Will we see Vaquer Vs Luna for the Undisputed British Heavyweughr Championship? Will we see Vaquer Vs Windsor II for either the CMLL or IWGP Strong Women's Championships? My prediction is we see a three-way with both. Whatever the match, it will be a highlight of the card, that is for sure. If you only have time to watch one match form each Fantastica Mania UK show, make time for Vaquer Vs Kanji and Vaquer Vs Rhio. Tippy top level pro wrestling.

9. The Kidd Can Sing But A Knight Is On His Tail

Gabe Kidd singing Richie Valens 'La Bamba' on the mic, whilst snaking his hips and kicking arse was not on my Fantastica Mania UK bingo card and, if you say it was on yours, I will call you a liar. It was hilarious shithousery though and I popped hard for it - Gabe handled the heat from the crowd so incredibly well as he is a star (and a Mad Man don't you know?) The real takeaway comes from the fact that RKJ and Gave Kidd finished Show One brawling to the backstage, teasing the rubber match to their pair of matches in 2022 I've been longing for. Kidd defeated RKJ in a shock in the 229 in February '22 just after it was announced RKJ was number one contender to Will Ospreay's title. The rematch came after RKJ had dethroned Ospreay in a championship defence in The 1865 in Southampton. Two bangers between two heavyweight prizes fighters. Round three? Yes fucking please.

10. Mistico Stole The Show

I was asked about who I was most excited to see at the show and it was Stephanie Vaquer for me. Asking the same question to fans at the show and friends building up to it and one name dominated the conversations - Mistico. He headlined Show One, teaming with RKJ and JJ Gale to face Gabe Kidd, Templario and Magnus. The pop for his entrance, the standing ovation to both entrance and exit, the cheers and adulation every time he tagged in; it was great to see. But then, a true highlight, we got a twenty minute main event match with Mistico and Templario that showcased CMLL at its best and proved that class is permanent. Mistico stole the show. 

That was Fantastica Mania UK my lovelies. And to think, for a couple of months I was contemplating leaving this show off my schedule and prioritising the wife and Mini-Marks. Thank God I didn't do that 😂 It was an absolute blast of a day; I discovered so many wrestlers I would love to see again and I got to meet so many stars of CMLL. I am already eagerly anticipating what Fantastica Mania UK 2025 will bring! Until then, we have Neon as our new Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion and we have Stephanie Vaquer returning for the 12th Anniversary show All In weekend and I CANNOT FREAKING WAIT. Let's GOOOO!

Live In London 85

Last Sunday was RevPro Sunday and you know what that means - The Mark is here to break down the 10 Takeaways you need to know if you weren't there live and aren't able to catch up with the show On Demand. So, in the immortal words of Delia Smith, let's be 'avin you... (I'm sorry)

1. Rhio Vs Luna, June At The 229

Can't start anywhere but here - Dani Luna is still your Undisputed British Women's Champion but not because she defeated Rhio but because Dani's car sadly defeated her. An unavoidable and unforeseen travel issue en route to the 229 prevented Dani from making the show and therefore it looks like the match which felt like it was poised to headline the show will now take place next month at the 229, all but confirmed by Rhio on the mic who said she wanted her shot in London, in the 229 and in front of the 229 crowd. Match graphic pending but seems like a formality that one.

2. Step In & Step Up

In Dani's place was Lucia Lee, following on from where she left off in Sheffield. And the biggest takeaway from this match is the incredible performance Lucia Lee put in with hardly any notice of the booking and very little time to prepare (she even had to go to a local dance shop to buy ring gear to wear). Rhio acknowledged her on the mic after the match saying how she not only stepped in at the last minute, but she stepped up to one of the most dominant and established women in BritWres. Rightfully so, it must be added, as Lucia brings something that is unique in the women's division in RevPro as a true underdog babyface who you can root for; the way she conveys her self-doubt and nervous disposition is reminiscent of early Dakota Kai work in NXT and it adds so much to every match she is in - you cannot help but love Lucia Lee. I'm very much hoping that long-term she could become the first official Contender in the women's division and we can see these types of performance on a more regular basis as she is perfect for that role.

3. 917 Days

Now I don't know if this was always the plan, or if it came about because of the fact that the women's championship match had to be postponed, but the main event slot went to Ethan Allen and Jordan Saeed who delivered in spades. Francesca referred to it in her announcement for Ethan's entrance but it has been an astounding 917 days from the Northwest Strong man's last RevPro appearance to this one due to the hellacious road to recovery he has had to undergo from career threatening injuries and there was a lot of love in the 229 for him, as you would only expect. The decision to book him against Jordan Saeed was an interesting one from the off as Jordan is someone the crowd will want to root for in his contenders journey, and Ethan lent into that throughout the match, but it meant that the crowd was more split then they would have been had Ethan been facing a Will Kaven, for example. It provided a platform, though, for Ethan to dominate the match and remind everyone just how aggressively technical he is. It was my first Ethan Allen singles match and it left me desperately wanting more; I cannot wait to see the direction Ethan takes across the rest of 2024, starting with the reunion of the Young Guns against Trew & Lacey at the 229 the first Sunday of June.

4. Jordan's Contendership Begins In Fine Fashion

And speaking of Jordan Saeed, a big shout-out to the newest Contender who put in a hell of a performance in a high pressure match up. Headlining a RevPro show has an expectation amongst fans that it will be the highlight of the show and a proper banger; add into that the prospect of facing someone who has been frothing at the bit to get back into a RevPro ring whilst injured and there was plenty of reason for Jordan to be nervous on Sunday. If he was, however, he didn't show an ounce of it, though. It was refreshing to see a new Contender in action and the pedigree of performance was fantastic. My hope now is that we see 'Dynamite' Lee Dawson get an increased number of opportunities, that Jordan Saeed is a regular feature of shows and the Contender's division is expanded to include a women's wrestler also. Please and thank you Mr Quildan.

5. Next Time Might Be The Last Time

Match of the night was a hard call on Sunday but, given time to reflect, I think it has to go to the opener of Sunshine Machine Vs Michael Oku and Zozaya. The action was incredible (of course it was - look at the calibre of wrestler in the match) but the story was even better. Sunshine Machine came out with purpose - there was no crowd interaction, they got straight in the ring, similar to how they came out to face Greedy Souls at Uprising in 2022. Teeks was in Mambo's ear the entire match, directing traffic, coaching from the sidelines - desperate for the win. However, the win evaded them, as it has done in RevPro more often than not over the last 18 months. Next time they lose, Teeks announced, will be the last time they wrestle in RevPro. Amazing storytelling - and I am here for the emotional rollercoaster.

6. "It's A Work"

Ethan Allen might have been the MVP of the show and Sunshine Machine, Michael Oku and Zozaya might have been the story of the night but, once again, Connor Mills has to he the most captivating wrestler of the night. He was everywhere, being a proper menace and not giving a fuck about the 'occasion'. Him and JJ Gale gave us another chapter in their war with the record now reading 4-1 to 'True Grit'. His win came dirtied by the finish where Mills feigned injury upon sticking the Double Foot Stomp, tremendously worked I must say by JJ and Mills who really split the crowd between those who thought it was a work and those who thought Mills was legit hurt. JJ calling to Oscar Harding "Come on, it's a work" popped me and added to it tremendously. And Mills was not done there, coming out to attack Ethan Allen post show with a vicious Chop Block to the twice surgically repaired knee of the Young Gun. Exceptional shithousery all round from the best at it.

7. Tensions Are High

That fed into the carnage at the end of the show that drew in Ethan Allen, Luke Jacobs, JJ Gale and Connor Mills - continuing the competitive conflict between all those at the top of the RevPro card. I love how RevPro don't do "feuds" - some guys like each other, others don't. On a tight roster these guys are always within one another's orbits but it never feels old or stale or repeated - it just feels like the long term stories, rivalries and conflicts get new layers every time these top guys interact. JJ and Luke don't like each other. Luke and Oku don't like each other. RKJ and JJ don't like each other. RKJ and Oku don't like each other. Oh, and no one likes Mills (except Sunshine Machine and possibly Chris Ridgeway). It's simple but so effective. More importantly - it feels REAL and that's what wrestling should always be. Gideon puts over that Andy Quildan is a sociopath for pitting these men against each other and making them compete so aggressively for top spot. And that's what it comes down to - fierce competition.

8. "I'd Sell My Soul To The Devil, If That Meant Beating The Fuck Out Of You Again"

First, RKJ and 'Goldenboy' Santos beat the tar out of each other. RKJ took the victory. Then, Santos offered the hand of respect. RKJ laughed and walked away. That led to David Francisco slithering into the ring to warn Santos that this is what Revolution Pro Wrestling is like - that RKJ is "not the exception" and that "he is the rule." Fast forward an hour and David Francisco jumped Oskar Leube after Oskar's match and, despite it first seeming that Santos was coming to Oskar's aid, he in fact aligned with Francisco and battered Oskar. 

The caption of 'Goldenboy's Instagram post after the match read "I'd sell my soul to the devil, if that meant beating the fuck out of you again." Oskar and Santos have history from wXw and from RevPro's show in Barcelona and a career rivalry looks like it will be fully reignited in the UK in the weeks to come. Love it.

9. Leon's Fine Form Continues 

Speaking of Oskar Leube, it was a defeat for the 'Big Schnitzel' against Leon Slater and the takeaway here is dead simple - Leon's fine form continues. Since dropping the Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship to Jordon Breaks in March, 'The Youngest In Charge' has gone four for four with victories over Robbie X, Cameron Khai, Josh Alexander and now Oskar Leube. The now TNA man continues to be an essential part of the RevPro roster having appeared in every calendar month of 2024 so far and, with just one singles loss in the year,  he is cementing his place as a star attraction AND a winner in Revolution Pro Wrestling.

10. Robbie Bounces Back 

And finally we saw Robbie X and the debuting Iker Navarro go tête-à-tête with Robbie bouncing back from his back to back defeats to KUSHIDA and Jordon Breaks, with a tag team loss to Mills and Ridgeway along the way in that run also. Robbie has seen his opponent's hand raised more times than he has seen his own hand this year but he has also faced some top, top level pro wrestlers. It was, however, great to see Robbie pick up the win against an aggressive newcomer in Navarro. A busy Fantastica Mania UK is up next for Robbie and here's to seeing two more Ws in the wins column for the King Of The Cruiserweights.

Live In Sheffield

Well, Sheffield, thanks for having me. It's been too long and you are as loud and passionate as I remember. RevPro Live In Sheffield was to Epic Encounter what Live In Southampton was to Revolution Rumble, an over delivery on expectations and a reminder that there are no shows on the RevPro circuit that ever fail to bring Pro Wrestling At Its Best. For those who didn't join us in the Network on Sunday, the full show is available on RevPro On Demand and, if you need the TLDR version, I got you - here's 10 Takeaways From The Network!

1. Undefeated

It would be remiss of me to start anywhere else given David Francisco was shouting it at me from the merch stand after his match but yes, The Centrepiece is undefeated in RevPro since his graduation. Some would say he has two wins dirtied by his use of his feet on the ropes to gain additional leverage, an illegal move of course, but Francisco would say otherwise. A win is a win and you have to be ruthless, find any advantage you can and be prepared to do whatever it takes in competition. Would the Sha Samuels of old who made his name in this business have hesitated to do what David did to him in the 229? What is the difference between Francisco using the ropes and Oskar using an eye rake on 'Goldenboy' Santos in Barcelona? At the end of the day, Francisco played with fire and didn't get burnt and now he has two singles victories to his name. Undefeated indeed.

2. Deadly Nightshade

And with two returning stars in the next bout it was always going to be a case of 'winner stays on' for one and 'win or learn' for the other. Lucia Lee entered cautiously, apprehensive at the task at hand whereas Nightshade bound in, genuinely scaring the shit out of me in the front row. Great work from each in putting over the dynamics of this match in an instant. The 'Deadly One' was dominant and, though Lucia put up a spirited fight, she could not combat the power of Nightshade. Dani Luna has to be upcoming for Nightshade whilst 'The Cult Classic' will look to take lessons from this one into her next RevPro appearance which, hopefully, will not be too far down the line; keep bringing her back please Mr Quildan.

3. Incredible Talent

I've spoken at length in articles the past week or so regarding just how good Zozaya has proven he is across his three RevPro performances. This one deserves some extra praise as he garnered, arguably, the loudest reactions of anyone on the card, an incredible feat given few (myself included) can honestly say they could pronounce his name two weeks ago. Athleticism, presence and star power; this 21 year old is truly an incredible talent. And, speaking of talents, special mention to Will Kaven who always brings the best out of his opponents - he really is the most underrated wrestler on the British wrestling scene. I'm very much hoping we see much more of Will Kaven moving forward as we need some proper villains in the ranks and there isn't anyone he couldn't have a really, really enjoyable scrap with. Watch him closely in the ring, you will be rewarded.

4. Welcome Back 

Ethan Allen, welcome back Young Gun.

A lot of pressure was on Ethan to speak about such painful experiences over the past two or three years with a live mic but he had the support of the Sheffield faithful who hung on every word he said. And then Connor Mills interrupted. Ethan will be in action at the 229 - a first RevPro singles match in three years. Will Mills be opposite him? It feels likely. What a way to make your return. The segment evolved into the next match as Connor and Ethan came to blows, with JJ Gale making the save before Chris Ridgeway joined the ring and then Robbie X flew in to the fold (literally, diving off the stage). And that led to the discovery of...

5. The Tag Team I Never Knew I Needed

... the tag team I never knew I needed. Ridgeway and Mills over delivered to an incredible extent, picking up victory by isolating Robbie from JJ in what was a tag team masterclass. And in one match, I am sold; Tag Forever! The chemistry the pair showed was incredible, their styles really complemented each other and they wrestled like a pair who had been tagging for years. KUSHIDA left Robbie X unable to lift his left arm and Ridgeway left him unable to walk. Rest up Robbie! JJ and Ridgeway left the match being separated from one another by 'Dynamite' Lee Dawson and Oscar Harding and if that leads to a singles match at the 229 then we are in for a treat. A segment which rolled into a match which extended multiple arcs and built several potential matches - a great bit of booking, that.

