Rev Pro was back for its family friendly Portsmouth on the 28th of May featuring a card that didn't exactly get this reviewer excited. The last Portsmouth show in February was a pleasant surprise to this reviewer featuring a number of good matches including Pete Dunne Vs Penta El Zero M, Trent Seven Vs Dave Mastiff and Marty Scurll Vs Ryan Smile. Again my expectations were low after seeing the card for this show but there were three matches that stood out that could potentially deliver from an in ring point of view. So rather than I go on about it lets get to the action.
RPW Undisputed British Cruiserweight Title Match Josh Bodom (Champion) Vs Bubblegum As its a return to Portsmouth, the audio is shocking yet again. It may have been turned up slightly but there was still clear distortion when Andy Quildan was announcing over a wrestler's entrance music. Anyway into the match. Early on Bubblegum did the happy smiley babyface thing of tagging kids hands on the way to the ring. Bodom meanwhile got ugly by posing in front of kids and kicking the guardrail. Bodom worked over Bubblegum almost immediately but Bubblegum fired back up with an arm drag and a springboard hurricanrana. Bodom went and shouted abuse at some kids then add jumped back onto the apron to walk into a big by Bubblegum. Back in the ring Bodom took advantage with a superkick and stomped away at Bubblegum. Josh got a two count and Bodom began to work over Bubblegum in the corner with chops. Bodom continued to pose as Bubblegum rolled to the outside. They brawled on the outside for a bit then went back to the ring where Bubblegum nailed Bodom with a handspring enziguri. Bodom came back with a clothesline and Bodom again went to work over Bubblegum. Both exchanged strikes in the corner then Bubblegum nailed Bodom with a number of combination strikes and rolled up Bodom for a near fall. Bubblegum fired up the crowd but got cut off with an enziguri by Bodom for a near fall. Bubblegum countered a Bodom buster and gives Bodom a double stomp. Another enziguri from Bubblegum and Bodom fell into the ropes. Bubblegum signalled for a 619 but Bodom moved out of the way. Bodom nailed Bubblegum with yet another enziguri and a bliss buster for the one, two and no as Bubblegum just kicked out. Bodom was irate and grabbed a chair and his title belt but the referee was having none of it and took away the chair. Bodom threw the belt into Bubblegum who caught it but Josh followed up with a bicycle kick which sent the belt into Bubblegum's face. For some reason, Josh followed up with a hesitation dropkick then covered Bubblegum for the three count. Decent opener which went over 14 minutes but it really wasn't anything special. Bodom was made to look strong with his domination of Bubblegum but I have to say I was a little disappointed they didn't protect the Bliss Buster a little better. That move was well protected most of this year but now is becoming just another move after Dijak and Bubblegum have now both kicked out of the move. Winner: Josh Bodom (still RPW Undisputed British Cruiserweight Champion) Singles Match Gideon Gray Vs Timo The character development of Gideon Gray continues as he lost to a guy I have no clue who he is. When a guy has no cagematch profile, it's a little hard to find out who a guy is. I would assume he's a guy who impressed during the tryouts at RPW Portsmouth wrestling school. Timo currently looks like a wrestler and could do the basics well but that was about it. His still as green as dishwater but Gideon carried him to a watchable contest. There were a few questionable spots. The one that stands out is when Gideon pretended to throw something into Timo's eye and Timo sold it as if he had salt thrown in his eyes. I'm not sure what Grey or Timo were thinking but it looked silly and the crowd didn't even seem to buy it. It began to drag towards the 10-minute mark. I was just begging them to go home by that point and thankfully minutes later Timo drilled Gideon with a big Jackknife Powerbomb for the three count. There isn't really a lot more I can add rather than this match was far too long and the story it wanted to tell. Winner: Timo Singles Match Luke 'Dragon' Phoenix Vs Speedball Mike Bailey I've been a bit critical of Luke since he popped back up in Rev Pro but was genuinely excited to see him tangle with a guy of Speedball's calibre as both are very evenly matched stylistically. I believed going in as much as I do now that Phoenix has a place in RPW but not just in the main event matches with guys like Marty Scurll going 50/50 but on these shows, in Portsmouth he has a spot and belongs and will eventually have earned his spot back on the cockpit and York Hall shows. Rant over let's get into the match, shall we? Early on both men go back and forth exchanging kicks and punches. Phoenix nailed Bailey with a number of German's and a Boston Crab's while Bailey countered with a Sliced Bread Number Two and a combination of strikes. Both guys were busting their asses but it was a shame the crowd really didn't seem to be into it or maybe that was due to the poor audio. Both men missed their flippy moves as Bailey missed his shooting star knee smash and Luke missed a frog splash. Bailey did a big dive to the outside and back in the ring, Bailey got a near fall with a standing twisting corkscrew moonsualt. Phoenix worked over Bailey's knee with a dragon screw leg whip and then a DDT. Phoenix followed up with a frog splash to the knees of Bailey. Phoenix was in in place to cover Bailey and Bailey got up and nailed Phoenix with an enziguri and a standing shooting star knee smash to pick up the win. This was by far my favourite match of the night both men stepped it up and gear and went out there and delivered a match well worth checking out. I might have to stop being so critical of Phoenix and say Andy book more matches like this involving Phoenix just don't do with main eventers please and have the matches booked so evenly on his re-debut in the company, please. Winner: Speedball Mike Bailey Singles Match Dave Mastiff