Social Suplex Newsletter No. 7

Social Suplex Newsletter No. 7

6/29/2025

6/29/2025

Europe & Africa

© Rev Pro / Sarah BritWresPics

RevPro

Revolution Rumble

22/06/2025
York Hall, Bethnal Green, UK
Estimated Attendance: circa 1,000
Watch on: Rev Pro on Demand
Review by David Hayter

No one better embodies the art of under-promising and over-delivering quite like Andy Quildan and Revolution Pro Wrestling. In an era of inter-promotional dream matches and globetrotting guest stars, RevPro is often at its absolute best—and most creatively rewarding—when it strips things back and builds its biggest shows around home-grown talent, focusing on compelling stories of personal growth as scraggly rookies slowly blossom into legitimate stars.

No one encapsulates this vision of distinctly British wrestling storytelling better than the Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion, Michael Oku. Fresh from winning a hard-fought and engaging battle with underdog challenger and Messiah of the Headbutt, TK Cooper, Oku took time to reflect on his journey. Rallying a London crowd who were eager to boo him, Oku spoke of his progression from an undersized kid winning the British J Cup in November 2019 to becoming the undisputed face of British independent wrestling in 2025. His journey, he heavily hinted, might have reached a natural endpoint—but RevPro has a history of creating legitimate draws out of undersized and oddly shaped young upstarts. Oku now wants to recreate a moment from his past by challenging the new Cruiserweight Champion, Nino Bryant, to a World Title match.

Whether Bryant has any hope of following in Oku’s footsteps and becoming a breakout star remains to be seen, but it is typical of Andy Quildan’s commitment to building from within—even when he can readily access the stars of AEW, CMLL and NJPW. Revolution Rumble was, from start to finish, an incredibly engaging and watchable triumph of a show—one that sought to build heated domestic rivalries and create the kind of rounded, believable, and driven characters that fans can truly rally behind.

© Rev Pro / Sarah BritWresPics

Sha Samuels Completes His Road To Redemption In Masterfully Booked Rumble

The Revolution Rumble continues to be one of the highlights of the British wrestling calendar, as RevPro opt against loading up their 30-man marathon match with nostalgic pops or international stars, and instead use the match’s 70-minute runtime to tell compelling stories that play on the talent’s past (their former feuds and allegiances), while providing a clear pathway to their future (the match set up at least 10 future programmes). What’s particularly effective about this booking approach is that it not only builds excitement for future cards but also serves as an effective introduction for newer fans. I attended the event with two friends with little knowledge of RevPro’s roster beyond the top stars, but by the end of the Rumble they understood the key rivalries, relationships, and histories of most of the roster.

Despite some grumbling from fans online, Sha Samuels was the focus of the build to the Revolution Rumble and was crowned the winner after surviving a late scare from the never-eliminated first entrant, Liam Slater (filling in for Leon Slater), who had snuck back into the ring just as Sha was being announced the winner—having hit a Canadian Destroyer and clotheslined Jay Joshua over the top rope. Sha would fight Liam off and quickly toss him to secure the victory. Samuels has been telling the story of being the old veteran of RevPro who has lost his fastball, seen his confidence crumble, and is questioning whether he can really hang with the modern generation. This victory represents his last chance to reclaim the Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship in a storyline presented as though it may be Sha’s last run as a serious main event act, with undertones of impending retirement.

The backlash to building around Sha Samuels—voiced by some fans unhappy that the likes of Samuels and TK Cooper have been central to the title picture in recent months while the obvious faces of the future (JJ Gale, Zozaya, Jay Joshua, Connor Mills) are kept at arm’s length—didn’t cross over to the live crowd tonight. Sha was popular and well-liked, as he and the hapless Harry Milligan worked together to survive against RevPro’s top talent. That said, it is worth noting that Sha wasn’t hugely over either. There wasn’t a sense that this was Tanahashi or Bryan Danielson on their last run to the title. Instead, Sha’s last ride is a story the fans are happy to go along with, but not one they are living or dying with.