6. For Me This Is Heaven

Yes that is a song reference (IYKYK) but it was how I felt watching KUSHIDA Vs Jordon Breaks. This was an absolutely wonderful 15 minutes of technical, submission and counter-based offence and defence. The finish came with Breaks trapping 'The Time Splitter' on the mat for a count of three, with his music hitting and Marks like me cheering our hearts out. However, Oscar Harding called the music to a stop and declared a draw as both men's shoulders were down during the pinfall and, therefore, it was a double pin finish. It was very well done - the music playing was a nice touch - and it sets up a rematch down the line, maybe for that championship KUSHIDA was eyeing up. One for the Copper Box, this one, if they want to lean in that direction. I'd be bang up for that.

7. Clash Of The Titans

Next up was RKJ Vs Mike D in the match of the night - a match that brought people to their feet for a unanimous standing ovation at the close. I've been a big advocate for Mike since he debuted in RevPro last month, and he has shown in all three of his matches before Sunday that he is a star, but this match was a 20 minute SHOWCASE of the 'War Machine'. RKJ put him over huge at the end, calling him a "human highlight reel" and offering him the hand of respect. This was insane and the final three matches on this card were as good a second half of any RevPro show we will see all year with this one being the highlight. Find 20 minutes for it, I implore you.

8. It's Not Over Yet

The post match saw RKJ call out Connor Mills and the feud that has been simmering between them is really coming to a boil now. The pair are certainly on a collision course. Mills is becoming the most hated man in RevPro, it seems, as Luke Jacobs, Ethan Allen, Robbie X, JJ Gale and RKJ all have an axe to grind with 'True Grit'. The Road To The Copper Box looks like it will be a busy one and there are some absolute banger matches to be had between Mills and his many, many enemies.

9. An Evolving Champion

And that brings us to the main event which was spectactular. Seiki Yoshioka Vs Cameron Khai at Epic Encounter was an introduction to the Japanese veteran but this was his showcase match. And, it is safe to say, Sheffield was blown away. Duelling chants for the pair throughout got louder and louder for Yoshioka as he wowed the audience with each passing minute of an 18 minute main that flew by. The speed in which these two move in the ring is frightening and there were several moments which left the Network short of breath. Honestly, find an hour to watch the second half of this show as it was on a par with any half of Pro Wrestling At Its Best we have seen this year (or any year for that matter). 

And something I loved? Michael Oku is evolving his offence - he has the Frog Splash to take down bigger opponents, often hit in multiples - standing, to the back and then to the front - a flurried blitz attack to take down the larger foe, as has often been said, we are all the same size when we are on the mat. However, for those he can lift and turn into the Half Crab we now have three iterations of it - the Half Crab, the Arched Back Half Crab and the High Angled Half Crab. It was the second iteration that put Yoshioka away - the third has only been utilised for Ospreay and Zozaya. Oku has, in this evolution, the tools to defeat anyone but also some special weapons he can save for really putting over his biggest adversaries. Even in 2024 with the year he is having, I still think Oku is underrated. A special talent who is not buckling in the slightest with the weight of the company on his back.

10. Please Come Back

Finally, to Seiki Yoshioka, Mike D and Zozaya I have one message. If my writting could speak to you in the unified voice of the RevPro faithful then let it be heard:

PLEASE COME BACK!

PLEASE COME BACK!

PLEASE COME BACK!

And there we have it, another cracker of a weekend is over and we have a two week break to rest and recuperate before we go again with Live In London 85 in Great Portland Street's 229 Venue before the return to York Hall for Fantastica Mania followed by a busy, busy June where we take in London, Southampton, St Neots  and a return to Sheffield. I'll be at each of those shows (of course I will be) so grab a ticket, meet me at the merch or the bar for a Mark Out and enjoy a guaranteed night of Pro Wrestling At Its Best. Until then, I'll be back tomorrow with Heroes & Villains and I have interviews with Josh James and David Francisco incoming, with one or two delves into the archives along the way and a guest appearance on the Tea & Tights Podcast all coming your way soon. Watch this space, as always, for daily RevPro exclusive content.

Epic Encounter

Another bumper weekend of Revolution Pro Wrestling is in the books and it was a pleasure to be there live for both shows - it really was Pro Wrestling At Its VERY Best. For 10 Takeaways this week I will breakdown each show, delivering 10 Takeaways From Epic Encounter today and 10 Takeaways From The Network tomorrow. Both shows are up on RevPro On Demand and well worthy of your time but, if that time is short this week, I'll break each show down to the 10 things you need to know before we return to the 229 on May 12th. So without further adieu, let's have it, here's 10 Takeaways From Epic Encounter.

1. Close But Not Close Enough

Zozaya, our Hero of Barcelona, shocked the world when he beat Michael Oku last week. He survived the Frog Splash, he survived the Half Crab and he even survived the Arched Back Half Crab. He didn't win by time out, by disqualification or referee stoppage - he won by pinning Oku in the middle of the ring after a gruelling 20 minute match. Hugely impressive. However, that was the first leg. The second leg was for the belt. It was on home turf for the champion. It was in a hot and heated Gordon Craig Theatre where the crowd were very much behind their champion. Your takeaway here? Michael Oku is STILL your Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion having out-endured Zozaya in a true war of attrition. It took the High Angled Arched Back Half Crab variation he used to submit Will Ospreay and it was magical. Top, top quality stuff, this.

2. Over Like Rover

Hats off to Zozaya though - that kid is one hell of a talent. I was worried his momentum from the first show would put heavy expectation on him and in Stevenage, which is a town I love for RevPro but is by no means the loudest crowd on the circuit, he might be a little overwhelmed. Well, turns out I needn't have worried! He was SPECTACULAR. He worked the crowd brilliantly, he wowed the crowd impressively and he brought us to our feet and took our breath away. We have had a lot of debutants in RevPro in my two years of following them up and down the country and I'm wowed every time - I am a Mark after all - but Zozaya is the one I will remember the longest and pine for his return the most.  

3. (Soon To Be A) Record Breaker

Trent Seven.

Hechicero.

Gabe Kidd.

Luke Jacobs.

Zack Gibson.

Will Ospreay.

Leyton Buzzard.

Titan.

Zozaya.

9 successful title defences. The record has been matched. One more and he becomes the most dominant champion in RevPro history.

All the more impressive when you include non-title wins over Man Like Dereiss, Brett Semtex, Mark Trew, Mitch Waterman, Alex Zayne, Robbie X, Levi Muir, Cameron Khai and Seiki Yoshioka (sorry, spoiler). No one in Revolution Pro Wrestling history has a more impressive catalogue of matches and a more impressive record.

10 championship defences breaks the record. It won't take long - Fantastica Mania U.K. and Costa Rica Wrestling Embassy look like very possible places and times for Michael Oku to become the one true record breaker of RevPro.

4. Welcome (Back) To The Revolution

Pivoting across to the women's division, and the Undisputed British Women's Championship, and Rhio, dare I say it, pulled off on an upset win. That is no slight on Rhio - she is a formidable talent, a powerhouse woman with a great technical ability and resilience. However, Windsor, for a long time, was the cornerstone of Revolution Pro Wrestling and was a dominant champion like none other seen in either division; she was virtually impervious to all offence with a resilience and endurance tank unmatched in European wrestling. Rhio, though, is an experienced pro and a woman of true championship pedigree. She matched Windsor, took the win and will now be looking onwards and upwards. Rhio Vs Dani Luna down the line? YES PLEASE.

5. Good Friends, Better Enemies 

Speaking of experienced pros, I am LOVING having Chris Ridgeway back in RevPro - his first run with them since I began following them (literally). Chris is a wrestler's wrestler - the fundamentals, the lock-ups, the details, the graps - the WRESTLING - is all beautifully snug and a joy to watch. Him and Luke Jacobs was an absolute pleasure to not just watch but study. I enjoyed every single second. The story was there going in - Master Vs Apprentice where the apprentice has grown in the master's absence. Some asked why this was being run through so quickly after Ridheway's return and why it hasn't been built more, but this feels to me like this was Part 1 of what could be a longer arc. If it was a one and done, I'm satisfied - it was freaking awesome. But if it keeps Luke busy until RevPro XII and brings in Ethan Allen and Connor Mills (him and Ridgeway made an amazing team in Sheffield) then what a series of matches the four could have. I'm all in on this, if that is the route the booking takes us.

6. Big Schnitzel's Hot Streak Continues

One man whose booking has taken an unexpected turn is Oskar Leube who, with the injury to Yuto Nakashima (get well soon Yuto!) has taken on a lot more singles matches than tag matches. He is, however, killing it. And Saturday might have been his biggest win so far, overcoming the ever impressive Mike D Vecchio in the Epic Encounter opener. The pair started where they left off in the 1865 in Southampton, brawling across the Gordon Craig and they sprinted to a finish in a barnstormer of an opener. 

 7. Centre Of Attention

And then there was David Francisco, with 'The Centrepiece' taking the centre of attention at the close of the match. Francisco attacked Oskar from behind, causing some friendly fire between the YOUNGBLOOD man and Mike D and stood tall basking in the moment. Francisco makes things happen it seems and is a breath of fresh air in RevPro since his graduation from the Contenders division bringing some proper villainy with some incredible comedic timing. A proper tosser. Love it.

8. Respect Was Earned

Something else I loved was the story RKJ and JJ Gale told - true reward for the investment in both men's careers. RKJ and JJ Gale are a similar age, similar  height and weight, similar amount of time working in RevPro. However RKJ is a former Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion and has been at the top of RevPro consistently for the past two or three years whereas JJ has been grinding his way up from Contender to Cruiserweight to Heavyweight. At the 229 JJ picked up the victory in triple threat action over Connor Mills and RKJ, but Ricky didn't see JJ as an equal - in fact he was so preoccupied with Mills that JJ's didn't even seem to register. In Stevenage, in an Epic Encounter, RKJ tested JJ; he fought him physically, hitting him harder than he's probably been hit before; he fought him psychologically, embarrassing him in front of one of the biggest crowds on the circuit by grabbing his, er, nether regions and by delivering a 'wet willy'. But JJ proved to Ricky what we all knew - he's ready to step up to the main event, to be in the same conversation as Michael Oku, Luke Jacobs and RKJ as the foundations from which RevPro is built in 2024. Respect was tested but respect was earned. 

9. Champ Ready

Respect was certainly on the line in Sheffield on Sunday when Seiki Yoshioka fought Michael Oku but prior to that Yoshioka faced Cameron Khai, picking up a decisive win leaning on his experience. This felt very much like a veteran football team who know they have the grit and the giule to make their moments count but happy giving the opposite team the lion's share of possession. Khai hit more offence than Yoshioka but Yoshioka's offence hit harder. Khai built more momentum through sequences of offence but Yoshioka soaked it up and struck when opportunity arose. Khai seemed shaken post match like he was suffering from a nasty bump; I hope he is recovering well from it and is back on the horse as soon as possible. I still feel this is going to be a big year for the youngest man on the roster - big things feel like they are coming. As for Seiki Yoshioka, his match set up the main event of Live In Sheffield where he shone and absolutely showed out.

10. Best Of The Super Juniors

And finally we come to the match which headlined the first half, that covered fourth spot I always advocate for, which saw KUSHIDA take on Robbie X in a DREAM MATCH. This was truly special. The clash of styles was so satisfying - KUSHIDA is a technical master and Robbie is a cardio machine, KUSHIDA's ring psychology and focused offence is precise and Robbie's speed, blitz-attack offence is second to none. Everything KUSHIDA did was to weaken Robbie's arm - setting up the Hoverboard Lock and eliminating the X-Clamation from Robbie's arsenal. This was everything I love about pro wrestling and was my match of the night. Watch it back and watch the details - I will and I will be dropping a Lost In The Archives RECOMMENDED breakdown of this one next week as I need to wax lyrical about it to get it out of my system. It. Was. That. Damn. Good.

Live In Spain

The FOMO was very much real watching the RevPro Live In Barcelona footage on Revpro On Demand last night having not been able to make the trip out to Spain to see it live. What a show! An incredible crowd who seemed bang up for everything they saw combined with a fantastic card of Pro Wrestling At Its Best and some incredible debut performances from wrestlers I was unfamiliar with until a month ago when they renounced for this show and now I am desperate to see return. A success in every possible way and hopefully the start of a wonderful collaboration between Revolution Pro Wrestling and Lucha Libre Barcelona that leads to many more of these wonderful occasions. If you were not there in person, the full show is available to watch back On Demand but if you want the TLDR version, here's 10 Takeaways from Barcelona ahead of this weekend's double header in Stevenage and Sheffield.

1. A Breakout Performance

As soon as he entered the ringside area it was obvious; Zozaya is a star. He looks like an athlete, Andy Quildan purred on commentary calling him "a stud" and the Barcelona crowd showed pure aduration for their man. And then the march started - and everything said about Zozaya was confirmed; he is some talent. At twenty years old, he has the potential to be a real star and is evidence of the absolute boom in European wrestling we are currently experiencing. Wrestling a proper twenty minute main event, Michael Oku and Zozaya had the crowd hanging on every pinfall attempt. Hats off to the champion, he really has proved over the last 18 months exactly what we could all see on a weekly basis - he is THE guy in European wrestling.

2. Epic Encounter, Your Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship Confirmed

However, Michael Oku was not the guy on the night as Zozaya picked up a huge breakout win, knocking Oku for six with an Avalanche Death Valley Driver and picking up a three count to wild scenes from the empassioned Spanish crowd. A wonderful moment. And there we have it - Zozaya gets an Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship match this Saturday at Epic Encounter. A huge opportunity for the twenty year old - can he repeat the performance on Michael Oku's home turf and without the electric support of the Spanish crowd for him? We only have a few days to find out and I cannot wait!

.

