Hello everyone and welcome back to my review of RPW’s World Of Pro Wrestling. I’m “Smart” Mark Blake and I begin today with an apology. As you may have noticed, there was no WOPW review last week. That was down to my damn DVR not recording last week’s episode.
I have now given my DVR a damn good thrashing (extra points to those that know the reference there) and rectified the situation, hopefully, it won’t happen again. I apologize profusely folks.
If you’re not sure on who Revolution Pro Wrestling are 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!
Revolution Pro Wrestling’s
World Of Pro Wrestling
Episode 6
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 haven’t got them down to a tee by now!
Kushida v Josh Bodom
I begin this week by hoping that the Josh Bodom I saw a few weeks back was a blip, he had an off day and today he can show me why he’s so lauded over here in Blighty.
The match started off with Josh Bodom twice rejecting Kushida’s handshake, and replying with a stiff forearm instead and began the match very strong with forearms, kicks, and chops. I’m literally three minutes into this match and I’m bored with Bodom. Is he literally just kicks and forearms?
A few more minutes of Bodom pounding away and Kushida finally fights back when a Josh sunset flip attempt is reversed into an armbar, trying to hyperextend his arm ready for his Hover Lock submission. By the way, all this was sold beautifully by Bodom, see I’m not always down on the guy.
Bodom pounding away (no grounding here) leads to him kicking the middle rope into Kushida’s groin while the ref was distracted. Seriously the pace of this match is too slow for Kushida, he seems to be purposely slowing himself down to Josh’s style of match. Really not a fan of this.
But luckily Kushida would walk away as the victor when he makes Josh tap out to his Hover Board submission. A really disappointing match that has now solidified my opinion of Bodom.
Winner – Kushida
Sha Samuels v Dan Magee
The commentators put over the fact that they hope it doesn’t descend into a brawl much like last time. On his way to the ring Sha, trying to grab some well-deserved heel heat, throws the Rev Pro timekeeper halfway across the ring, telling the referee that he did it as the timekeeper was looking at him funny! Great heel spot!
Dan Magee made his way to the ring looking very serious, very much up for the match. Shame that this right here is the best it gets for him though!
Samuels takes control of the match with eye pokes and rakes, your standard heel fares really. Sha even takes to the top rope and hits a shoulder tackle which sends Magee to the outside. The East End Butcher hangs around in the ring waiting on a count-out victory, but Dan leaves it until the very last second before rolling back into the ring.
It takes for Magee to get busted open before he mounts a little bit of offense (all the while selling the back, so good to see) but not enough though.
With Sha outside Magee attempts a tope suicido, only to be met with the sickest sounding chair shot I’ve seen/heard in quite some time! Magee is knocked out as the referee calls for the bell.
https://twitter.com/ProWresMatthew/status/1066097577760890882
After the match medics came to ringside to check on Dan as the show went to a commercial break.
Main Event
Rocky Romero v Zack Sabre Jr
This lackluster/tired crowd is wakened into life with Rocky Romero’s entrance music. I’m writing this review a few hours after watching the show and I still have it floating around in my head, it’s so infectious! I’m hoping that means the show is finishing better than it started.
Spoiler warning here – This was my kind of match. A typical NJPW/Strong Style match from two men that surely must have faced each other a few dozen times over the past few years, great chemistry between the two.
This match started with a catch as catch can, very much puro style. Armbars, wristlocks, and in Rocky’s case showing off to the crowd…..some things never change huh?!
The match settles down and you can tell that it will be a mat-based technical style match, and I do not mind one bit. More trading of submission attempts and escapes leads to Romero showing a little flurry of some lucha libre with slingshot DDT’s and great corner work.
Pandering to the crowd leads to Zack taking the advantage again by grounding Rocky once more, and delivering a great version of a neck crank by using his feet to twist Rocky’s head. Awesome stuff that had the crowd on their feet.
With the neck now the focus of Zack’s attacks, he up’s the ante by slapping on a cravat or two, and then switches it up by putting a single leg Boston crab, showing once again that Sabre really is a technical marvel and a joy to watch.
Another hope spot for Rocky with another springboard DDT and his trademark forever clotheslines in the corner. The crowd is really up for this match now!
With Zack still in the corner, draped over the top turnbuckles, Rocky runs in to deliver a double knee strike but ZSJ saw it coming and reversed the oncoming strike into a takedown, and then into a STF…..all in one fluid motion! What a spot from both men!
A seated abdominal stretch from a bloodied ZSJ is what won the match for him in this contest. A great great GREAT match that was given a good amount of time and told a great story. Did I say that this match was great?
Winner – Zack Sabre Jr
Immediately after the match Chris Ridgeway came running down and delivered a hard head kick to knock down Zack, maybe a timely reminder that he hasn’t forgotten what ZSJ has done to him in recent weeks?
Blake’s Take
– I hate bringing it up again but that crowd is dreadful. Seriously either the MC isn’t hyping up the crowd between episodes (seriously doubtful) or that crowd really were flagging here. C’mon you lot! It’s Rev Pro TV tapings for f**k sake! You paid your hard-earned money to be there, now show some damn enthusiasm!
– I’m not sure if you quite got my subliminal messages in my review, but SHESH Josh Bodom! How has he got a prominent part of these tapings when all he does is strike?! No storytelling whatsoever. Go away and learn that art!
– How has our greatest export, Zack Sabre Jr, not picked up more accolades (*cough* WWE)? The guy is, in my eyes, one of the greatest in the world and deserves recognition on a global scale. Yes, us wrestling fans know all about him but the casuals that follow WWE probably don’t have a Scooby-Doo who he is. He deserves so much more and I desperately hope he gets it.
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
Pro Wrestling Post Facebook –ProWrestlingPST
Pro Wrestling Post Twitter –@ProWrestlingPST
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!!!
Read Mark’s review of Episode One right here
Read Mark’s review of Episode Two right here
Read Mark’s review of Episode Three right here
Read Mark’s review of Episode Four right here
