Hello everyone and welcome back to Pro Wrestling Post’s review of RPW’s World Of Pro Wrestling. I’m “Smart” Mark Blake and this is their third episode of the season, hopefully, today’s showing is better than last week’s “flat” endeavor. Not sure what I’m talking about? Then click here to read my review of last week’s show. It wasn’t a bad outing by any stretch, just not as good as the first episode. Here is Revolution Pro Wrestling presents World of Pro Wrestling Episode #3.
Again folks, if you’re not sure about who Revolution Pro Wrestling is or your knowledge is lacking, then read my Brief History Of article right here. It’s garnered a lot of interest and praise which I’m most thankful for.
That’s the introduction done, let’s get down to business folks. Here’s episode three of RPW’s World Of Pro Wrestling!
World Of Pro Wrestling
Episode 3
Recorded in September at the world-famous York Hall in Bethnal Green, London, this episode opened with the commentary team of Kevin Kelly and Andy Simmonz again running down the rules of pro wrestling. Just in case we didn’t pick them up last week 😉
Revolution Pro Wrestling Tag Team Tournament
Quarter-Final Match
Team White Wolf v Aussie Open
Team White Wolf hails from Madrid, Spain and comprise of A-Kid and Carlos Romo, and reminds me of a very young Motor City Machine Guns. Full of speed and enthusiasm. Not seen much of them apart from a few YouTube clips. While Aussie Open is from Australia (obviously) and is made up of “Dunkzilla” Mark Davis and The Aussie Arrow Kyle Fletcher. They’re very much a staple of the British scene and have been very successful in the small amount of time they’ve been here.
The match was really good. Fast-paced, high octane with some physicality thrown in too.
White Wolf, will hopefully pick up some more UK bookings off this showing as they looked great as the young underdog team. Their chemistry together looked great, they have some great and ingenious tag team combos and really looked the part for a team that got together this year. They definitely gave Aussie Open a run for their money here.
A real back and forth match where both teams shone brightly, but the more experienced Aussie Open picked up the win here and advanced to the semifinal where they’ll take on Roppongi 3K.
Winner – Aussie Open
Chris Ridgeway v Rocky Romero
A great mix of styles on show here with Rocky’s background of Japanese Strong Style (especially as he was trained by Antonio Inoki, which I found out during this show) and lucha tenancies, while Ridgeway looks like a shoot fighter and has a history in BJJ (plus he’s Hard as Fuck folks)
A very slow technical start from both men which surprised m. Arm wringers, abdominal stretches with some obligatory forearms thrown in too.
People forget just how good Romero is I think, as he now spends most of his time in the NJPW office, and he reminded folks here. Springing around like he’s 10 years younger and looking just damn good. But I’m not doing a disservice to Ridgeway here though, his strikes and kicks look like some of the best around at the moment and he matched Rocky during the technical exchange too.
Zack Sabre Jr soon came and sat on the entranceway, much like how Chris did to him in the series opener, sowing the seeds again for a possible match between the two. I also get the feeling that all being well and good, I can see Ridgeway being feared just as much as Zack in a few year’s time. He’s that damn good.
The match picks up when both men trade slaps/chops in the center of the ring, bringing cheers from the crowd. Romero whipped Chris into the corner and attempted his running forever clotheslines, but after the third attempt, ZSJ ran in to beat down both men and bring an early conclusion to the match.
Winner – No Contest
After the match, Zack carried on the beatdown and baited Ridgeway as he made his way to the back. Could there be a triple threat on the horizon?
Sha Samuels v Dan Magee
Sha is finally back at his old stomping ground (quite literally) after an extended hiatus, and it seemed he wanted to take out all that pent up anger and rage on poor old Dan Magee. Before the bell was rung, Sha launched his scarf at Magee’s face as a distraction and literally took his head off with a running lariat. Very JBL-esque.
The match never got going as Magee and Sha ended up in the middle of the ring brawling hockey style to the delight of the fans, and both men kept pushing the referee away, who decided enough was enough and called for the bell.
Winner – Double DQ
Eventually, security was called to separate the men. A blood feud already? Possible No DQ match down the line?
Main Event
British Cruiserweight Championship
Kurtis Chapman v David Starr (c)
I’ve gotta say this from the off, I absolutely ADORE David Starr. I’ve seen him so many times both in-person and on-demand in other companies. To me, he is one of the most entertaining and technically sound wrestlers around. His character (whether he’s heel or face) is spot on, so I’m expecting big things in this match.
Chapman is a graduate of the Portsmouth School Of Wrestling, who are affiliated with Rev Pro, and is a former British Cruiserweight champion who actually lost the belt to Starr late last year. Kurtis is only 20 years old! He’s a former champion and being in the ring with talents like Starr, ZSJ and others will only make better.
Starr is playing up to the heel persona he plays here in Rev Pro and really shows his nefarious ways when he plays possum laying under the bottom rope. As Chapman leans in to pick him up, Starr pings the middle rope straight into Kurtis’s face! A great old school way of getting heat, something you don’t see enough of nowadays.
This match was worthy of the main event here, with Chapman looking good and showing flashes of his future potential with some great sequences.
One is a succession of small packages onto Starr quickly followed by some top rope maneuvers that you wouldn’t expect from a man of his size. The second was where he ate around 3-4 hard looking lariats from Starr and asked for more. Real resilience was shown.
But in the end, Starr retained his title via his homage to Stan Hansen – a sick looking lariat to the back of Chapman’s head.
Great match!
Winner – And Stillllllll British Cruiserweight Champion, David Starr
Blake’s Take
– A much better showing this week. Some storyline progression and great matches make me give these weeks show a 7/10.
– Great to see some of the Portsmouth School Of Wrestling graduates (Dan Magee & Kurtis Chapman) on the show, gaining some invaluable experience of working to a national audience. I’m expecting big things from Chapman especially.
– Tag Team Tourney is shaping up nicely, and seeing David Starr in action highlighting the Cruiserweight championship – Makes me confident that WOPW can keep the pace up!
And there we go folks. What did you all think? You can comment below, or catch me and Pro Wrestling Post over on Twitter and Facebook right here –
Mark Blake Facebook – MarkBlakeSmart
Mark Blake Twitter –@Smart_Mark_B
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Don’t forget that you can read my reviews of World Of Pro Wrestling folks! The link can be found at the bottom of this page.
Until next week….
Adios!!!
Credit to Robin Godyn for the use of the images contained
Read Mark’s review of Episode One right here
Read Mark’s review of Episode Two right here