3. Forever Rivals

Andy Quildan gave a fascinating insight on commentary ahead of Leon Slater Vs Cameron Khai, saying that the two already feel like career rivals, whether as tag team partners looking to push one another to be the best, or as singles rivals competing for the same spots and the same gold. This is not a hot take but it is interesting to hear the man behind RevPro offer his view on the two hottest youngsters in the company. We have seen the two in action together a number of times, and their age, their chemistry, their similarly timed arrivals all point to the two being in one another's orbits for a long time to come. Leon picked up the victory in Barcelona, taking their career record to one tag win and one tag defeat together, with three victories for Leon when in opposition. Cameron's day will come for certain. There is something truly special about career rivalries for those who invest from the very beginning and that is exactly what this feels like we are doing right now with these two special talents.

4. Not Even Close To Being Over

Speaking of special talents, that brings us to the absolute scrap that was Connor Mills Vs RKJ. In the preview for this show I made it clear, this was always going to be a dogfight as these two have bad blood that has stewed below the surface for some time. And that was evident from the moment RKJ got in the ring and Connor Mills nigh on kicked his head off. This one was by no means a settler to their feud - RKJ picked up the win with a 3.1 pinfall in an exchange of mat fall attempts but Mills immediately got to his feet and brawled with RKJ out of the ring, up the ramp and into the backstage area. This one needs to be settled sooner rather than later as Mills and RKJ will be hard to separate until they get full closure.

5. Oskar Goes Back To Back

YOUNGBLOOD came into RevPro with buzz and excitement on excursion from NJPW and hit the ground running with three tag team victories from their opening three matches. However, injury to Yuto Nakashima has derailed their run and, whilst we await Nakashima's return and wish him the best in his recovery, Oskar Leube has risen to the challenge in the singles division. Victory over JJ Gale, a draw with Mike D Vecchio and a defeat to Luke Jacobs is by no means a bad start to his run but back to back wins over Josh James and now 'Goldenboy' Santos in Barcelona pushes Oskar further up the ranks as one of many men to have eyes on the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship. Santos showed his pedigree as Portugal's finest export working across the continent and will be one we hope to see across the pond here in the U.K. in the not so distant future. Ultimately, though, it was Leube who ground his opponent down, working the back to serve the Boston Crab, though he showed experience and a ruthless streak to pick up the victory via a Michinoku Driver following an eye rake that added a wrinkle to Oskar's evolution in character.

6. Dani Luna Doesn't Die

Dog Collar Match.

Chantal Jordan seven days later.

Safire Reed six days later.

Two championship defences.

Two championship wins. 

Dani Luna is the Undisputed British Women's Champion for a reason - she is the best in the business right now and is putting together a run at pro wrestler of the year. Safire came up short in York Hall, but only by a fine margin, and Barcelona was a similar story. However, it is going to take something truly special to part Dani Luna with that championship. Back to the grind for Safire, for now, hopefully with lots of RevPro dates along the way as she is one of the most talented young wrestlers anywhere in Europe. As for Dani, she seems to have an issue with Nightshade to resolve and will surely have half an eye on Rhio Vs Alex Windsor at Epic Encounter.

7. And Still...

And from one champion to another, and one championship retention to another; Jordon Breaks successfully defended the Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship in a terrific styles clash with Robbie X in the semi main in Barcelona. This contest showed that Jordon Break is no slouch in the ring when facing a pacey opponent as he managed to use his own speed of reversal to counter the 'Speed King' at every turn. However Robbie pushed him to the limit and came so very close to victory, hitting the X-Clamation but not having enough left in the tank in that very moment to get to the cover quick enough, giving Breaks just long enough to recover and trap Robbie in one of his many technical pinfall attempts. And once you're in, there is no way out of those. Robbie was frustrated - he couldn't have come closer - and took the belt from Breaks but, the red mist cleared, and 'The King Of The Cruiserweights' strapped the belt around Breaks' waist as a sign of respect. Don't write Robbie off - he will be back in the hunt for the title sooner rather than later. What's next for both men? KUSHIDA! Robbie Vs KUSHIDA in Stevenage on Saturday and Breaks Vs KUSHIDA in Sheffield on Sunday. Cannot wait. Both promise to be EPIC.

8. What. A. Match.

And speaking of epic encounters, that is exactly what Luke Jacobs and Iker Navarro delivered. In a match of the night contender, Jacobs and Navarro went full throttle from start to finish in a 13 minute puro battle that showcased Navarro as one of the most exciting talents in European wrestling and Jacobs as a legitimate world-class star ready for a global stage. This was a hard hitting bull fight with both men taken into deep water by the other in a relatively short amount of time which demonstrates how dangerous each man is. Jacobs and Navarro had immense chemistry and do not be surprised whatsoever if we see this one run back in the U.K. down the line as you know both men would love another go around and Andy Quildan would have been licking his lips watching this one. I'm sure Iker will be a man we see lots of moving forwards.

9. The Best In Spain Vs The Best In The World 

Subculture. Sunshine Machine. Brixia Bone Breakers. Barcelona Blacklist. In the space of three weeks Grizzled Young Veterans have delivered the best British tag team championship reign I have seen in my time as a RevPro Mark. Every match has delivered so much - match of the night contenders on every single show they are on. They truly are on a run that no other team anywhere in the world can match in 2024. Barcelona Blacklist, Joey Torres and Sito Sanchez, take a bow as they held their own at 20 years old with the best team in the world. They came within a hairs breadth of victory with their incredible Rope Hung Swanton-Powerbomb Combination. This is a team who in one match have made a number of British fans who will be desperate to see them in the U.K., in the 229, in Sheffield, in Southampton, in Stevenage - up and down the country as they were that damn good. What a time to be a fan of European professional wrestling.

10. Los Reyes de España

And special mention must be paid to the amazing atmosphere provided by the Spanish crowd as the passion that emanated through the cameras was palpable. The love and adoration for pro wrestling was wonderful to see but specifically the pops and the reactions for Iker Navarro, Barcelona Blacklist and Zozaya were incredible. The venue was bouncing from the first note of each act's entrance music and the crowd acted as the 12th man for each. A hugely important role as the reactions and support for their local heroes helped elevate each match and the three Spanish acts on the card came across as bonafide stars. Bring all of them over to the U.K. Head back to Spain on the regular. Let the working relationship between RevPro and Lucha Libre Barcelona be a long one as this one show promised so much mutually beneficial work to be done and we, the fans, are the ones who will benefit the most. 

Live In London 84

Well, that was an eventful 229! Many wouldn't blame RevPro if they had run a quiet and uneventful show, a week removed from the Revolution Rumble and in the midst of WrestleMania weekend some 3,500 miles from Philadelphia. Instead, we were delivered seven high quality matches, with the best main event the 229 has witnessed this year, and four angles which provide direction and intrigue as we head towards the Epic Encounter and Sheffield Network bumper weekend over April 20th and 21st. If you weren't there live, the show is already up on RevPro On Demand along with all the livestreams for recent shows (do not sleep on last week's Southampton show, a top 3 RevPro show in 2024 for sure). If you want the TLDR version, as always, I got you with all the headlines from every RevPro show as the Revolution rolls on and in to Barcelona on Saturday. So, without further adieu, here's 10 Takeaways From The 229.

1. Main Event Madness

JJ Gale main evented the 229 once more and, for the third time in four Live In London shows this year, it was JJ's hand held-high at the conclusion. What a year the 'Heart & Soul of Revolution Pro' is having; big-time matches against Luke Jacobs and Josh Alexander where he was completely over despite defeat and big-time singles wins over the likes of Callum Newman, Connor Mills and Sha Samuels in the last six months, as well as being the sole survivor of the huge Revolution Tag last month. Now he can add triple threat victory over Mills and RKJ to that list of accomplishments. Michael Oku has a date with destiny in the form of Anthony Ogogo approaching but everything points towards a JJ Gale British Heavyweight Championship title match coming sooner rather than later and, if they book that in the 229, JJ Gale will get cheered out of the building as he is now getting Southampton-like support in London. He has always been a hometown hero in the south coast but London has adopted JJ as one of our own and it is surely only a matter of time before he is rewarded with a shot at the King.

2. RKJ Vs Mills Incoming

Can you believe it has been four years since RKJ and Connor Mills wrestled a singles match in RevPro? The wait for Round 2 is almost over though as they go head to head and toe to toe in Barcelona this Saturday. The huge triple threat main event on Sunday was worked amazingly as it set up this match and presented JJ Gale as an equal to Mills and RKJ, two former Undisputed British Tag Team Champions and a former Undisputed British Cruiserweight and Undisputed British Heavyweight champion respectively. RKJ and Mills battered each other with beautiful pro wrestling violence and, despite Liam Judd, Jordan Saeed, Ref Harv and Chris Hatch's efforts, continued to batter each other after the bell. This one is going to be incredible as both men have progressed so far in their careers since their last match, back at Epic Encounters 3 in the empty Portsmouth School of Wrestling era of 2020. Barcelona, you are a lucky, lucky crowd.

3. Two Time Champion?

On that stacked Barcelona card we will also see Robbie X challenge Jordon Breaks for the Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship and Robbie was in action on Sunday, in a bout that pitted two very different styles of cruiserweights together as Robbie faced against Cameron Khai. There is no doubt that Robbie X is the man - the King of the Cruiserweights is more than just a great nickname. How he is not in the Best Of The Super Juniors is beyond me and is, quite frankly, inexcusable. Robbie and Cameron are familiar with each other at this stage; they wrestled a singles this time last year and were two thirds of a triple threat with Leon Slater last month. This match showed us how ready Cameron is to challenge the best Cruiserweights as he continues to develop, learn and forge his path. Put his career in perspective - he is 18 years old, the age Will Ospreay was in 2012 before he had even debuted in RevPro. The ceiling for Khai is not set and the more he gets to work with the likes of Robbie, the more he will learn. This really felt like Master Vs Student, Present Vs Future and it was a great one to study from ringside. Robbie took the win but Cameron's night wasn't over there...

4. A Fascinating Offer

Prior to Cameron Khai Vs Robbie X, Leyton Buzzard took to the ring to a hero's welcome and rapturous applause following his knee surgery. He vowed to come back better than ever, professed his love for RevPro and promised to continue to be a part of the Revolution throughout his rehab. He took up a commentary role for Khai Vs Robbie and he offered his support to anyone in the back who was looking for direction and to force the envelope; as Buzzard said, he knows how to make things happen. At the conclusion of Robbie Vs Khai, Buzzard approached Cameron and offered some words that weren't caught on the microphone or camera, though Khai seemed uncertain and reluctant, heated by the frustration of his loss. This was a fascinating and intriguing wrinkle in both wrestlers' arcs and I am keen to see how this plays out.

5. Luna Left Reeling Part 1

Welcome back Chantal Jordan! That is how you remind everyone just who you are and what you bring to the table. Dani Luna, like Jordon Breaks, will defend her title in Barcelona and whilst it was Breaks' challenger in action on Sunday, it was the Women's champion who had to contend with action a week before her championship defence, in what will be a High Stakes rematch as Luna faces Safire Reed on Saturday. And it was the returning Chantal Jordan who stepped up to the Undisputed British Women's Champion in a first time appearance since last year's 11th Anniversary show and an eleventh career RevPro match for the hard-hitting striker. The champion picked up the win but it was by no means a routine victory - Jordan dominated large stretches of the match and her kicks to the chest and head seemed to have Luna really rattled at times. A great return from Jordan who hopefully we will see lots of this year as she is a terrific talent. Dani Luna, though is the champion for a reason, she grinds out victories even when her back is against the wall. She is one of the best in the world for a reason.

6. Luna Left Reeling Part 2

But the story didn't end at the bell. As Luna hoisted Jordan to her feet and raised her hand in respect, the pair were jumped from behind by a returning Nightshade. Last seen in RevPro in 2022, 'The Deadly One' made her intentions clear with an emphatic attack on both Luna and Jordan culminating in a huge powerbomb to Jordan on top of Luna, wiping out both women in one clean sweep. You'd have to think Nightshade has returned with eyes on the champion and it will be interesting to see how Luna responds, if she can get past Safire Reed this Saturday in Barcelona that is.

7. North West Violence

And speaking of returns to RevPro, Sunday saw the return to RevPro of Chris Ridgeway after his surprise entrance into the Revolution Rumble on Easter Sunday. The 'Stinger' faced Shigehiro Irie, a man who has become an absolute fan favourite with his frequent returns to RevPro over the last couple of years. It was always going to be the case, therefore, that there would be little love for Ridgeway against our Shiggy but i wasn't ready for the level of violence he would bring to the ring. A true technician with an arsenal of martial arts strikes makes Ridgeway a dangerous proposition but his mean streak and aggression in the ring were what stuck with me - he took every opportunity to add insult to injury with Irie. He moved around the ring in eerie silence, stalking the Stronghearts man, and hit with precision, power and speed. This was quite the display and was my singles match of the night. KUSHIDA is booked for Epic Encounter and KUSHIDA Vs Chris Ridgeway has very quickly jumped to the top of the dream matches I want to see in 2024. I don't know if Ridgeway is around for a long time but this Mark is guaranteed a good time as long as he is here.  

8. What A Week

Another return to RevPro came in the form of the excellent Brixia Bone Breakers who debuted in London for the first time as a team to take on Grizzled Young Veterans. After impressing me with their match against Greedy Souls in Cardiff last year, I have championed Mirko Mori and Nico Inverardi and have been eagerly anticipating their tag return and the Italian duo did not disappoint. They took it to GYV and gave them a proper test, as put over by Zack Gibson on the mic post-match. However, GYV are proving they are on another level, with victories over Subculture, Sunshine Machine and now BBB in the space of a week. The Undisputed British Tag Team Champions are the standard for tag teams in Europe and are in the conversation for the best team in the world. The more I watch them and see the in-ring communication, the ring-awareness and the sheer drive, discipline and passion to never lose, the more I realise they are top, top-tier. I hope BBB are back soon - they are a great act, great pros and top lads too. There are plenty of RevPro teams I would love to see them work but it is their first RevPro opponents in the headlights of GYV. They have Barcelona Black List on Saturday in a non-title match but they want retribution against Danny Jones and Brendan White after Greedy Souls attacked them at Uprising and then again at Revolution Rumble. It is inevitably coming and I cannot wait for it.