Still, if Sha’s redemption arc isn’t white hot, there are plenty of programmes that are heating up. When Zozaya entered the Rumble, he went straight into a heated brawl with Jay Joshua which culminated in a horrific bump on the rampway and would later spill all around the arena. Zozaya eventually made it to the final four and eliminated Connor Mills before being powerslammed out of the ring by Joshua, setting up two potential money matches in the process. TK Cooper, who stole Zander Bryant’s spot in the Rumble, seemed to teeter on the verge of a full heel turn after being eliminated by Trent Seven. Cooper pulled Seven over the top rope, beat him mercilessly, assaulted members of security, and nearly struck his tag team partner Chuck Mambo before leaving. Michael Oku entered the Rumble at #28 specifically to eliminate RKJ (Ricky Knight Jr.), who had attacked him earlier in the evening; the pair brawled to the back, foreshadowing one final match in their long-running rivalry.

Silliness and nostalgia were kept to a minimum and, as a result, the one moment of whimsy that Andy Quildan allowed proved incredibly memorable. Gideon Grey’s music hit, and the snivelling heel manager left his position at colour commentary to start clearing house with cane shots and low blows. When he stood alone in the ring, the countdown began and Eugene’s music hit (yes, that Eugene—complete with his WWE entrance). The crowd went wild as Eugene did Hulk Hogan’s comeback and eliminated Grey with ease. The comedy ended there, as Jay Joshua’s entrance spelled the end of Eugene and the beginning of a rampage.

The Rumble thrived not only on its slick and intricate booking but because of the quality in-ring work. JJ Gale entered at #2 and was a workhorse, carrying the action and bumping brilliantly for every new entrant, while picking and choosing his spots to showcase flashy offence. Sweden’s Ender Kara, despite his slight build, was incredibly impressive with tight work and great selling. Jordon Breaks managed to trot out his World of Sport-worthy technical grappling before running into the buzzsaw of the reunited team of Connor Mills and Jay Joshua, who dominated the middle portion of the match. Trew & Lacey also impressed—they brought energy and athleticism, flying around to put over both the bigger stars and the bigger bodies.

In terms of top names, 1 Called Manders impressed with his meaty lariats, and Trent Seven seemed more motivated than usual, hitting a devastating spinning leaping piledriver upon his entrance. Former Unified wXw Champion Robert Dreissker’s sheer girth was a sight to behold, but he struggled to stand out before being swiftly eliminated by Sha Samuels. Robbie X made his unexpectedly quick return from Mexico at #29 and dazzled—noticeably slicker and more accurate than anyone else in the match. Last year’s winner, Luke Jacobs, was the final entrant and picked up where he left off earlier in the evening, clearing the ring with a steel chair. Jacobs eliminated 1 Called Manders shortly before being eliminated himself, setting up a mouth-watering hoss fight later in the year.

David Francisco’s booking was certainly intriguing. Given his overturned title victory over Michael Oku earlier this year, he was a potential contender to win the Rumble. However, his role was ultimately limited. He played the comedy coward heel, refusing to engage with Mills and Joshua, and only belatedly entered when his quasi-tag team partner JJ Gale was on the verge of elimination. The pair worked well together before Gale inadvertently sent Trent Seven crashing into Francisco, leading to his elimination. The direction appears to be a slow-burn split, with Francisco vs Gale on the horizon for later in the year.

Ultimately, it’s hard to fault a thrilling 70-minute match with effectively no downtime and solid-to-strong action that set up a raft of future feuds and character developments. Whether Sha was the right winner remains to be seen. He should create a memorable moment if and when he cashes in his “wish”, but whether he can live up to past winners Michael Oku and Luke Jacobs is uncertain. One thing is clear: this year’s Rumble hasn’t cemented the next or new face of British wrestling—it has instead launched a self-contained story for Samuels. Will Quildan put the title on Sha in 2025, or will he perhaps sidestep the big stage and have Sha and Harry Milligan win the tag titles from the Young Guns instead? Nothing is set in stone.

