The day started off as per usual for me when travelling to Bethnal Green by getting on lost on the underground. Considering I've been to this venue seven times, I shouldn't still be getting lost, right? Once at the venue it was time for the meet and greet where I met Zack Sabre Jr., a wrestler I have a lot of admiration for as he was the one who really got a lot of attention on Britwres to American fans after his stand out matches in PWG BOLA (Battle of Los Angles) in 2014.
In my opinion he's helped get American eyes on Britwres as much as the Marty Scurll's, Will Ospreay's, Jimmy Havoc's and Pete Dunne's of this world during the current boom period that Britwres is going through. Then it all went downhill from there. Here is the exact post I posted up in the Rev Pro Facebook group which promoter Andy Quinlan is apart of so he must have seen this right? "Well I don't like to be a negative nancy and I'm prepared for the negative feedback this post my receive regrading today. It all started off so well as I arrived on time for the meet and greet and was overjoyed to meet Zack Sabre Jr. Anyway after the meet and greet, I went away for 45 minutes for something to eat and returned to the York Hall ready to queue as I'm a balcony bum (I had a balcony ticket like usual). Normally the queuing at the York Hall goes like this: To the right is where the balcony bums queue, while to the left is where the seating people queue but that wasn't the case. Anyway I shrugged my shoulders and didn't think too much of it so just joined the queue. The doors opened considerably later than advertised but this happens often at Rev Pro and UK indy shows I've attended throughout the years, so that wasn't my issue. My issue was with when I entered the building. It seems I had either lost my ticket or had misplaced it. Obviously, I was gutted by this massive cock up I had made. Anyway I was told they could print the ticket at the main reception but then I knew I was done as I get the download link from gigantic sent to my (Apple) email address and you can only access this via an Apple device. The computer at the main desk was not an Apple device unfortunately. My iPhone had also decided to turn itself off and if you're wondering yes it was swore at multiple times for choosing not to work on this night! I said to the individual who was taking the tickets at the door. That I could have accidentally handed over my ticket with my meet and greet ticket when I had entered that earlier on. The individual was adamant he would not go and check all of the meet and greet tickets which had been taken earlier on at the door and rather rudely dismissed me and told me if I could not produce a ticket I was to leave. So I did. By this point I had convinced myself I lost it and retraced my steps and asked at the fast food outlet I had visited if a ticket had been handed in and It hadn't. So I went home and by now had told myself "you idiot you left it at home" but when I got home I went through my ticket collection (I'm sure every fan on here has a collection of tickets for events their about to attend in the next few months) but it was not there. So the only logical conclusion I came up with is that the ticket was handed over at the meet and greet as I normally fold my tickets up and put them in my bag along with my tablet for safe keeping. Obviously I'm gutted I missed high stakes being a regular since June of 2015 and missed Sabre Jr. vs Scurll. A match I've been looking forward to seeing all year in person, yeah I'll watch it on demand but it won't be the same as seeing it live. Anyway it was a little bit my fault and RPW's fault in my opinion. If only the ticket taker could have been arsed to go and check the tickets taken earlier at the meet and greet, this post and fan would have been happy. So after all of that I just like to say thanks Rev Pro for the bad customer service I got from you today and I'm not sure if I'm going to be in such a hurry to be back to support you now!" I also sent an email to Rev Pro's online enquires service via their website and am yet to receive an email back. I ain't looking for a refund just a sorry to hear what happened to you or some kind of apology. I've been to nine Rev Pro shows and a support of theer brand since my first show in June of 2015, so you would have thought I would have got something, but no I have yet to receive a word from them. So that was my day. You could say it was the day from hell. Anyway the rest of this review will be courtesy of what I saw on RPW on demand. Revolution Pro Wrestling High Stakes 2017 21.01.17 Bethnal Green, London York Hall Interim RPW British Cruiserweight Title Match Josh Bodom Vs Ryan Smile This was a really good opener both men can really well together. Early on Smile