9. The Centrepiece In The Spotlight

It certainly wasn't a 229 debut for David Francisco but it was a debut of 'The Centrepiece', coming after Francisco graduated from The Contenders' division after defeating Josh James in St Neots to earn his spot in the Revolution Rumble. He faced Sha Samuels on Sunday who forgave Francisco for his underhanded elimination of 'The East End Bookie' from the Rumble, admitting he took had done bad things in the past. However, Francisco did not take Sha's handshake offer and from that moment Sha deemed 'The Centrepiece' a Mug and proceeded to kick him into next week with a series of "OnThe Volley" PK strikes to the spine. This match was a really enjoyable one with Francisco in his element as the cowardly, cocky, comedic heel and Sha had the crowd in the palm of his hand as he always does. The controversy came at the close as Francisco took to the ropes to gain leverage on a pin attempt which won him the match. This one isn't over as Sha won't take that lying down - and from what he has posted on social media - Sha is gunning for the Mug. 

10. Josh James: Contender No More

The stories of David Francisco and Josh James are interwoven and the two seem destined to stay in one another's orbit for some time to come. For 'Contender' David Francisco became 'The Centrepiece' David Francisco over the last fortnight and Sha claimed Francisco "isn't even the best Contender" and the 229 chanted for Josh James during Francisco's first match as 'The Centrepiece'. And now 'Contender' Josh James is ready to step up the roster as 'Heavy Artillery' Josh James, and the 229 couldn't be happier about it. James was in action in a great sprint of an opener against Oskar Leube, a man who knows plenty about earning your opportunities with the obvious comparisons between the RevPro Contenders division and the New Japan Young Lions division. And after Leube got the victory in his first clean singles win in RevPro, in what was one of the hardest fought bouts he has had, he took to the mic and passed on the news that Josh James has earned the respect that Francisco hasn't and, for that, he too will graduate from the Contenders division. A wonderful moment for Josh who has put in years of graft to get to this spot and I couldn't be happier for him. Can't wait to see 'Heavy Artillery' Josh James go to work.

And there we have it, another show in the rearview mirror. Barcelona next, then Epic Encounter and Live In Sheffield before a well earned fortnight off before the return to the 229 on Sunday 12th May, a week removed from Fantastica Mania back at York Hall. See you down the road!

Revolution Rumble & Live In Southampton 29

What a weekend of professional wrestling. I am by my own admission a Revolution Pro Wrestling Mark but I say this with complete and utter honesty - that was the most I have enjoyed back to back days of pro wrestling since I began attending shows. My first double bill was RevPro's 10th Anniversary at York Hall, then Royal Quest II and then RevPro XI and All In last year. Hand on heart, I enjoyed this double header the most out of all of them. The return to York Hall, a Rumble card and main event I was FULLY invested in, full of details I audibly popped for (sorry to anyone sitting around me) and then THAT show on Monday in Southampton. Again, this isn't recency bias, this is legitimately my take, that was a top three RevPro show for card and atmosphere I've ever seen in my now 41 live shows since High Stakes 2022. An electric crowd throughout, seven TOP LEVEL matches and three angles which I am fully invested in. I can't recall a show that gave so much? It was wonderful to see some familiar faces who had made the journey to be at both shows but if you couldn't do the same I've got you covered with 10 Takeaways from RevPro's Easter weekend.

1. Your Revolution Rumble 2024 Winner...

Couldn't begin anywhere else, right? I called Ricky Knight Jr as the winner. Fans around me were discussing it and we had viable and storyline reasons to support Connor Mills, Michael Oku (again), JJ Gale and Luke Jacobs. The crowd were split and that is testament to the unbelievable booking which gave us genuine reasons to believe that there were multiple winners with momentum heading in to this. It was, though, the 'Young Gun' Luke Jacobs who pulled double duty, like Oku last year, who had a hurdle to overcome first, like Oku last year, and was the last one standing, like Oku last year. Last year Oku had Zack Sabre Jr first and the hurdle of working injured. This year Jacobs had to defend his spot in the rumble first, beating Mills in a barn-storming opener, and then he had to survive the Rumble, which he did - eliminating RKJ at the last with the support at ringside of a returning, fit and healthy Ethan Allen. Luke made his intentions clear - he wants the main event slot of the 12th Anniversary Show, August 24th at the Copper Box for the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship. His weekend wasn't over there, though, as the standard-bearer of RevPro which he continues to be, he went to war in the Luke Jacobs spot (4th on the card) in Southampton against Shigehiro Irie, overcoming the Japanese globetrotter via submission to the Crossface. His moveset is evolving, his work is undeniably outstanding and he is ready to be the Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion.

2. ... But Not Your Number 1 Contender

However, whilst we know Luke Jacobs will challenge for the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship in August, we have a long time between now and then to see who he challenges, as Michael Oku seems to have a new Number One Contender in 'The Guv'nor' Anthony Ogogo. Ogogo was DOMINANT in the Rumble, picking up the most eliminations and, most importantly of all, picking up the elimination of Michael Oku within SECONDS of the Champion's arrival into the ring. The Champ had seen off Leyton Buzzard earlier in the night in a fantastic sprawling brawl which saw interference from Brett Semtex leading to his removal from ringside and heroics from Amira who fought off the dastardly duo as both Buzzard and Semtex put their hands on her. The champion did what champions do, though; he survived the onslaught and picked up the victory after wearing Buzzard down and smothering him with his own offence. He came out to the Rumble with a hop and a skip but the jump came as Ogogo sent him hurdling over the top rope almost instantly. The Guv'nor then saw off a spirited Sha Samuels performance in Southampton and made his intentions clear - he wants the Champion's gold. An Epic Encounter main event? It wasn't confirmed but it seems fitting.

3. Breaks. Robbie. Barcelona. Confirmed.

And speaking of Number One Contenders brings us to Robbie X, who entered the Rumble at Number 6 and picked up a significant elimination, taking out Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion Jordon Breaks. The Champion opened the Rumble with Josh Alexander (thank you Andy Quildan!) and OH MY is that a singles match I want to see. If we could dare to ask for it on the Copper Box card we would get such an unbelievable showcase of technical professional wrestling. After JJ Gale eliminated the Walking Weapon, Robbie eliminated Breaks, making his intentions clear there and then; he wants that belt, HIS belt which he carried with distinction for 204 days, a run which makes him the longest reigning champion of the post-pandemic schedule which sees significantly more annual RevPro events than the early days of the promotion. Since he dropped the belt no-one is yet to carry it and defend it with the frequency and the prominence that Robbie did; he is THE King of the Cruiserweights for good reason. And yesterday it was confirmed; Robbie X Vs Jordon Breaks for the Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship, Saturday April 13th, Live In Barcelona. Appointment viewing on RevPro On Demand that one, unless your passport is giving you itchy feet and you are making the international journey. RevPro Is Massive, Everywhere We Go, right?

4. Don't Call It A Comeback

Very few people predicted that Leon Slater would fall to Jordon Breaks in the 229 at March's Live In London. In fact I cannot recall one conversation with a fan on the lead up or on the day that pointed in that direction. However, whilst pro wrestling is a sport like no other, one thing is true of all sports; anyone can beat anyone on their day. Despite that, what a response we have seen from 'The Youngest In Charge'. Often when a champion drops a title the hangover of losing clouds their next performance and it frequently leads to back-to-back defeats. However, Leon bounced back at the HMV Empire in Coventry, coming out the winner of the hectic three way dance between him, Cameron Khai and Robbie X, and then on Sunday he picked up one of the biggest victories of his career, pinning Josh Alexander in the middle of the ring at York Hall. Everything suggested Leon was on the verge of tapping to the 'Walking Weapon's Ankle Lock but he managed to reverse it into a flash pin. Alexander, a TNA Grand Slam Champion having held the World Championship (twice), the X Division Championship and the World Tag Championships (twice), is one almighty scalp for Leon and with Cameron Khai lined up in singles action in Barcelona, we will surely get some clarity on the prodigy's next steps in due course.

5. Iron Man

Josh Alexander bounced back from his defeat to Leon Slater with victory over JJ Gale in a terrific near 20 minute main event in the 1865 in Southampton on Monday. JJ was the Iron Man of the Rumble on Sunday night, coming in at Number 5 and finally eliminated 69 minutes later leaving just Luke Jacobs and RKJ to battle for the prize of becoming the second Revolution Rumble winner. That exhaustive effort made facing Josh Alexander even more challenging, a man with the engine and gas tank to outwrestle anyone in the world in a war of attrition. However, JJ is the 'Heart and Soul of Revolution Pro' and he is a hometown hero in Southampton and the locals (plus those of us embracing the city as our own from afar) raised the roof off the 1865 to act as the 12th man but, ultimately, Alexander proved to be too much at this stage of JJ's career and after such a spirited performance the night prior. I would love to see this one played back in a year to two and, with the incredible progress JJ has made over the last year, we could have a very different outcome. As for Josh, he is an ELITE level pro wrestler and the RevPro crowd would welcome him back at any opportunity.

6. Beautiful Pro Wrestling Violence

I can't use the word "war" and not segue immediately to the match everyone is talking about - a true pro wrestling war - the Dog Collar Match. Dani Luna and Alex Windsor just showed the world what many of us already knew; they are WORLD-CLASS professional wrestlers who have all the talent and application needed to be doing this in front of crowds of thousands on a weekly basis. The match itself will be broken down in greater detail on Friday in its own feature article here at davethemark.com, but seriously, just go and watch it. It really is that simple. My expectations were high because of the calibre of performer involved but grounded due to the nature of the match - these stipulation matches with so many moving parts and obstacles can so easily go awry or look tame in execution due to the performers' unfamiliarity with their setting. Any fear of that disappearwdbwithib moments of the bell. The march opened to the quietest response of any match on the York Hall card but, good lord, they had the place rocking very quickly and on their feet wildly applauding by the end of their 20 minute contest. This was beautiful, pro wrestling violence - adding original wrinkles to a Dog Collar Match and making full use of their surroundings. We have all seen the photos of Windsor and Luna at the end; Windsor's unnevering smile as blood trickles down between her eyes and Dani Luna wearing a full crimson mask. Those images will be synonymous with this event and those two athletes for years to come. Magical stuff.

7. The Best Tag Teams In The World

Chants of "Tag Team Wrestling" could be heard at both York Hall and The 1865 and deservedly so for we may have just witnessed two of the best tag team matches on back to back cards that RevPro have ever put on. Grizzled Young Veterans are your new Undisputed British Tag Team Champions after defeating Subculture in what I described as "a tag team clinic" in Monday's preview for Live In Southampton. And that was the exact phrase Andy Quildan used to describe the match between GYV and Sunshine Machine on Monday. And you know what? We were both right. There were four tag teams in prominent spots this weekend - Subculture coming into York Hall as champions, GYV leaving as new champions, Greedy Souls attacking the new champs and showing us what is down the line for the belts and Sunshine Machine who got the first stab at taking them from Drake and Gibson. Is there another promotion in the world who can boast four tag teams who can deliver guaranteed bangers between one another like those four? If there is, they are bankrolled by billionaire owners and that says everything about how lucky we are to have the talent in this country that we do. Picking the better match or even my favourite match between GYV vs Subculture and GYV vs Sunshine Machine is like choosing my favourite child such is the quality of the two contests. Then we have Souls who are one of the tightest, most consistent teams I've ever seen ready to make this division really interesting going into the following months. And then, to cap it all off, we have the added intrigue left by TK Cooper who delivered an unbelievable post-match promo suggesting that the future of TK and Mambo in RevPro is a very uncertain one. The line "this isn't working... Not this, but this, isn't working" gesturing that the issue lay between Sunshine Machine and RevPro and not between TK and Chuck themselves is fascinating. That is what made this show exceptional - amazing matches supplemented by really vital and dissectable angles also.

8. European Elite

And whilst I am marking about the talent on display this weekend, let's address the Rumble surprises. There were 25 confirmed entrants into the Rumble pre-announced, two of which were Aigle Blanc and Mike D Vecchio who were RevPro debutants. We then had "either Mark Trew or Kieron Lacey", or both as it turned out, until Trew was left to fend for himself, and we had the winner of Mills Vs Jacobs, which was Jacobs but Mills managed to profit from one notable absentee from the Rumble (which we will come to). That left three unannounced spots, one of which was Leon Slater, so not so much of a surprise there. We then had Number 16, 'War Ready' Gabe Kidd who came out to a huge pop and was a focal point of the Rumble for a long stretch. He then delighted the Southampton faithful but opening the card on Monday against Josh James in what I believe was a star making performance for 'Heavy Artillery', his best showing yet. I feel I have been saying that after each show such is the nature of his growth recently but it is deserved praise. The final surprise at Number 30 was Chris Ridgeway which gave us a wonderful reunion between North West Strong partners Ridgeway and Jacobs. It was my first taste of Ridgeway and I am so ready for more - a man who can strike, grapple and mat wrestle is RIGHT up my street and I'd love to see him back soon. 

Aigle Blanc and Mike D Vecchio, though, are the ones who deserve the highest praise - they blew me away in Southampton. Now I realise that, because I'm a RevPro Mark and I do not immerse myself in all U.K. wrestling let alone all of European pro wrestling, I'm very much late to the party with these guys, as they have glowing references from fans of the likes of wXw, Rixe and BZW. However, I wasn't ready for Aigle Blanc versus Robbie X which may well be the best Robbie X match of the 38 I have been blessed to witness live. If you watch one match from Live In Southampton (why would you watch one match, watch all of them, dammit) then watch this one. Unbelievable chemistry between the two; you would think they'd wrestled a hundred times before and both have otherworldly levels of athleticism. And speaking of athleticism, Mike D Vecchio - where have you been my entire life? A friend in Southampton turned to me and said "I have a new favourite wrestler" within 15 minutes of watching the 'War Machine' who combines freak strength, speed and agility beyond anything I've ever seen. Think the hybrid skill set of Brian Cage with the charisma, charm and presentation of a Keith Lee. Two men I am desperate to see back in RevPro. There was a moment between Luke Jacobs and Mike D Vecchio in the Rumble which had me grinning like a Cheshire cat and the thought of Aigle Blanc in the British J Cup seems like a no-brainer. Both men seemed to enjoy their time in the U.K. so let's hope we see them back down the line.