London Turns On Michael Oku As He Defeats TK Cooper

In what is fast becoming an annual tradition at the Revolution Rumble, Michael Oku takes on a challenger with little credibility and leads them through a compelling, slow-build, psychology-driven main event. While this year’s clash with TK Cooper couldn’t rival the drama of last year’s title defence against Leyton Buzzard (which saw Buzzard tough it out through a season-ending injury), it still had the crowd on the edge of their seats during Cooper’s desperate battle for the ropes. Cooper eventually submitted to the high-angle half crab after earlier trying to win the title by grabbing the rope for leverage during a pinfall attempt.

Despite teasing a Cooper heel turn, the crowd vocally booed Oku throughout the match and during his post-match promo. One fan even brought an “If Oku wins, we riot” banner (spoiler: there was no riot). In fact, a heartfelt Oku promo seemed to win them round. If the crowd do remain hostile to Oku, this could help add heat to a potential programme with Sha Samuels—but there is also the risk that the fans might simply reject the match entirely.

© Rev Pro / Sarah BritWresPics

Young Guns Survive By The Skin Off Their Teeth In Wild But Not Reckless No DQ Tag Team Title Match

The Young Guns and CPF absolutely stole the show on the undercard with a wild—and frankly preposterous—No DQ tag team title match. What the match lacked in structure, it made up for in carnage: Danny Black was cut open on the chest and back with chops from a glass-laced glove; Luke Jacobs was meteora-ed from the top rope into a pool of thumbtacks; Black took a package piledriver on three open chairs, and Joe Lando hit a 450 splash from the top rope to the floor through a table on Ethan Allen.

Suffice it to say, the match was ridiculous—and I haven’t even mentioned the suplexes into ladders and chair shots galore—but with the free-form violence came a certain unbelievability, as almost every move imaginable was kicked out of at two. The match came to an end when the Young Guns isolated Lando and locked him in a combo half crab/Crippler Crossface with the aid of a kendo stick. Jacobs’ use of the half crab seemed pointedly aimed at foreshadowing a future Jacobs-Oku rematch.

Nino Bryant Dethrones Kill Kraven In Breakout Performance To Highlight A Solid Undercard

Kick-out fatigue started early at Revolution Rumble, with Kraven and Bryant throwing everything at the wall in their really rather excellent Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship match. If you can look past the mid-match kick-outs from Burning Hammers and suspend your disbelief, Kraven and Nino showcased excellent chemistry as a pairing.

Kraven’s title reign has been much maligned, and there has been plenty of celebration online at the conclusion of this run that began at last year’s Anniversary Show—but he may have peaked just as the title slipped from his grasp. Kraven was at his best here as a base, positioning himself perfectly to make Nino look superb in victory. Michael Oku’s decision to offer Bryant a title match suggests Quildan has big plans for Nino—the kind of plans that never materialised for Kraven—but it will be interesting to see whether Nino can shine when he has to carry the action and the gravitas of being a champion.

© Rev Pro / Sarah BritWresPics

1 Called Manders and Connor Mills had the crowd rocking early, with a satisfying and hard-hitting encounter that saw Mills chop down the rough brawling American by targeting his knee. This was another match that showcased Connor Mills’ stylistic adaptability, suggesting he should be in the British title picture before too long, while Manders continues to be a welcome addition to the UK scene.

Kanji vs Emersyn Jayne offered some good action, but no sense of cohesive flow. Jayne was less flamboyant and flashy than she is in Pro Wrestling EVE, sticking instead to hard backbreakers and throws, while Kanji worked her submission game. The match was caught in an awkward halfway house; despite going over 16 minutes, it didn’t have the natural rhythm of an epic, story-driven encounter, but equally it was too clunky and stilted to be an all-action thriller. It was just about good enough—without ever coming together in a way that matched the ambitions of the competitors.

With Mercedes Moné advertised for “Summer Sizzler” in Wolverhampton, it seems likely Kanji will get a second bite at the cherry. It isn’t immediately obvious who will face Naito and BUSHI, who are also scheduled to appear on that show.

