By @specficluchador

RevPro returned to the London Cockpit for their fourth show of the year at the venue. Live at The Cockpit 8 presented a stacked card that featured a couple of debuts, a qualifier for WWE’s Global Cruiserweight Series and an intriguing match for the British Heavyweight Championship between champion Zack Sabre Jr and Damo.

Rob Lias vs Dan McGee

Contender’s Division Match

Heading into the show, Rob Lias had accrued a perfect record in the Contender’s Division, which is being used as a means of showcasing RevPro’s training school in Portsmouth. Lias emerged with his perfect record in tact following a solid, technically sound victory over Dan McGee, who made his main show debut. Lias continues to improve each time out and is clearly making big strides.

Marty Scurll vs Trent Seven

Over the past several months, Trent Severn has delivered several outstanding performances in Fight Club Pro, ICW and PROGRESS. Severn made his RevPro debut against the markedly more villainous Marty Scurll in what was arguably the match of the night. From the moment Scurll cheap-shotted Seven, the match developed at a frenetic pace, going back and forth both inside and outside of the ring. Scrull viciously targeted Seven’s arm throughout the match but Seven was able to combat this with his self-styled “British Strong Style”. Scurll secured the victory, submitting Seven with the chicken wing.

Seven received “please come back” chants, a testament to his performance here.

Andrew Quildan announced that RevPro would be returning to The Cockpit on the 5th June. Speedball Mike Bailey and Matt Cross are scheduled to appear.

Rhia O Reilly vs Addy Star

A few weeks ago, RevPro announced a partnership with London based women’s promotion, Pro Wrestling Eve. Rhia O Reilly, the Pro Wrestling Eve Champion, emerged victorious in this match that featured two of PWE’s finest. Although this was a good match, at times, this felt like both women were working too hard towards a “this is awesome chant” as opposed to letting things develop somewhat organically. O Reilly secured the victory following a spike DDT.

After the match, Jinny delivered a beat down on Addy Star after O Reilly left. Despite being relatively fresh on the scene, Jinny is arguably the most well rounded female wrestler in the UK in terms of character and in ring work and her presence in RevPro’s Women’s Division is only a good thing.

WWE Global Cruiserweight Series Qualifier

Noam Dar vs Josh Bodom

When the first participants were announced for WWE’s inaugural Global Cruiserweight Series, Noam Dar was one of seven originally named. However, like Zack Sabre Jr last week, Dar would have to earn the right to be named one of the 32 participants through qualification. Dar’s opponent, Josh Bodom, has gained a reputation as being one of the hot prospects in British wrestling, with many-including myself-touting him to break out over the next couple of years.

Noam Dar dedicated the match to Kris Travis.

Bodom was accompanied by fellow Revolutionist faction members, James Castle and Sha Samuels, throughout the match. Samuels and Castle made their presence known on numerous occasions, whether by means of distraction or interference. Dar evaded a moonsault to the outside by Bodom, which incapacitated Samuels and Castle for the remainder of the match. Dar secured his place in the Global Cruiserweight Series after submitting Bodom with the Champagne Super-Knee Bar. Although the interference detracted ever so slightly from the match, both Dar and Bodom made a good account of themselves to a larger audience with a match that included great selling, compelling psychology and a super hot finish. Despite Dar’s victory being inevitable, both men did a great job at creating suspense throughout the match.

Following the match, incandescent with rage, Bodom, Samuels and Castle delivered the boots to Dar before Marty Scurll, incumbent leader of The Revolutionists, emerged. Scurll explained that he doesn’t need to be in the Cruiserweight Tournament to be validated as it was nothing more than a mere try out for the WWE, which he considered himself to be above. Zack Sabre Jr, Scurll’s partner in the LDRS, prevented the further beat down on Dar by confronting Scurll. Sabre headed to the back, Scurll followed as The Revolutionists were left perplexed.

Sha Samuels vs Eddie Dennis

Sha Samuels, one half of the RevPro tag team champions, defeated Eddie Dennis in what was a solid, if not memorable match that further highlighted the incompetence of referee Chris Roberts. At this stage, surely Roberts’ incompetence is as much of a gimmick as Sha Samuels’ football hooliganism. Roberts called for the bell following a pin attempt by Eddie Dennis, apparently only realising Samuels’ foot was on the ropes after the bell rang. Moments later, Samuels rolled up Dennis-with the assistance of the ropes-for the victory.

The British Young Bloods vs Charlie Garrett & Joel Redman

Last time at The Cockpit, Charlie Garrett impressed on debut with an unlikely victory over Sha Samuels: that continued here with another notable performance from Charlie Garrett, who has all the tools to make be a major player on the British scene over the coming years. This was a super fun, back and forth match that included some spectacular flying, well worked power spots and compelling near falls that was underscored by a section of the crowd’s peculiar aversion to Rob McKluskey, member of the British Young Bloods. Garrett & Redman secured the victory after Redman delivered an avalanche piledriver from the middle rope before Garrett gained the pin following a corkscrew senton from the top rope.

Zack Sabre Jr (C) vs Damo

RevPro British Heavyweight Championship

The structure of this match was based on the classic big man/little man trope, except that trope was subverted as the little man knew the art of contortion and wizardry. Damo dominated Sabre for long periods of the match, cutting off Sabre’s comeback attempts with power moves. Damo is excellent in control, ensuring that his periods of extended offence are engaging and convincing. Sabre was able to gain some offence after evading Damo’s Belfast Drop attempt from the top rope. Sabre proceeded to work over Damo’s arm, failing to fully apply the arm bar multiple times. Sabre struggled to keep Damo on the mat for long, however: Damo fought back with a series of suplexes before attempting the Van-Damo-Nator.

Ever villainous, Marty Scurll, both the number one contender to the title and Sabre’s “friend”, prevented the Van-Damo-Nator with a shot to Damo’s back with his umbrella unbeknownst to Sabre. Moments later, Sabre submitted Damo with the arm bar.

As the show closed, Sabre remained non the wiser about Scurll’s interference. Evidently, it is a question of when not if Scurll will meet Sabre. Despite having had several fantastic matches in the past, Scurll and Sabre’s previous encounters have never been framed by a story line of this ilk. As the tensions between Sabre and Scurll continue to develop, Sabre’s next scheduled appearance for RevPro is against Kurt Angle in front of a sold out York Hall.

Final Word: Although the Cockpit shows are incomparable to the York Hall shows, each time RevPro run The Cockpit they deliver fun shows that showcase an array of diverse talent: this was no different, with several good matches as well the advancement of the story line between Marty Scrull and Zack Sabre Jr.

I’m not sure when this show will make it up to RevPro TV or On Demand but it is well worth watching for the Scrull/Seven, British Young Bloods/Garrett&Redman and Sabre/Damo matches.