9. A Contender No More

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1... DOOOOO-DO-DO-DO-DO-DOOOOO-DO... Contenders Music, Number 27, it's David Francisco having beaten Josh James last time out in St Neots to earn the right to be here in York Hall. But then the music changes, THE CENTREPIECE appears across the screen, the plain black trunks are gone and David Francisco has arrived - a Contender No More! Jordan Saeed and Dynamite Lee Dawson worked the show as Contenders with Josh James taking what looked like a backwards seat in a changing of the guard. Then in Southampton, Francisco came out, threw his RevPro contenders shirt into the crowd and said he is part of the RevPro roster. It should have been a celebratory moment but Francisco was salty - he suggested RevPro management expected him to continue his Contender duties for the show, he was less than polite (unforgivable) to the First Lady Of RevPro (Francesca) and he carried a chip on his shoulder that was a little heartbreaking to see given how much Southampton loves them some David Francisco. He had an almighty Rumble run, eliminating Sha Samuels, Oskar Leube and Mike D Vecchio. He was, though, quickly eliminated himself by JJ Gale and was POUNCED into those he eliminated by Josh James after disrespecting his former Contender partner. Josh then had the last laugh, interrupting his promo at the start of The 1865 show on Monday before showing out with Gabe Kidd. Everything points to Josh James stepping out from the Contenders corner and into the squared circle on the regular basis now and, him and Francisco continuing their topsy-turvy relationship but as full-time roster members, is exactly what I'm looking for. 

10. Our Captain

This one really hurts. As I am sure everyone is aware at this stage, Leyton Buzzard will be unable to wrestle for nine to twelve months due to injuring both his ACL and MCL at York Hall on Sunday. It is awful news for a wonderful wrestler, an incredible performer and a genuinely lovely man. His match with Michael Oku was excellent - it was everything everyone wanted it to be and the injury did not limit the impact it had at all. In fact, for the vast majority of York Hall they did not realise there was an injury until after Michael had picked up the win. He was therefore unable to enter the Rumble, allowing Mills a backdoor entrance into the match and so it felt like a perfect work-around leading me and those around me to think it was all a work but I was devastated to see that, not only was it not, but it was a worse injury than first thought.

So my 10th and final takeaway this week is simple - El Capitan, Our Captain, you are truly One Of Our Own, we love you and will be here ready to embrace your return when you are healed up, recovered and back better than ever. You are a beloved part of Revolution Pro Wrestling and us fans will be supporting you along the way in every way we can. Get those ELC hats and t-shirts up on your Big Cartel - you'll sell out in minutes brother! All the love for El Capitan - see you soon ❤️

Live In St Neots

Are we ready for the biggest weekend of Pro Wrestling of 2024 so far? The Revolution Rumble and what is promising to be the most stacked Live In Southampton we have seen before in back to back days. Pro Wrestling truly At Its Best. However, before we fully commit to the upcoming weekend we need to tie a bow on everything that was Live In St Neots for those who couldn't attend and are yet to catch up with it On Demand. So, as always, we have had a few days to let the carnage digest and now it's time to break it down into 10 juicy, delicious and delicatable chunks for you - here's 10 Takeaways From St Neots (and here's why I shouldn't write when I'm hungry!)

1. Good Friends, Better Enemies

On a strong St Neots card, it was great to see Josh James and David Francisco get given a prominent spot in the second half of the show and the two delivered a terrific match was one of the highlights of the show. The details that tied their recent interactions across 2024 and through their promos and video packages the pair produced last week were peppered throughout the match and it was a joy to study, absorb and feel rewarded for paying attention to two men who have had really promising starts to the year. Last week in Coventry they proved that there is great potential for them as a team as the Contenders overcame Reece & Rogan but this week they proved that they have great chemistry opposite one another as well side by side. David Francisco took the victory in what was a beautifully crafted clash of strategies foreshadowed completely in the Road To York Hall YouTube series between Francisco and London School Of Wrestling trainer and coach Sha Samuels. And now Francisco enters the Revolution Rumble, the biggest underdog of the entire 30 man field one would expect but, man do I love an underdog. York Hall will be behind you Dave.

2. Windsor's Ready

And speaking of York Hall there is no getting past the brutality that is being teased in RevPro's first ever Dog Collar Match for the Undisputed British Women's Championship between Dani Luna and Alex Windsor. The latter was in action in St Neots facing the debuting Echo and showed she was ready for Sunday with a dominant and decisive victory. Echo did incredibly well and will be welcomed back to RevPro by the fans any time but Windsor is on another level and the fire in which she is working since having her title taken from her by Luna at Uprising in December is alarming for anyone facing her. Sunday will be an absolute smorgasbord (there's the food analogies again) with so much talent on offer but the Dog Collar stipulation coupled with Windsor's ruthless, vicious disregard for her opponents means we are in for a violent treat. I hope Dani is ready as Alex certainly is.

3. Vanquished...

If violence is your bag in pro wrestling then one suspects we are due some and more down the line between Sha Samuels and Spike Trivet. However, before we get there we need to say a huge well done to Sha for overcoming a HOT act in RevPro in 'The Vulture'. Spike Trivet is the best true heel in European professional wrestling, a man that it is impossible to like and almost as impossible not to be genuinely frightened of. If Alex Windsor has no disregard for her opponents, then Trivet goes beyond this - he seems to take genuine enjoyment out of every moment in which he inflicts pain and in which he trolls the RevPro fandom by torturing and disrespecting our heroes. The chip on his shoulder is the size of a continent and the self proclaimed 'Most Hated Man In Europe' couldn't care less for the sportsmanship of professional wrestling, only caring for his his own vendettas. Sha beat Spike. In the centre of the ring. A deserved, decisive win. Sha vanquished Spike...

4. But Not For Long

... but not for long. No sooner had Sha had his hand raised and taken in the outpouring of love from the fans than Spike attacked Sha from behind, beat him to the outside, strangled him with a camera cord and hit him with a knockout knee strike. Sha had declared the feud "over" but Spike was heard by fans at ringside telling Sha "it's over when I say it's over". This one isn't going away. Uprising, Live In Southampton 28, High Stakes, Live In London 83 and now Live In St Neots - the two cannot find closure from one another. This needs a proper pay off - a 229 main event please, Andy Quildan, with the shackles off - no disqaulificatuon, no count outs, no time limits, the last one standing. Please and thank you.

5. Round Two Ready

If we are focusing on feuds that are due a pay off, we can pivot towards Connor Mills and Luke Jacobs who are ready for Round II of 2024 and Round IV overall of a feud that has pitted two of European wrestling's finest, two inevitable future British Heavyweight Champions, against one another. The story here is so simple but so engrossing - Jacobs has had the plaudits this past year that Mills is adamant he deserves. Mills is now committed and ready to knock Jacobs off the perch he believes he sits upon, hence his focus on not just taking a Revolution Rumble spot but taking Jacobs' spot. On Sunday both men were in action and victorious, with Jacobs overcoming Mark Trew and Mills defeating Harry Milligan. Both men were dominant and comfortable in victory and ready to turn all of their attention towards one another for what could be a show stealer based on the barnstormer they had in Sheffield last month. This will be special.

6. Undefeated and Undeniable

It certainly wasn't as comfortable for Anthony Ogogo as it was for Mills and Jacobs but 'The Guv'nor' continued his undefeated streak, overcoming Robbie X. Ogogo's RevPro run has been really strong in both result and performance, with each of his singles matches ranking as the longest, most competitive and hardest fought victories of his career, such is the calibre of opponent he has faced in David Francisco, RKJ and now Robbie X. And, as the quality and experience of opponent has increased, the more impressive his results have been. You have to believe the big man, with his combination of height, weight and speed, will be a favourite going into the Rumble this Sunday.

7. Does Buzzard Have Oku's Number?

Perhaps the biggest takeaway of all from this Sunday's show has to be that Leyton Buzzard submitted Michael Oku clean as a whistle in their stellar tag team main event with RKJ and Brett Semtex. Locking in a Guillotine Choke, Buzzard forced a technical knockout as Ref Harv rightly declared Oku unable to continue. Take that in - Buzzard is the first to submit Oku since Zack Sabre Jr a year ago, almost to the day. Buzzard was also the first to pin Oku in 2024 so the question can be rightfully posed; does Buzzard have Oku's number? Quite possibly and, with Brett Semtex in his corner at the Rumble - which was first alluded to When Dave The Mark Met Brett Semtex and now confirmed from When Dave The Mark Leyton Buzzard, which drops tomorrow - he has both momentum and insurance heading into York Hall this Sunday.

8. A Lonely Figure

Speaking of Brett Semtex, it was clear in St Neots that Buzzard has back up but without Amira, who herself was in action on the continent over the weekend, the champ cut a lonely figure. RKJ was the supportive partner for their match but his frustration grew as Oku insisted on going it alone when the obvious and sensible thing was to utilise double team offence to isolate Buzzard from Semtex. Ricky's frustration became clear and the fractious relationship between the two showed this alliance was temporary and out of convenience more than anything else. And then Oku's isolation became clearer and clearer as the main event match evolved in to the main event post-match closing brawl.

9. Oku Is A Wanted Man

The closing brawl showed Oku still has friends in the RevPro locker room - it was Harry Milligan who bravely came to his defence after Buzzard took the opportunity to sink in a few cheap shots in the post-match. But beyond Harry, it became very obvious just how many people are gunning for the champion. Heavy Is The Head That Wears The Crown was the phrase I chose to title the Deep Dive into Michael Oku's championship run which dropped a few weeks back and that was certainly the case this past Sunday. Connor Mills, Luke Jacobs, RKJ and JJ Gale all have their eyes focused on the championship around Oku's waist, the championship Buzzard raised high after choking Oku out. If Oku can survive 'El Capitan' on Sunday, he will need to keep a close eye on the Rumble to see which of the many challengers gunning for him is the one to survive and earn their shot. Oku is certainly a wanted man.

10. JJ Stands Tall

And speaking of JJ Gale, it was JJ who ended the show occupying the ring, unscathed from the brawl that ensued between a dozen or so of the RevPro roster. 'The Heart and Soul of Revolution Pro' then made his intentions very clear - win the Rumble, challenge for the British Heavyweight Championship, win the title. Michael Oku seemed to take issue with JJ making his intention clear but that can be atested to the pressure on the champ's shoulders at the end of the show. Choked out, defeated and then reminded of the challenges which are lining up for him. Front and centre of that list in St Neots was JJ and, having had a breakout year from the Revolution Rumble 2023 to now, you'd be a fool to bet against him being in the final four of the Rumble and from there it's anyone's game to be the last one standing. Let's go JJ.

And there we have it - an eventful and hugely entertaining St Neots return is in the books and the Road To The Revolution Rumble has come to a dramatic finish. York Hall this Sunday, the 1865 on Monday and then the 229 completes an intense ten days which will shape a lot of what is to come for RevPro as we head towards Epic Encounter in Stevenage next month. What a time to be a part of the Revolution!

Live In Coventry

Well Coventry, the Revolution did not disappoint! An excellent debut in the HMV Empire and an eventful one at that so let's break down the 10 Takeaways you need before we roll into St Neots in Sunday for the final stop on the Road To The Revolution Rumble.

1. And Still...

The main event of Live In Coventry saw Subculture defend their Undisputed British Tag Team Championships against Greedy Souls, the winners of the 2023 Great British Tag League in a tie that really split me in terms of who I thought would come away with the straps. This was Subculture's first appearance since Mark Andrews' injury and Greedy Souls' first appearance since their self-imposed hiatus awaiting Mandrews' return and the big time feeling was felt from the off. As the match began to enter the latter stages, the contest felt like it was leaning towards Souls, with their outstanding ability to cut the ring off, isolating Flash Morgan Webster for long spells. The turning point seemed to be when Oscar Harding was pulled out of the ring to stop a certain Subculture retention, though, during a spirited comeback, before Danny Jones hit Webster with a low blow. It felt like the championships would change due to the desparate tactics employed by the former champions. However, these tactics were matched by the current champs, as Mark Andrews also pulled Oscar Harding out of the ring during a Souls pinfall attempt, and both Webster and Mandrews hit low blows of their own. It was a finish cheered by the Coventry faithful, keen to see Subculture triumph over Brendan White and Danny Jones but it did not feel like a triumph - it felt like a survival. There will likely be repercussions post-Revolution Rumble.

2. The Challengers Keep Coming

And so with Subculture's survival of Greedy Souls, they will stride forward to the Revolution Rumble and face an old adversary in Grizzled Young Veterans. The Rumble just gets better - the Rumble, Buzzard Vs Oku, the Dog Collar Match, Jacobs Vs Mills and now GYV Vs Subculture. And you have to think Souls will be in the face of Andy Quildan, as they always are, demanding a shot at the victor - they have beef with GYV from Uprising in December and they will, and already have, demanded a fair shot at Mandrews and Flash after the rule breaking that dominated the latter stages of Sunday's match. We are guaranteed GYV Vs Subculture, a proper banger. We then either get GYV Vs Souls (banger) or a possible Two Out Of Three Falls or No Disqualification match between Souls and Subculture (banger, banger, banger). The tag division looks to be heating up.