showed a lot of fire taking it to Bodom. Smile then took to the air with some Ricochet and ACH inspired dives. Of course, Bodom came back getting a load of heat from the York Hall crowd who chanted at him he was a C**t. The closing stages of this saw Smile go for a springboard cutter, but Bodom caught him and gave Smile a Powerbomb to his knees for a near fall. Smile then got caught on the ring apron and Bodom nailed him with the Bliss Buster for the one, two and three. Again I may be wrong in my assessment, but I feel RPW went with the wrong man winning the belt. Bodom is now a 3 time champion and is bound for another feud with Will Ospreay but his matches recently and actions in real life bring into question why he was picked here to go over. Surely it made more sense for Ryan to go over here and win the belt? He was made to look like a star at the last Cockpit show. Really I question who went over all day I'm sure promoter Andy Quilan has his reasons but I felt he made the wrong choice here. Winner: Josh Bodom (New Interim RPW British Cruiserweight Champion) RPW British Tag Team Title Match Charlie Sterling and Joel Redman (Champions) Vs War Machine (Hanson & Rowe) Another good match featuring lots of big power moves and dives by the big men but as usual, I have complaints (maybe I just dislike Sterling and Redman too much) and that was the champs gave the outsiders maybe for too much offensive and made themselves look because of it. Did the champions really need to be selling a beat down that seemed to go on forever? Maybe they were just trying to impress someone at Sinclair but who knows. Anyway again the babyface champions were booed in the York Hall and for me this has been happening for too long now and something needs to be done about it. Andy you're just being stubborn now mate. I think it's time they went heel. Yes the kids like Redman and Sterling but anyone over ten does not seem to like them. Yes they've got some good moves and their timing is incredible, but this act is just not catching on now. You've been pushing them hard as faces since the summer but I seriously think it's time for a change. The finish saw Redman nail Hanson with a tombstone and then Sterling went up top and did his impressive looking spiral tap to pick up the win for him and his team. While the champs celebrated to a chorus of boos #CCK (Travis Banks and Chris Brookes) attacked the babyface champions to cheers. Finally Chris Brookes is in Rev Pro and Travis banks has made is RPW York Hall debut! Winners: Charlie Sterling and Joel Redman (Still RPW British Tag Team Champions) Singles Match YOSHI-HASHI vs The Bruiserweight Pete Dunne Pete is given a standing ovation during his entrance after his showing he had in the recent WWE UK championship tournament. He did our country proud and was currently the MVP of that show. Here, he put over the ever improving NJPW star which I would assume pretty much signals a end of his push in Rev Pro but Dunne's probably going to be on WWE TV by the Summer. Again, this was a good match. Both men worked very well together but it wasn't exactly memborable. Pete did his biting spot as he bit both HASHI's foot and fingers which the crowd and this reviewer enjoyed. The finish saw YOSHI-HASHI hit a perfect Swanton Bomb for nearfall and then followed it up with Pumphandle cradle Bomb for the one, two and three. Winner: YOSHI-HASHI Grudge Match Zack Sabre Jr Vs The Villain Marty Scurll This was by far the best match of the night. It was a 40 minute classic as both men put on a wrestling masterclass in front of a really hot crowd. Early on the two traded holds on the mat as Zack targeted Marty's shoulder and tried desperately to apply an arm bar. Zack going for the arm bar was in fact the story of the match. For the next twenty minutes both battled back and forth with one another. Zack countered the Chicken Wing after numerous attempts to apply the hold by Scurll. Zack also countered a Superkick 'just kidding'. Every time Zack went back to the arm bar. Marty at one point applied an arm bar and snapped Sabres fingers. Marty zeroed in on the fingers by grabbing a bungee cord and wrapping it around Zack's fingers. The Villain pulled back and it looked as If Sabre's fingers were broken. Zack taped himself up and then the two battled outside and did a bit of brawling (this was a grudge match and it needed a bit of brawling). Zack was unable to apply the octopus stretch and Marty nailed him with a tombstone for the nearest of falls. Marty snapped Zack's fingers again and referee Chris Roberts wanted to call for the bell, but Sabre knocked him down . Then Marty kicked Zack low like he had done at Global Wars and Tombstoned Zack again. One...two...no! Again Zack kicks out. The crowd come to their feet