Vs Donovan Dijak Another match I was really looking forward too and if this maybe wasn't on the card I would have skipped this show. Early on both men did lots of stalling as the crowd really seemed to get into it shouting abuse at Mastiff. After what seemed like forever both men lock up and Mastiff fires a shot low at Dijak and applies a headlock. Both men step it up an extra gear as Dijak nails Mastiff to the outside with a big shoulder tackle. Both men go back and forth then Dijak gives Mastiff another shoulder tackle this time sending Dave to the outside. Dave stalls again shouting abuse back at the crowd but it is working in front of this crowd who give it back to the big lad from the Black Country. Dijak grabs Dave but Dave cuts him off with a big right hand. Dave works over Dijak with clubbing blows to the back of Dijak's head and neck. Mastiff works over Dijak in the corner with more clubbing blows and the crowd is all over Mastiff. Dave twists Dijak neck into positions the neck and head are not meant to turn. Mastiff applies a chin lock but Dijak battles back and gets out of the hold. Dave downs his foe with a big kick and punch to the side of the head and begins to just play with Dijak who's on the mat selling Mastiff strikes. Dave continues to work over Dijak neck and head then whips his hand onto his sweaty sack and puts his hand into Dijak face. That was sickening. Dijak battles back with some punches and a dropkick. Dijak goes for a back elbow but Dave cuts him off with a headbutt. Dijak comes back by hoisting Dave up onto his shoulders but Dave counters by raking the eyes for a near fall. Dave chokes Dijak on the top rope and goes to work on the back with forearm smashes. Dave whips Dijak into the corner and sends Dijak to the outside. The referee begins to Count and Dijak just gets back in the ring at the count of nine. More stalling and working of the crowd by Dave as Dijak continues to sell. Both men end up on the top rope and then Dijak goes for a sunset flip powerbomb but Dave goes back to raking the eyes. Dijak and Dave exchange forearms in the corner then a superkick. Dijak calls for feast your eyes but again Dijak can't get the big man up so nails Dave with another superkick. Dave battles back with a seated senton for a near fall. Dave drills Dijak with a powerbomb for a near fall. The crowd and this reviewer are beginning to lose interest now. But then Dijak finally makes a big comeback with a spinning big boot and a Moonsault for the one, two and three. Afterwards, an irate Dave attacked Dijak and left him laying which Andy Boy Simmons on commentary seemed very pleased about. This was a simple match which followed a simple formula. It wouldn't have looked out of place in the 80s WWF. As two big men lumbered around the ring not doing much at all apart from working the crowd who eventually gave up on this match much like this reviewer. This was Dave's first loss in RPW since he returned in November last year. Shame it wasn't built up more or happened on a bigger show because that first loss would have meant so much more. Winner: Donovan Dijak Tag Team Match Josh Wall and Kurtis Chapman Vs Scarlet & Graves (Desmond Xavier & Zachary Wentz) Scarlet and Graves were playing heels here and it was a smart move as they were treated as heels as soon they came out to their black metal theme. Of course the contenders Chapman and wall got a positive response and were attacked almost immediately by the former CZW Tag Team Champions. Overall this match was another easy watch but nothing really of importance happened. It was just like any other house show match you've seen. Wentz and Xavier seemed to take it easy as well and weren't out there busting their asses in front of this crowd. Beanpole Chapman was double teamed and Xavier and Wentz signalled him out and to get the heat on themselves which is always a smart move. When Chapman made the hot tag the crowd popped. Chapman nailed Xavier with a lung blower for a near fall. Chapman came back in and get dropped with a swinging DDT for a near fall and wall just broke up the pin at two. Both teams exchanged holds in the ring then Chapman sent Xavier into wall who nailed Xavier with a big kick and Chapman rolled up Xavier for the one, two and three. This was another nothing match as I said above Xavier and Wentz took it easy but still handed the contenders a big win. Winners: Josh Wall & Kurtis Chapman MAIN EVENT Davey Boy Smith Jr Vs Rishi Ghosh I suppose you're wondering why this was chosen as the main event as Rishi is a guy who's nowhere near the main event scene? Well, dear reader, this was possibly the best match to main event this show in front of this crowd. Rishi is super over with the kids who really hate him and Harry is a former WWE superstar so this crowd was bound to get behind the now Davey Boy Smith Jr. This wasn't a very good match it was passable at best. They like the previous two bouts took it easy in front of this crowd doing the bare minimum but being able to get a good reaction out of this crowd. In my honest opinion I wasn't sold on this outing it went too long but then a lot of the matches on this card did. It ended thankfully at the 20 plus minute mark when Davey Boy Smith Jr gave Rishi his father's running Powerslam predictably to pick up the win. Winner: Davey Smith Jr Overall this show was not intended for me but as I had to review it I'm going to give my honest opinion. It sucked! Yep, I hated this show with a passion! Bodom v Bubblegum was a solid house show match but was kind of underwhelming, Dijak and Mastiff went too long and lost me and the crowd before its climax. The tag match was nothing specials when it could have been, the main event was probably more suited to be taking place in Butlins but there was that really good Luke Phoenix vs Speedball match. Honestly, avoid this show it really wasn't very good. Well, that's all folks. Thanks again for reading my review and I'll end as I always do by saying I'll see you at the matches.
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