3. A Common Foe

With Leyton Buzzard and Michael Oku set to clash in a fortnight's time, 'El Capitan' faced RKJ in Coventry, seconded by Brett Semtex. Their encounter was as physical as you would imagine and RKJ would likely have taken the clean win had it not been for the last minute interference of Semtex. Knight then found himself in a two-on-one beatdown before Michael Oku made the save. United by a common foe, Oku and RKJ put their differences aside and will now need to do the same this Sunday in St Neots as they will be paired together to face Buzzard and Semtex; a match I cannot wait for. A fantastic main event level match on a card that also features Spike Trivet Vs Sha Samuels and Anthony Ogogo Vs Robbie X, two matches worthy of headlining any card in Europe. Lovely stuff!

4. It's Not Over Yet

But lets not get this wrong; Oku and RKJ isn't over, something's brewing for sure. Oku made the save for Ricky but would he have done had it not been Buzzard and Semtex who were the aggressors - two men he is currently embroiled with over the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship? Last time out Ricky dropped Oku; can Oku trust him not to do it again? Yesterday Ricky posted a photo from the show of the two of them with the championship belt between them with three powerful words below; "Matter Of Time". It certainly feels like it. Cheep plug - tomorrow we will go into the depths of RevPro On Demand to save you getting Lost In The Archives to review the last time these men faced one on one, three and a half years ago, at Epic Encounters 2. Watch this space!

5. Opportunity Taken

Michael Oku was due to open the show but the event was hijacked by Reece & Rogan. Interrupting Francesca's announcement of Oku Vs Man Like Dereiss, 'Yorkshire Tough' made their unsolicited entrance and demanded a match. Having been booked originally to face YOUNGBLOOD before injury to Yuto Nakashima put a pin in that plan, the RevPro newcomers refused to leave the ring until someone met their challenge. And with the crowd looking to the ramp to see who might come out, it was a wonderful surprise to see Contenders David Francisco and Josh James at ringside agree to take up the opportunity, and opportunity they took after picking up a big upset win. A great result for two men who face each other this Sunday in St Neots for the right to enter the Revolution Rumble. As for Reece & Rogan, they left licking their wounds but they made a big impression in their three RevPro appearances and I hope we see much more of them moving forwards.

6. Dereiss Didn't Disappoint

Speaking of Man Like Dereiss, the boisterous one did not disappoint in his first RevPro outing since 2022. In what was my match of the night, he and Oku tore it up and put on a stellar 'opener' - a classic "follow that" performance, laying down the gauntlet to the rest of the card. I could wax lyrical about the Lyrical Dragon, so I have - check out this week's Heroes & Villains article - because this performance was special. Dereiss showed that he has everything - the charm, the presence, the unforgettable x factor and the necessary in-ring ability to back it up; his strikes were snug, his mat game was on point and his offence was high-impact. He had the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion reeling on more than one occasion. I said it on Sunday and I wrote it yesterday in Heroes & Villains; Andy Quildan, please book this man on the regular.

7. Dominant Mills

After Dereiss' match I found myself rolling through the RevPro talent pool iny head thinking of all the matches I would pay to see him in and I could not get past Dereiss Vs Connor Mills. Mills, who was the subject of a Deep Dive last week as The Most Dangerous Man In Revolution Pro Wrestling, is on a development curve that is genuinely scary; he has very quickly become the MVP of every RevPro card and has developed such a range of in-ring skills that he can give anyone their best match. Trent Seven and Zack Sabre Jr are the two highlights of the year but Stephen Wolf in the 229 and JJ Gale in the HMV Empire witnessed the ruthless, violent, cardio-machine that Mills has become. I'm a HUGE JJ Gale fan, a man I have felt particularly bonded to since Dave The Mark Met JJ Gale at the Portsmouth School of Wrestling last year, and it was hard to watch as Mills kicked Gale's head in whilst he had him tied up in a gruesome submission, leading to Ref Harv calling for the end of the match. Mills was dominant once more and Luke Jacobs will need to bring everything he has at the Revolution Rumble in a match I am tipping to be the highlight of that card.

8. A Frustrated Figure

Luke Jacobs himself was in action in Coventry facing one half of YOUNGBLOOD, Oskar Leube. In what was as hard-hitting of an affair as you would expect, Jacobs took the victory and, in a sign of respect, offered Oscar his hand. However, afrustrated Oskar turned away from Jacobs and left without meeting it, much to the chagrin of the Coventry faithful. Luke Jacobs has shown over the past 2 years that he is a standard-bearer in Revolution Pro Wrestling and, when he offers someone his hand, they are expected to take it because it means they earned not only his respect but the respect of the RevPro faithful. Oskar was frustrated; injury to his tag team partner Yuto Nakashima has led to a change in plan for now in his European excursion. After a big performance against a heavyweight star was one that could have led to a big breakout win as Jacobs is legitimately one of the best in Europe, if not the world, and wins against him do not come easily. It will be interesting to see how Oskar responds next time out.

9. Yes She Kanji!

Whilst we're on the topic of the best wrestlers in Europe, we can look no further than the winner of the women's division match on Sunday as Kanji overcame Alexxis Falcon. To the surprise of absolutely no one, this match was excellent and was a real showcase of the talented pool of wrestlers that make up the UK. women's division. Falcon has all of the in-ring ability to match the pantomime heel charisma she brings to the ring and Kanji is beloved wherever she goes across the country and has such an elite level skill set that she's the match for any woman in the country. This was always going to bang, therefore. The match was an incredibly close affair, but the longer it went, the more Kanji's systematic approach, her cardiovascular tank and quick recovery speed paid dividends. The most memorable moment of the match came as Falcon spat into the face of Kanji, which served as one final act of defiance and an acceptance of defeat as a fired up Kanji beat the Hull native into submission. We have been spoilt in 2024 with spectacular and top level matches on every card in the women's division and this was up there with the very finest.

10. Leon Bounces Back

And finally we come to our 10th and final takeaway which saw Leon Slater bounce back from the disappointment of losing his Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship to Jordan Breaks at the 229 in London last time out. In what was an incredible showcase of the outstanding talent we have in British cruiserweights, Leon faced Robbie X and Cameron Khai in a match which had the crowd the loudest they were all night. These triple threat matches are incredibly difficult to win as not only do you need an opponent down for 3 seconds to take a pinfall victory, but you need to have incapacitated the other challenger for the same period of time to avoid them breaking up the count. It really could have gone to any man, this one, but it was Leon that took the victory which will add some sugar to what has been a pretty sour month for the Youngest In Charge.

And there we have it; Revolution Pro Wrestling Live In Coventry is in the books and we now look ahead to the return to the Priory Centre in St. Neots this Sunday, March 24th, for one last show before the big one, the Revolution Rumble, Easter Sunday, March 31st in York Hall in Bethnal Green, followed by the Southampton 'Supershow' on Easter Monday. One thing's for sure, there's a lot still to be done this month and we will be here for every beat of it.

Live In London 83

Well, as promised, that was Pro Wrestling At Its Best. RevPro Sunday never fails to deliver. And when there is a Revolution Tag main event, you know the show is going to be chaotic and full of takeaways. So without further adieu, here's the 10 things you need to know coming out of Live in London 83.

1. AND NEW...

There really is no place else that we could begin this list other than with the announcement that Jordan Breaks is your new Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion. In an excellent contest in the semi-main slot, Breaks overcame Slater with one of his trademark pinful traps after Leon failed to hit the 450 Splash from the top rope. The contest was, as expected, excellent with Breaks showing a more aggressive style drawn out of him by Leon's, youthful, exuberant and antagonistic trash talk. Such was Leon's shock at the result, he refused to hand the title belt over, seemingly frustrated at the lack of success he has had since winning it in December of last year at Uprising, discarding of it disrespectfully instead. There will be big question marks over what is next for the 'Youngest in Charge' in Revolution Pro Wrestling but huge congratulations must be paid to Jordan Breaks, our new Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion.

2. Ssssoon to be Undisputed?

And whilst we're on the topic of titles changing hands, we have a lovely new wrinkle to the Undisputed British Tag Team Championship situation. After a hugely entertaining match with Mark Trew and Kieron Lacey, which the Grizzled Young Veterans won, Zack Gibson and James Drake made their intentions very clear; they want the British Tag titles and they want whomever is champions at the Revolution Rumble. Next up on the Road to the Rumble is RevPro's debut in Coventry at the HMV Empire on Sunday 17th March where Greedy Souls will get the opportunity to challenge Subculture for the straps having won the Great British Tag League last year at Uprising. GYV will now challenge the victors of that match at the Rumble, therefore. I am already on the fence as to who comes away from Coventry with the championships and this detail has me even more hesitant to pick a winner; GYV and the Greedy Souls have unfinished business from Crystal Palace and Subculture versus GYV sounds absolutely mouth watering. Whatever the outcome, we are guaranteed a fantastic Undisputed British Tag Team Championship match when we return to York Hall at the end of the month..

3. Dog Collar Match

Speaking of York Hall; what an Undisputed British Women's Championship match we have in store. Windsor faced Laura Di Matteo at the 229 yesterday and, despite a really strong effort from LDM, it was Windsor who came away with the victory. Following the match Windsor looked to attack the returning Di Matteo with the same chain that she attacked Dani Luna with at High Stakes two weeks ago. As I'd expect Windsor knew would happen, this drew Luna out from backstage who made the save for LDM, chasing Windsor off. Luna took the mic and set the match up for Revolution Rumble; as we had suspected here at davethemark.com, it will be Windsor vs Dani Luna for the Undisputed British Women's Championship in a Dog Collar Match, 3st March at York Hall. This is going to be something to remember and, if the rumble itself was not enough to get you to put your hand in your pocket and get a ticket, then this should be; I suspect it will be the most violent women's championship match ever seen in Revolution Pro Wrestling.

4. Mills Vs Jacobs IV

As we stick with the theme of setting matches up for the Rumble, we have an incredibly interesting development in the Connor Mills versus Luke Jacobs saga. After Mills had defeated the impressive Stephen Wolf, he took to the microphone and declared himself for the Revolution Rumble, telling Andy Quildan that he wasn't asking for a spot, he was taking a spot. However, Mills doesn't want any spot - he wants Luke Jacobs' spot in the Rumble. Now if we rewind back, this follows their fantastic encounter last week in Sheffield (if you haven't watched that match yet, make it a priority for this week because it was incredible) and, with the way that match ended, neither man got the satisfaction that they needed from the incredibly physical encounter. And now, providing Luke Jacobs gets what he has demanded, there will be a 4th match in the series at the Rumble as Luke Jacobs will put up his spot in the main event to face Connor Mills one on one, one more time. This match promises to absolutely steal that show, a show with three championship matches all but confirmed, including a Dog Collar Match and a 30 Man Rumble. Upstaging all of that is no small task but Mills and Jacobs are two incredibly special athletes who have chemistry that is undeniable. This really will be special.

5. What. A. Rumble. It. Will. Be.

And finally, whilst we still think ahead to the Revolution Rumble, I have one more takeaway dedicated to it. This really goes to the quality of the booking, the matches and the rivalries that have developed in RevPro over the last few months because this Rumble promises to be incredible. We have Josh Alexander, Shigehiro Irie and Jordan Oliver confirmed as entrants flying over to the UK for the sole purpose of challenging in the Rumble to earn the right to face the Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion. Maybe there will be one or two more to be announced beforehand who do the same, or even a surprise or two on the night. But what this show demonstrated perfectly was just how much British talent is ready to take the places up for grabs in the Rumble. This card had seven matches with no less than 20 wrestlers across them. Factor in the likes of Cameron Khai, Harry Milligan and Will Kaven who worked the show in non-wrestling capacities. Add to that Jordan Saeed and Levi Muir who watched the show from the bar. Add to that the likes of Trent Seven, Greedy Souls and Subculture who hold prominent positions in RevPro but were not on this particular show and it becomes incredibly apparent just how stacked the RevPro talent pool is and what an abundance of talent there is across British wrestling vying for spots on the biggest stage in European wrestling. Last years Revolution Rumble was fantastic, one of my favourite events of all of 2023, but this year's promises to be bigger, better and even more dramatic. And whilst I'm here, I'll take the opportunity to plug the Top 10 List available at davethemark.com for the Top 10 Moments of the 2023 Revolution Rumble. Check it out and Mark Out.

6. JJ Stands Tall

The Revolution Tag that headlined Live In London 83 had a host of talking points from it so let's break them down over Takeaways 6, 7 and 8. Firstly, let's start at the end - from the 12 man elimination match, one man stood tall; JJ Gale. The final two were JJ and Gabe Kidd but it was Gale who survived and will have momentum on his side going into the Rumble. Remember it was this time last year that 'The Heart and Soul of Revolution Pro Wrestling' shone out in the Rumble before Zack Sabre Jr ended his hopes leading to their feud which ran through the 11th Anniversary Show and into Uprising. My interview with JJ Gale, When Dave The Mark Met JJ Gale, is on davethemark.com and covers that exact period if you would like to revisit it! However, it must be noted that the 'War Dog', Gabe Kidd, looked to be seething at the finish and you have to think there is either a one on one Gale Vs Gabe down the line or the two will come head to head in the Rumble because this isn't over between these two, that's for sure.

7. Unfinished Business

And speaking of things that aren't over... That was a theme of the main event. From Sha and Spike, to YOUNGBLOOD and Reece & Rogan, from Brett Semtex and RKJ, to Leyton Buzzard and Michael Oku, there are many conflicts which remain unresolved at the heart of the revolution. Samuels and Trivet are likely to be in the Rumble but I'm keen to see then go one on one again once more, either before or after. YOUNGBLOOD and 'Yorkshire Tough' go head to head in Coventry on March 17th and everything points towards Michael Oku with Amira taking on Leyton Buzzard with Brett Semtex at York Hall on March 31st. So much unfinished business and the Revolution Tag added fuel to each fire and brought them all to a rolling boil.