and give both men a standing ovation. Roberts takes a tumble after Scurll pushes Zack into Roberts so the Villian can grab his umbrella and nails Zack with it. Marty then jumps off the top with umbrella in hand but Zack catches him in an arm bar. Marty breaks free temporarily but Zack reapplies the arm bar but marty gets up and powerbombs Zack. Zack then counters marty's pin attempt into a cradle for the one two no again. Marty and Zack go back and forth and Marty then has Zack in a Chicken Wing but he counters it into a bridge for the one, two and three. Now all I have to say is try and top that lads. I think you might have problems doing that! Winner: Zack Sabre Jr Singles Match Trent Seven Vs Trevor Lee After a brief intermission we were back for a match which wasn't anything special but was still a lot of fun. Early on Trevor Lee challenged Trent to a dance off which Trent of course accepted. Trent began to dance and then the Carolina Caveman attacked Trent from behind. Both men had some decent exchanges but it wasn't anything special. Trevor channelled his mentor Matt Hardy with some crazy facial expressions and got some "DELETE" chants going. Trent did his chop to the ring post spot. Back in the ring Trevor nailed Trent with a spin kick, then Trent got a nearfall with a Piledriver. Trevor nails Trent with a twist of fate and goes for a Swanton Bomb but Trent gets his knees up. Trent then nails Trevor with the Seven Stars (Rainmaker) and another Piledriver for the one, two and three. Winner: Trent Seven Singles Match Jay White Vs 'The Governor' Martin Stone After a bit of comedy it was back to some serious wrestling. This match was passable but wasn't supposed to be special as it was a warm up for the main event. Both men run through their respective spots to very little reaction whatsoever, but they picked up the crowd towards the end of the match but then the finish took them completely out of it as Martin went for the London Bridge but Jay countered it into a Boston Crab out of nowhere and stone quickly had to tap out. Winner: Jay White MAIN EVENT RPW British Heavyweight Title Match Katsuyori Shibata (Champion) Vs Matt Riddle Rev Pro saved the best till last thankfully as Matt Riddle, the PROGRESS Atlas Division Champion took on NJPW kingpin, current RPW British Heavyweight Champion and ladies man, Katsuyori Shibata. This was one hell of match after having two not so great contests to sit through. If you love puro, you'll love this match, as it just bulit and bulit to a satisfying payoff. Early on both men went hold for hold on the mat and both had a counter for each others holds. They turned up the volume trading some stiff strikes and the normally cool as a cucumber Shibata even seems a little pissed off by the strikes he's receiving in the corner. Both men trade German suplexes and the crowd come unglued. Both men trade stiff elbow strikes while on their knees but then Shibata applies a Rear Naked Choke, however Riddle counters it into one of his own. Shibata battles back but then gets nailed with a bro to sleep for a near fall. Shibata and Riddle trade stiff strikes in the middle of the ring. Shibata then nails Riddle with a Dragon Suplex, a Penalty Kick and then applies the Rear Naked Choke and Riddle has to tap out. Afterwards, Zack Sabre Jr. strolls out and him and Shibata go nose to nose as we end the show. Winner: Katsuyori Shibata (Still RPW British Heavyweight Champion) Overall this was a very good show and one I would recommend anyone to check out. Yeah I was negative on some of matches but there was an awful lot of great wrestling on this show. Only one match was a dud and that was because it was in the death spot before the main event. I would go out of my way to watch this on RPW on demand via Pivotshare as the Shibata v Riddle and ZSJ v Scurll matches more than delivered. Yes i may have had a bad day that day and it has happened to others I know so just be cautious if you're going to watch Rev Pro live. To finish on a high point, Rev Pro have announced its next show for easter weekend and Zack Sabre Jr will wrestle NJPW junior starlet KUSHIDA. Also the Young Bucks, Kenny Omega and Hiroki Goto have been announced and before you ask yes I will be going, not to support Rev Pro but the talent that work that show. My conclusion to all of this is that weekend was an experience I'll never forget but remember it may have happened to me but is probably likely not to happen to you. I'll sign off like I always do and thank you the reader for reading this and end as Bill Apter always ends his reviews with see you at the matches!
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Billy Johnson25+ years as a graps fan Archives
October 2017
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