Full Results

RevPro Undisputed British Cruiserweight Title Match
Nino Bryant defeats Will Kaven (c) (12:03)

Kanji defeats Emersyn Jayne (16:27)

Connor Mills defeats 1 Called Manders (12:59)

RevPro Undisputed British Tag Team Title Match
Young Guns (Ethan Allen & Luke Jacobs) (c) defeat CPF (Danny Black & Joe Lando) (29:40)

RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Title Match
Michael Oku (c) defeats TK Cooper (20:03)

Revolution Rumble Match
Sha Samuels defeats 1 Called Manders, Cameron Khai, Chris Ridgeway, Chuck Mambo, Connor Mills, David Francisco, Ender Kara, Eugene, Gideon Grey, Gin El Libertario, Harry Milligan, Jay Joshua, JJ Gale, Jordon Breaks, Joshua James, Kieron Lacey, Liam Slater, Luke Jacobs, Mark Trew, Maverick Mayhew, Michael Oku, Ricky Knight Jr., Robbie X, Robert Dreissker, Taylor James, TK Cooper, Trent Seven, Zander Bryant and Zozaya (70:53)

© Michiko/X

British J Cup 2025

June 14th, 2025
Gordan Craig Theatre, Stevenage, England.
Watch On: Rev Pro on Demand

Nino Bryant’s journey to the Undisputed British Cruiserweight Crown began a week before the “Revolution Rumble”, when he won the 8th edition of Junior Tournament, the “British J Cup”, in Stevenage. The 22 year old took the opportunity left by the injury to Leon Cage for an immediate title shot as well as the trophy, winning the elimination 4 way final over Chris Ridgeway, Adam Priest and Cameron Khai.

Nino Bryant’s qualifying match against Tag Team Champion Ethan Allen had opened the show, with Allen quickly establishing himself as the power heel in the match, throwing Bryant off of the apron into the rail, before hitting him with backbreakers and suplexes on return to the ring. These impacts looked to weaken Bryant down for several submission attempts. Bryant managed to launch some sort of a fightback before being shut down by a backbreaker and a buzzsaw kick put Allen back in control.

Bryant attempted a number of cradles amidst Ethan Allen’s periods of control, and it was another attempt at it for a pin that would finally get him the win. Nino had sensed an opening after hitting Allen with an Argentine facebuster, going up top for his splash. His landing found Allen’s knees and into a rear naked choke but he managed to roll through and get the win.

The final saw him face off with Cameron Khai, DPW World Champion Adam Priest and Chris Ridgeway, who had defeated Bryant in a singles match just a month ago at “Live in Coventry”. The match started at a fast pace, quickly spilling to the outside thanks to the non count out element. Priest played the big heel, taking a drink from a fan before spitting it in Cameron Khai’s face whilst Bryant and Ridgeway fought up on the stairs.

Cameron Khai got a suplex onto Priest on the floor before Leon Slater came out to support/aid Khai, who has been struggling as of late. Khai was not too fond of Slater looking to advise him, though, telling him to leave in no uncertain terms. The distraction proved costly, as Khai was taken unaware by a tope from Priest, who then pulled him back into the ring before delivering a piledriver. It was enough for him to get the pin, eliminating Khai after just 4 minutes.

Nino Bryant came back in after delivering a suplex on the stairs to Ridgeway to trade with Priest, hitting him with a diving kick before Priest caught him on the top and delivered a superplex. That brought Ridgeway back in, with him and Priest forming a brief alliance against the remaining babyface until Ridgeway broke it attempting to roll up Priest. The two men got distracted arguing with each other, allowing Bryant to catch Priest unaware for his 2nd rollup pinfall of the evening.

Nino celebrated this in a way where he almost forgot it hadn’t ended the match, and he was punished for it by Ridgeway, who hit him with a diving knee in order to take control. Ridgeway worked to a plan from there, targeting Bryant’s ankle, removing his boots after wrapping him around the ring post before delivering a shin breaker on the apron. The torture continued with a bare ankle lock followed by a figure four, as Ridgeway kept up the pressure (and attempted to get the crowd behind the young babyface).