8. Keep Your Friends Close...

But, as if the Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion doesn't have enough to worry about, he also now has RKJ on his radar. As I said in the preview, the two working together was always going to be temporary as 'The Killer' has made no secret of his desire to dethrone the champion and the match unravelled around the pair. After a double team offence failed, Oku inadvertently took out Ricky with a superkick which led to Knight dropping the champ with a Kishi Driver. This led to Oku's elimination via Leyton Buzzard. To make matters worse, RKJ then came to blows with Amira, inexcusably grabbing her by the throat which incensed the 229 and will, undoubtedly, have incensed Oku. There will be consequences.

9. Frustrated Contenders

RKJ put his name forward for 'Villain of the Week' and it was an interesting night for last week's 'Hero of the Week', David Francisco. The Contender opened the show against Robbie X and came within a hairs breadth of picking up the win. The trend continued; Josh James and David Francisco have put in career best performances in every showing of 2024. And, as with 'Heavy Artillery' last week, the closer you come, the harder each defeat is to take. At the close of the contest, Robbie extended the hand and a frustrated and emotional Francisco rejected it and walked away, only for Josh James to remind him of their conversation last week when the fellow Contender did the same to Shigehiro Irie. Tensions are high in the Contender camp and you get the feeling that something is brewing here. Keep a close eye on any and all interactions between the two friends/rivals over the coming weeks.

10. Pro Wrestling At Its Best

Our tenth and final takeaway is dedicated to the excellent performances of the returning Stephen Wolf and Laura Di Matteo, and the debuting Royce Isaacs. RevPro has a core roster of the finest British talents, broadened out by the use of younger, up and coming talents. Then we have those who come over to the U.K. to challenge and test themselves. The company promises Pro Wrestling At Its Best and the eye for talent when booking is exceptional as every single imported talent shows out when they come to the holy grail of European wrestling and joins the Revolution. Laura Di Matteo had the 229 chanting her name from the moment she came to the ring. Royce Isaacs had chants of "Please Come Back" as his match with Luke Jacobs came to a close. Stephen Wolf had the London faithful making wolf sounds throughout his match with Connor Mills. Three extremely talented wrestlers, three very popular figures and three people who demonstrate the very ethos of RevPro. So, one more time, to all three... Please Come Back.

And there we have it my fellow Revolutionists. A busy March has begun! Next stop is the debut in Coventry on March 17th, then St Neots Priory Centre on March 24th before the big one - the Revolution Rumble on March 31st which now has a complete card all but confirmed. The Rumble, Buzzard Vs Oku, GYV Vs Souls/Subculture, the Dog Collar Match and Jacobs Vs Mills IV. In the RevPro Q&A on Friday it was confirmed there will be 5 matches including the Rumble, and if my maths is right, that's five matches. Cannot wait!

Live In Sheffield

High Stakes

1. End of an Era

Has everyone digested Sunday yet? That was something truly special. For those living under a rock, Sunday 18th February was Revolution Pro Wrestling High Stakes and was a genuine show of the year contender, not just in RevPro, but across the pro wrestling landscape. And yes, it is only February but mark this Mark's words; this will be talked about for years to come. So, if you're looking to catch up in full, head to RevPro On Demand and watch the show, but if you'd prefer the TLDR version, here's 10 Takeaways from High Stakes.

I can't start anywhere other than with 'The Assassin' Will Ospreay as the Revolution said goodbye, good luck and see you on Wednesdays to the Billygoat, to a man synonymous with RevPro's history, past and present. The main event that he and Michael Oku put on was beyond incredible. It was storytelling perfection and more has been written about it on this site (check out Heroes & Villains) and more will go on to be written about it before the week is over (watch this space for 10 Callbacks To I & II in Oku & Ospreay III). 

This one has to be watched, it really is as simple as that; no one can do it justice in words. However, this takeaway is not simply to put over the main event but to recognise the End Of An Era. Will Ospreay wrestled 90 RevPro matches over 11 years, from 'Wild Boar' Mike Hitchman in 2013 to Michael Oku in 2024. The Era Of The Assassin is over and with it comes an exciting but intriguing new era for RevPro as the wealth of unsigned British talents will look to share the burden of carrying the company into the future. And that was felt on Sunday as, with Tony Khan applauding Ospreay from the stands, Ospreay donned his All Elite Wrestling jacket, hugged Andy Quildan goodbye and left a near 2,000 strong audience shouting OS-PREAY, OS-PREAY for the final time.

2. What's Next?

And so what's next? Well, look at that card and look at what was shown to the world who were watching. Michael Oku is a bonafide star; chants to Tony Khan that he had signed the wrong guy were sharp and purposeful rather than tongue in cheek and amusing. Oku must now be considered one of THE most talented, proven and acclaimed unsigned talents in the world. Look below the main event - Connor Mills matched Zack Sabre Jr not just in kayfabe but in reality. Luke Jacobs is poised and ready to break out onto the world stage - imagine him in the G1 - and it feels like everyone has taken notice over the past six months since Jacobs Vs Ishii. RKJ WRESTLED Anthony Ogogo in a career best Ogogo performance. Robbie X was put over huge by Mustafa Ali, a man who is tearing 2024 up around the world on his way, this Mark believes, to All Elite Wrestling. What is next? A company striding forward like never before with the strongest pool of talent at their disposal the U.K. has ever produced, including that golden age of independent wrestling that birthed NXT UK.

3. Future Proof 

And then you look below that upper echelon of talent; a tag team division with layers and levels, with the impending return of Subculture, with Greedy Souls, with Sunshine Machine, the return of Grizzled Young Veterans and now Trew & Lacey and YOUNGBLOOD. Look at Safire Reed, a talent whose ability at such a young age is frightening. Look at JJ Gale who tore the roof off in his match with Luke Jacobs, earning an almighty standing ovation. Look at Cameron Khai who, at 18 years old, has already wrestled for NJPW and now challenged for an AEW championship. The world has been watching the Ospreay's and the Sabre Jr's when it comes to RevPro but the RevPro regulars have been watching these talents growing week in and week out and Andy Quildan deserves huge praise for future proofing RevPro. The world can now see the Oku's and the Jacobs'. Soon they will see the next class and Sunday showcased just how ready they are.

4. Alive, Kicking and Collaborating

And whilst we look at the event from the wider lens, let's take a moment to see just how well collaborative this event was. AEW's Orange Cassidy and Anthony Ogogo. NJPW's YOUNGBLOOD, Zack Sabre Jr and Shingo Takagi. CMLL's Fantastica Mania U.K. II revealed between matches. The Revolution Rumble plugged as the next "big" show, with TNA's Josh Alexander the first name announced. Flash Morgan Webster, Dani Luna and Trent Seven are TNA regulars as well as RevPro regulars. Yet this was a RevPro show from start to finish on presentation, on booking, in story and in talent. RevPro has worked with every company for whom it is mutually beneficial for years. Every time someone wrestled for RevPro they become part of the roster - look at the number of people who come back year after year and their history with the promotion is appreciated and celebrated. Every match had a reason for its place on the card. Every match was built towards and every wrestler has direction coming out of it. There are countless potential winners for the Revolution Rumble and there are four more shows in the next five weeks to develop the stories to build that card. The Revolution is alive, kicking and collaborating. 

5. UNDISPUTED

Zooming the lens in from the company to the event, one incredible aspect of the main event, possibly the most important aspect for the future of the company, is that Michael Oku is undisputedly the man in RevPro. Compare Oku Vs Ospreay II to Oku Vs Ospreay III - compare the ring attires and entrances, compare the hope spots Oku had in II to the dominance he showed in III. Not only was this a win rather than a survival, but it was legitimate; it was conceivable, believable and Michael Oku proved that he was Ospreay's equal. Moving forwards, in the wake of the best wrestler in the world, Michael Oku showed the world that RevPro has the best in Europe ready to fill those shoes. 

6. Main Event Mills

And another man to show the world the journey he has been on is Oku's former tag partner and best friend, Connor Mills. For Oku Vs Ospreay II, Mills seconded Oku and played a supporting role to the main event. For Oku Vs Ospreay III, Mills wrestled in the semi-main against Zack Sabre Jr in a 20+ minute match worthy of main eventing any card anywhere in the world. Zack Vs Will at Royal Quest III was unbelievable. Zack Vs Danielson at both Forbidden Door and The New Beginning In Osaka was career best work. But no one can watch Mills Vs ZSJ and deny Mills the superlatives and acclaim that is normally reserved for those elite wrestlers aforementioned. This was incredible. Two weeks ago Mills wrestled a career best match in the 229 against Trent Seven (check out Lost In The Archives as to why this was MUST WATCH) and this match was on that level. Mills is ready to climb the mountain to the top of European wrestling. The Oku Vs Mills Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship showdown has never felt closer.

Live In Southampton 28

1. It's On!

The Road To High Stakes has taken in its final stop and we are poised for the biggest European wrestling show of 2024 so far this Sunday at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre. The final stop came this past Sunday at The 1865 in Southampton and, if you weren't there live, or haven't caught up at RevPro On Demand, then I've got you; here's 10 Takeaways From Live In Southampton 28

We have two new matches for High Stakes confirmed so let's start there. The first is the one we expected, Anthony Ogogo will face RKJ this Sunday. This came after Ogogo defeated David Francisco in a competitive but ultimately dominant performance from The Guv'nor. RKJ came out to the ring, as he vowed to do when speaking at the 229 two weeks ago, and confronted Ogogo, laying out some personal and controversial trash talk to goad Ogogo into accepting his challenge. The line that got me was RKJ telling Ogogo that he knows the match will likely end with Ricky being knocked out but it is not about winning or losing, it's about taking Ogogo's 20% vision in his damaged eye. Ogogo Vs RKJ... It's On.

2. Ogogo Shows Out

And whilst we focus on Anthony Ogogo it is worth noting that his match with David Francisco was not only a great spectacle - the image of Ogogo laying the British flag over Francisco as he lay motionless on the mat will live with me for a long time - but also evidence of what a threat Ogogo is as he has learnt to combine his heavyweight boxing power with a wider grasp of pro wrestling that makes him an even bigger threat to anyone he wants to go after. Ogogo showed out in Southampton; his best performance this Mark has seen from him.

3. YOUNGBLOOD, Young Grudge

The 8th match now confirmed for High Stakes will see Trew & Lacey face YOUNGBLOOD this Sunday. All four of these men had very eventful Sundays. Yuto Nakashima was in action against Luke Jacobs in what was, as I predicted, the match of the night. If you are a Strongstyle fan, find 15 minutes for this match. However, the drama of the night unfolded in Oskar Leube's match with JJ Gale, which was interrupted at the end by Mark Trew and Kieron Lacey, attacking both men with steel chairs prior to their own match with Harry Milligan and Michael Oku. Trew and Lacey are making a lot of enemies in Revolution Pro Wrestling but their tactics on Sunday worked as they were able to pick up their first victory of 2024 by defeating Milligan and Oku. That match was not without controversy though, as the young tag team pulled Amira into the way as Oku hit the Fosbury Flop which led to Amira receiving medical attention and drew the British Heavyweight Champion out of the match, leaving Harry Milligan to fight two on one against Trew and Lacey who proved simply too much for the youngster.

4. A Target On The Champ's Back?

YOUNGBLOOD's night was not over there, though, as they came out to make the save for Harry Milligan which draws in the next takeaway, as this action was misinterpreted by the Champ Michael Oku who had to be separated from Oskar and Yuto. However, the poignant moment came prior to this as the two newcomers from New Japan Pro Wrestling helped Harry Milligan to his feet and lifted the British Heavyweight Championship. There is an unwritten rule in wrestling that you never touch another man's championship and doing so is always a sign of a future threat. So we will see if this is an unwritten rule that the youngsters are learning or if it was a conscious message to Michael Oku. The champion has Will Ospreay on Sunday but he also has a long list of challenges if he can come out of Sunday's match still holding the British heavyweight Championship and maybe the YOUNGBLOOD boys are looking to work their way up that list.

5. Big Game Luke

A match we knew we were getting already at Crystal Palace is the confrontation between the aforementioned JJ Gale and Luke Jacobs. After JJ's match with Oscar ended in a no contest, it was surprisingly Luke who came to the 'Heart and Soul of Revolution Pro Wrestling's aid. Jacobs lifted Gale to his feet before addressing him, telling him he wanted him fully fit for Sunday so he could make no excuses when Jacobs defeats him before hitting him with an almighty palm strike across the face. Luke Jacobs has gone from being a future headliner in RevPro to being the Big Game Fighter in the space of the last 6 months. You have to think that we are looking at a future British Heavyweight Champion and someone who RevPro wrestling can build a future around.

6. Big Win... Big Year?

One man who will have ambitions to lead RevPro in the future will be Cameron Khai and on this website last week it was said that 2024 felt like it was going to be a big year for the youngster and he started it excellently in Southampton, recovering from his loss to Leyton Buzzard in London at the start of January and picking up quite possibly his biggest win in his career to date, overcoming the world-travelled, well-respected and hugely impressive debuting Richard Holliday. For more detail on this match, head over to the Heroes & Villains page at davethemark.com but on the back of this performance, I am sure I'm not alone when I say that, I hope Cameron can build on this and be the breakout star of 2024; there really is no finer young talent, at the same stage of their career, anywhere in the world.

7. The Holliday Isn't Over

Speaking of Richard Holliday, the American certainly left an impression in Southampton but not just for his involvement in what was an excellent match, but his involvement in the main event. After his defeat to Cameron Khai, Holliday refused to leave the ring until he was forcibly ejected by Sha Samuels. This led to 'The Most Marketable' one returning to the ring later in the main event costing Sha any chance of victory against Spike Trivet. At the time of writing there is one more match to fill on the Crystal Palace card and something tells me that Richard Holliday's trip to the U.K. is not over yet and that we may see him one more time in Revolution Pro Wrestling.

8. Main Event Madness

And speaking of that main event, it ended in utter madness as, after Holliday cost Sha the win, an unlikely alliance formed between the American and the 'Most Hated Man In Europe' Spike Trivet, who double-teamed Sha Samuels until Cameron Khai was able to make the save, setting up a match between the four, or an even bigger match involving another man who had an eventful Sunday, Flash Morgan Webster.