Bryant managed to escape the submission after reversing the pressure and then began to attempt a comeback, whilst still selling the damage caused by the ankle targeting, struggling to hit moves that require pressure to be placed on the joint, before a headscissors gave him an opportunity. He climbed to the top after, hoping a splash would be enough, only to find Ridgeway’s knees waiting for him, meaning he would have to fight back again. The next time he got the splash set up he would not miss, rising back to the top for a second one, just to make sure.

© Michiko/ X

The double splash did the trick, with it being enough for Nino Bryant to pin Chris Ridgeway and win the British J Cup for the first time. The defeat of Ridgeway not only avenges the loss to him in Coventry but also follows the path to the Cruiserweight belt that Leon Cage was on before injury. Another meeting between the two is surely on the horizon once Cage has recovered from injury.

Ridgeway had reached the final following victory over debuting Scandinavian Ender Kara. Kara put up a decent showing in his first appearance, but the main focus was on Ridgeway targeting a body part to set up for the final before hitting a brainbuster for the win.

Cameron Khai’s win over Ace Austin in his qualifier was his first of the year and came with an assist from Leon Slater. Slater, who has been attempting to assist and motivate Khai, took a tope from the debuting Austin that was meant for Khai. Cameron took advantage of the dual impact by getting his opponent back in the ring and finally hitting a pingshot cutter for the victory. Khai would claim it to be all his own work in the aftermath, playing down Slater, which set up the early events of the final.

The last qualifier, Adam Priest, put away Kid Lykos II in his debut match in the promotion. This was the most technical match out of the 4 semi finals and ended with Priest forcing Lykos to submit to a half crab.

In non tournament action, TK Cooper warmed up for his shot at Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion Michael Oku by taking on former champion Luke Jacobs. Jacobs, currently one half of the tag team champions in Rev Pro, took hold of the contest against the former tag team wrestler and had added help from teammate Ethan Allen on the outside.

The odds being stacked against Cooper felt like a bit of a switch from the previous shows, and the finish was less than decisive, with Cooper rolling up Jacobs whilst he was in dispute with the referee. The roll up is coming out a little too often as of late in Rev Pro, with this finish not as impactful as the ones in the shows before it that emphasized the damage of Cooper’s headbutts or new found tactics. Jacobs inflicted his annoyance on Lee Dawson in the aftermath.

Joshua James destroyed Owen Swain in a quick squash before Lizzy Evo took on Serena Deeb in a follow up from April’s “High Stakes” show in Doncaster, where Deeb had spent much of the gauntlet match battling Evo’s group the Cut Throat Collective and a challenge had been set with a funny pre-tape that was made later on that night.

Deeb got revenge in this one, dropping Evo with the Death by Deeb facebuster for the win, after a match where Evo had taunted Deeb into breaking out of a technical match and into more of a fight. Deeb managed to overcome Evo’s games, though, and even offered a handshake to her opponent after the match, only to receive a headbutt for her show of respect. The Cut Throat Collective are left with even more answers to find in the aftermath as their losses are mounting up.

Full Results

British J Cup 2025 First Round:
Nino Bryant defeats Ethan Allen (12:00)

British J Cup 2025 First Round:
Chris Ridgeway defeats Ender Kara (12:05)

British J Cup 2025 First Round:
Cameron Khai defeats Ace Austin (16:21)

British J Cup 2025 First Round:
Adam Priest defeats Kid Lykos II (14:28)

TK Cooper defeats Luke Jacobs (12:42)

Joshua James defeats Owen Swain (1:47)

Serena Deeb defeats Lizzy Evo (11:50)

British J Cup 2025 Final Four Way Elimination Match: Nino Bryant defeats Adam Priest and Cameron Khai and Chris Ridgeway to win the British J Cup.

Rev Pro News

Revolution Pro Wrestling have put tickets on sale to their mailing list already for the “Summer Sizzler” show in Wolverhampton on July 25th, which will feature Mercedes Mone’s first appearance since “High Stakes” in Doncaster back in April, alongside the first wrestling appearance for Tetsuya Naito and BUSHI post-New Japan globally.

The latter is quite the coup for the promotion that is bound to help with sign ups to their streaming service, having already seen pick up for Mercedes Mone’s first appearance in the promotion. Naito, during his talk show in Ariake, Tokyo, on June 22nd, stated that the door opened for Rev Pro to have their first appearance post-New Japan after delays in acquiring US Visas. Rev Pro previously built a day of shows around LIJ in Manchester back in 2019.

This past Sunday was the biggest news day of the year so far for the promotion, as CMLL also announced the date for the joint show with Rev Pro in the UK, with this year’s “Fantasticamania UK” also being held at The Hangar in Wolverhampton on October 18th.

Amira Blair and Michael Oku have both been able to secure US visas over the past few months.

PROGRESS

Progress returns from its summer siesta this weekend with “Chapter 181: Far From Ordinary People” on June 29th in Manchester. Added since our last update is Super Strong Style 16 winner Man Like DeReiss calling out former Progress Men’s Champion and Tournament winner, Chris Ridgeway, for a match. This will be Ridgeway’s first date with the promotion in 3 years. DeReiss is guaranteed a shot at the Men’s World Title and is looking to a victory over Ridgeway to help him continue building momentum ahead of it.

Former tag specialist Charlie Sterling continues his singles journey against the debuting RPD, a former TNT Ignition Champion, on the show which will be headlined by the rematch between Luke Jacobs and Cara Noir for the Progress Men’s World Championship. The full card is as listed below:

  • Pick Your Poison Match
    Lana Austin vs. Kanji
  • Charlie Sterling vs. RPD
  • Pick Your Poison Match
    Shotzi Blackheart vs. Nina Samuels
  • Man Like DeReiss vs. Ethan Allen
  • Alexxis Falcon vs. Hollie Barlow
  • Four Way Match
    Adam Maxted vs. Simon Miller vs. Jack Morris vs. Charles Crowley
  • PROGRESS Tag Team Title Match
    The Sunshine Machine (Chuck Mambo & TK Cooper) (c) vs. Lykos Gym (Kid Lykos & Kid Lykos II)
  • PROGRESS World Title Match
    Luke Jacobs (c) vs. Cara Noir

© EVE

UK and Ireland News

Eve: Riot Grrrls of Wrestling will run “Mean Grrrls” in London on July 4th, with Kris Statlander debuting in the promotion as the star attraction. Statlander will be challenging Anita Vaughan for the EVE International Championship. Added to the undercard is a 4 way battle between Session Moth Martina, Millie McKenzie, Sadie Gibbs and Lucia Lee, as well as a first time matchup between Myla Grace and Skye Smitson.

Yorkshire promotion RISE Underground Pro Wrestling released a statement on their future after taking a sabbatical for the first half of this year from running shows. They announced that they have found a permanent base for the promotion (after a decade without one) at PLAY Middlesbrough, where they can run their shows as well as hold training and seminars, holding their first full show at the venue on July 5th. Iceman and Jack Harrop have been announced for the show.

Follow up announcements for shows in Leeds and Sheffield were also made, with this year’s overall ambition being to raise enough funds to purchase their own ring, having hired rings for the entirety of their existence so far.

Leon Slater’s appearance at NGW’s “Ultimate Showdown” in Hull on June 27th will be part of the Gen X ladder match against Robbie X, Vusyk and a yet to be named opponent. Robbie X will be the heel in the matchup, having turned on previous tag partner Jack Bandicoot (name origin guesses are correct) on the group’s previous show. It is his first time as a heel in the promotion. Bandicoot will challenge Myles Kayman for the NGW Championship on the same show.

Buck Garcia, SJ Randal, Alex Taurus, Tristan Stone are all added for the “sink or swim rumble” at Pro Wrestling Colossus’ “Rumble By the Sea” in Margate on July 5th. A singles match between Sha Samuels and Jordon Breaks has also been added to the card.