9. Triple Crown Contender

Flash had earlier defeated Will Kaven in a real reminder of both how good Kaven is and how Morgan Webster should never be slept on as a singles wrestler. It is easy to forget with the success of Subculture that Flash is a former British Cruiserweight Champion and is of a short list of people who is one challenge away from becoming a RevPro Triple Crown Champion. After the match, Flash said that whilst we await the return of Mark Andrews from injury, he promises to remind everybody in RevPro just how good a singles wrestler he is. He's night ended with him attempting to break up the chaos in the main event only to be drawn into the action himself. The show closed with Webster, Sha and Khai united and a potential six man tag or 5-man scramble at Crystal Palace on Sunday could now be on the cards.

10. The Most Hated Man In Revolution Pro Wrestling

The 10th and final takeaway from Sunday has been reserved for one Spike Trivet. Coming into the company in difficult circumstances due to his legacy and prominence in Progress Wrestling, Spike faced a potential uphill struggle which he has overcome effortlessly. The self-procrained 'Most Hated Man In Europe' could well be the most dangerous and violent threat to whomever leaves Sunday with the British Heavyweight Championship. If victories in the last 6 months over Robbie X, David Francisco and now Sha Samuels have proven anything, it is that Spike Trivet is a sinister and sadistic prospect to anyone that he sets his sights on. It is surely only a matter of time before he sets his sights on Revolution Pro Wrestling gold.

And there we have it, the final stop on the Road to High Stakes has been checked off. See you Sunday in Crystal Palace, I hope. If you see me, come say Hi and Mark Out.

Live in London 82

1. The Future Of The Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship

One thing that has been questioned since Uprising, since the confirmation that Michael Oku Vs Will Ospreay III will go down next Sunday at High Stakes, surrounds the future of the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship if Ospreay does what he has done twice before and defeats Oku. With the 'Aerial Assassin' AEW-bound and with Uprising his final independent wrestling match, what happens should he defeat the Champion?

Well, Ospreay gave it to the 229 straight - he will hand the belt back to Andy Quildan, vacate the title, and then watch as 30 men battle out for the right to be the Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion at the Revolution Rumble on Easter Sunday, March 31st, live from York Hall. Many are backing Oku to do what he has never done before and defeat Ospreay in Ospreay's final match for RevPro but the list of wrestlers who have defeated Ospreay in singles action in Revolution Pro Wrestling is a very short list - just eleven men, in fact - and now we have clear direction for the future of the Championship should our Champion fail to make himself the 12th and final man.

2. High Stakes Indeed

And whilst we focus attentions on the High Stakes main event, the dramatic and show stealing face to face between Oku, Amira and Ospreay was given extra spice when Andy Quildan confirmed that each man could add a stipulation, which could not have been more perfectly considered by both man. This feud has been impeccable since before their first encounter and the history between the two is rich and detailed and these details have been focused upon here; for Oku has requested no referee stoppages, arcing back to Oku Vs Ospreay I from 2021 which was stopped after referee Oscar Harding saw Michael Oku was unresponsive after multiple trapped forearms followed by elbow strokes to the back of the head.

If Oku goes down, he will go down on his own terms like he did in 2022 after Ospreay heat him via pinfall. In that match, Amira threw in the towel to try and end the match early after Ospreay ruthlessly delivered Hidden Blade after Hidden Blade after Hidden Blade to Oku but due to the stipulation for that match factoring in no referee stoppages, the match continued. This time, Amira will have the towel, there will be no referee stoppages BUT if she throws in the towel, she throws away Oku's reign as Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion. High Stakes based upon detail-rich history between two of the best in the world. What an unbelievable night February 18th will inevitably be.

3. Heavyweight Challengers

You can only imagine that the entire RevPro locker room will be glued to Ospreay Vs Oku not only because it will be a match of the year contender (guaranteed) but because, if Ospreay wins, many of them will have the best chance they have had to win what will be the vacant British Heavyweight Championship. And at the 229 it was obvious to this Mark that a number of RevPro stalwarts have been putting in the hard yards in the gym putting on the size to move up weight divisions. Former Cruiserweight Champion Luke Jacobs is already there. As is former SWE Speed King Champion RKJ. But Leyton Buzzard, Connor Mills and JJ Gale must all now be there or thereabouts. RKJ was in action overcoming powerhouse cruiserweight Elijah, whilst Luke Jacobs defeated Brixia Bone Breaker Nico Inverardi before JJ Gale jumped him ahead of their showdown at High Stakes. As for Mills and Buzzard, we will come to them later...

4. It's Personal

It's not like JJ Gale to attack a man after he has just wrestled but that is exactly what he did at the 229. And why not? As he said, if that's how Luke Jacobs wants to play, then so be it. If they are the rules of the battleground they are going to go to war on then each to their own, fair is fair. Jacobs attacked JJ post Live in London 81 so JJ attacked LJ post Live in London 82.

This is a different JJ Gale - this isn't the shock-faced former contender who seemed to surprise himself as much as anyone else when he beat Yota Tsuji this time last year on a breakout win from which his career his skyrocketed. No, this is a man who knows he belongs, who knows his worth and knows that he is no longer looking up at those atop the RevPro card but looking sideways. Time to get that big, big win. Jacobs made it personal for JJ with his words in the 229 last month. Let's just hope that doesn't prove to be JJ's downfall, though; he has to keep his emotions in check. Another fascinating High Stakes encounter.

5. Ali Ready

Speaking of fascinating High Stakes encounters, there are many Marks out there like me eager to see the debut of Mustafa Ali in RevPro and there isn't a more exciting opponent for him than Robbie X. Coming out of the 229, Robbie is definitely Ali Ready having overcome another unique hybrid cruiserweight athlete in Brixia Bone Breaker Mirko Mori. The Italian combined insane speed, technical prowess and unpredictable offence but the King of the Cruiserweights proved once more that he is just that with an unbelievable Xecution to see off Mori (honestly watch the finish on RevPro On Demand). Mustafa Ali is an even more accomplished test but Robbie has faced three very different opponents in preparation in Elijah, Gabe Kidd and now Mirko Mori - he is ready and the world is about to see just how elite Robbie X is.

6. BBB Belong

And whilst we touch on the Brixia Bone Breakers, it is worth noting that the 229 show showed us what we already suspected from their brief run with RevPro this time last year; BBB Belong. A tag team at their best, they showed that they are also more than capable singles wrestlers. The RevPro tag division is strong, as we saw across the Great British Tag League, but any tag division in the world would benefit from the Bone Breakers and we hope to see the Italian pair back soon and back often. Rumour has it Mark Andrews' injury is healed and Subculture may just be looking for new challengers if they can get past Greedy Souls when their inevitable showdown is confirmed.

7. YOUNGBLOOD Step Up

And further tag teams who will be looking at an eventual tag title challenge will be both Trew & Lacey and YOUNGBLOOD, who squared off in the 229 with the NJPW pair taking victory as their European excursion kicked on. In a strong outing, Oskar Leube and Yuto Nakashima both looked at ease in a RevPro ring, confident in their surroundings and capable of dominating. Back to the drawing board for Trew & Lacey, though, as the two look to turn performances into results.

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8. Momentum Is With The Challenger

Someone who is having no problem turning performances into results is 'The Radioactive One', Safire Reed. And momentum is now certainly with the challenger after she got the pinfall win over Dani Luna after a devastating Shining Wizard on Sunday in the 229. Has anyone started 2024 better than Safire? A decisive victory over Kanji in their best of three falls match last month followed by victory over the Undisputed British Women's Champion in tag action this month, teaming with the returning and impressive Alexxis Falcon. Luna, who was tagging with Kanji, looked out for the count after the Shining Wizard and, you have to think, that'll be in the champ's head now;  Reed hit it out of nowhere on Sunday and it was game over. Same again next week and we have a new Undisputed British Women's Champion.

9. One Of Our Own

We can't do Takeaways from the 229 and not even mention Minoru Suzuki, right? It was an absolute pleasure to see The King up close and in action at the 229 and he showed he is still just as much the showman, the icon and the hard-as-nails Murder Grandpa as ever. However, what surprised me as much as it pleased me was to see how over Leyton Buzzard is with the crowd. From chants of "His name is a town" last year when he debuted, to the heroes welcome he got last month upon his return, has been somewhat of a whirlwind. And now it is clear that it is not just a whirlwind but a whirlwind romance as the crowd chanted 'El Capitan''s name througout. Suzuki is a legend - he drew in fans who may have never been to the 229 before; he had fans queueing to have their photo taken with him post-match. But Leyton Buzzard has become One Of Our Own and it was he who had the crowd behind him. Long live 'El Capitan'.

10. Elite Level Mills

Now, as the Takeaways come to their natural conclusion, I have to ask; have you seen Mills Vs Trent II yet? If not, sack this off, log on to RevPro On Demand and watch it. It was special. Trent put in a performance reminiscent of when Undisputed Era defeated Moustache Mountain back in 2018. Mills put in the performance of his life, the performance all of his performances in the last year have been building to. It was incredible and more will be written about it this week here at davethemark.com For now, though, we have to acknowledge what is undeniable at this point - Connor Mills has fought his way to the top of RevPro and can stand shoulder to shoulder, toe to toe with anyone in the company, anyone in Britain and, I suspect we are seeing this now and will continue to see it over 2024, anyone in the world. Now, do as you are told; go watch Mills Vs Trent II. Now.

Live in London 81

1. Leyton Buzzard Is Back & He Is Here To Stay

After a six month absence from Revolution Pro Wrestling, Leyton Buzzard returned to a heroes welcome that seemed to both surprise and delight 'El Capitan'. The obvious? His match with Cameron Khai was an incredible way to open Live in London 81. The wonderful surprise? Buzzard announced post match that he will be in RevPro for all of 2024. Next up for the Bristolian? Minoru f'n Suzuki. Welcome home 'El Capitan'!

2. Brett Semtex Made An Almighty Splash...

There was a buzz in the 229 queue as everyone felt there was a surprise in the air. With six matches announced, rather than the usual seven or occasional eight, there was belief amongst the London faithful that someone might pop up and surprise us. However, it is safe to say no one can called what happened next...

RKJ was due to speak regarding what we shall refer to as the "Ogogo Incident" at Uprising, but he was jumped by the debuting Brett Semtex leading to an impromptu and unannounced match, one so insanely good it fully deserved a standing ovation and a slightly more generous 229 crowd would have all been on their feet post-Muscle Buster. Semtex could not have done more to make a splash on his debut - he is welcome back any time!

3... But RKJ Wants Ogogo At High Stakes

This had to be the next move, right? No one does the dirty to a Knight and lives to tell the tale. RKJ vowed to "knock [Ogogo] the fuck out" and every fan in the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre will be desperate to see just that. Challenge set. We still await news on if the challenge will be met or the if the match will be made made but surely it is just a matter of time.

4. The Plan Is Becoming Clear

Gio shocked the Revolution at Seasons Beating when he walked away midshow from his commentary role and aligned himself with Connor Mills, assaulting Trent Seven in the process. Ever since, Gio has referred to "The Plan" and at the 229 we both saw the plan executed and then had to hear Gio set the next challenge, to the "left-wing limp cuck", Zack Sabre Jr. The agenda is clear - Gio and Mills are after the old guard of British professional wrestling. It is now official too: Mills Vs ZSJ at High Stakes. 

5. Styles Clash

The 229 is a special place. I've been all over with RevPro from Sheffield to Southampton, from Birmingham to St Neots and just about everywhere in between. Nowhere, though, is quite like the 229 and this INSANE contest between all three of the RevPro singles champions against three challengers new and old is exactly why. An incredible 25 minute contest took us through every emotion and, with so many incredible potential permutations coming out for whomever could get one over on a champion, it felt High Stakes (cough) throughout. The victor came in the form of Jordon Breaks and you have to believe that the technical mastermind will now be seeking a one on one chance against the man he pinned, Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion Leon Slater. What a styles clash that will be. 

6. Gabe Took Robbie Into Deep Waters... And Has His Sights Set On The Heavyweight Championship

It is no hot take to say Gabe Kidd is a future British Heavyweight Champion; it is just a matter of when. He came incredibly close at the British J Cup last October. He will be knocking on the door again soon. In what has been a BritWres dream match of mine since the day I first laid eyes on 'The War Dog' and 'The King of the Cruiserweights', Gabe and Robbie X faced off in the post-interval slot and tore the house down. No-one gets reactions like "Robbie, Robbie, Robbie Fucking X", but Gabe has the heavyweight power and the dojo trained gas tank to drag anyone into deep, deep water and that is exactly what he did to Robbie. Can Gabe have the same success next time out, against Shingo Takagi at High Stakes, and can he do want only Will Ospreay has done before; pin 'The Dragon' in a Revolution Pro Wrestling ring?

7. Trew & Lacey Called Out YOUNGBLOOD

Challenge set.

Challenge met.

Match made.

8. Safire Reed 2 - 1 Kanji In An ALL OUT WAR

This was everything I wanted it to be. Two of the best in the country (fuck that, two of the best in the world) going full throttle in a hard hitting, technical, intense war full of guts, piss and vinegar. My heart and head said Kanji would be the one with her hand held high at the end but it was Safire who took the W and she now goes on to High Stakes to face the Undisputed British Women's Champion, Dani Luna.

9. The Future Is Now...

A fight for the future is a term that's been used in wrestling many a time and with the Will Ospreay era of Revolution Pro Wrestling seemingly coming to an end, the idea of the next breakout British wrestler to step up, grab the company by its balls and hurl it over their back and carry it into the second half of the decade is one that's been on my mind. Who is the one or will it be a shared responsibility amongst the unbelievably talented crop of sub-30 year old wrestlers in the promotion? JJ Gale and Callum Newman was the last match I thought would headline this card but it was such a mission statement to do so and two of the best the country has produced in the last five years deserved their spot and fought an excellent main event, with JJ picking up the win.

10. ...But Not Everyone Is Happy To Share The Spotlight