Attack! have added Dani Luna to their “Rain In July” show on July 13th in Cardiff, Wales, that will also see former tag partners under the Lykos gimmick, Drew Parker and Kid Lykos, face off against each other. James Ellis will defend the Attack! title against Nino Bryant and Paul London is also scheduled for the show. London will also appear for NORTH Wrestling’s “Thunderstruck” show in Newcastle, England, the night before.

Infinite Promotions have announced Lykos Gym and Lana Austin for their July 3rd follow-up to their anniversary show in Liverpool this past month. Lykos Gym will face debuting team Act 2 as part of the group’s ongoing tag team tournament. There will also be a debut for current Progress Women’s Champion, Rhio.

Lineal Heavyweight Champion Danny Hope will return for the first time in 6 years, after former tag partner Joey Hayes thought he had the match won against current Infinite Men’s Champion Luke Jacobs, only for the decision to be reversed due to a foot under the ropes.

TNT’s next day of shows in the Merseyside city on July 26th has announced more of the card for “Summer Explosion”, with the debuting Cocaine set to face Leonardo Darwin as well as TNT World Extreme Champion Emersyn Jayne offering out a shot at her title in an open challenge. TNT World Champion Tate Mayfairs will defend against Man Like DeReiss on the evening show as well. Mayfairs will also be in action for Pro Wrestling CHAOS on July 12th, taking on Chris Bronson in Kingswood.

Over The Top Wrestling have announced multiple matches for their Dublin, Ireland, and Belfast, Northern Ireland events in the first weekend of July. Big Damo will defend the OTT Title against Terry Taylor in Dublin on July 5th, whilst Goldenboy Santos will face Jay as he looks to retain the OTT European Championship. CBL will square off with Callum Black to round out the Dublin announcements. On night 2 in Belfast, OTT Women’s Champion Raven Creed will face Harley Hudson.

OTT have also announced events for Athy on September 14th and Tullamore, Ireland, on September 20th.

ICW have announced 3 championship matches for “I Assure You, We’re Open!” on August 31st. ICW World Heavyweight Champion Kenny Williams faces former ICW Women’s Champion Rhio, Sha Samuels will defend the ICW Zero-G belt in a 3 way against Craig Anthony and NOAH’s Jack Morris, whilst Women’s Champion Lana Austin will look to fight off the challenge of Dani Luna.

Clan Wrestling (after the Braehead Ice Hockey team) will return on September 6th at the Braehead Arena, Glasgow, with the current lead attraction being the return of the Coffey Brothers and Wolfgang, after the trio were released from NXT. Wolfgang will face Big Damo on the show.

Inside the Ropes will be holding an afternoon with Raj Dhesi, the former Jinder Mahal, at the Classic Grand in Glasgow on July 13th. The event, which they have entitled “Don’t Hinder Jinder: An Intimate Afternoon” is a free show with tickets available through their website.

The magazine has announced a speaking tour for Mick Foley in November for London on the 20th, Newcastle on the 21st, Glasgow on the 22nd, before finishing off in Belfast on the 23rd.

Sweet Chin Disco Wrestling Raves returns this August, beginning August 22nd in Dublin, with Mark Henry as their special guest DJ. The after party offerings follow the WWE tour around the UK for the following week, with the last date in Cardiff on August 28th.

Further dates in line with AEW’s shows have also been added at the Garage in Glasgow on August 20th and Indigo O2 on the 24th, with a Nigel McGuiness magic show, DJ set by Prince Nana and live appearance by Swerve Strickland as the added attractions.

The “For the Love of Wrestling” convention, set to be held in Manchester on February 21st and 22nd 2026, has added Jerry “The King” Lawler to their lineup.

Selected Upcoming Dates

  • June 27th- Fight Factory Pro Wrestling “CBL’s Barnyard Bash”. Fight Factory, Dublin, Ireland.
  • June 27th- New Generation Wrestling “Ultimate Showdown”. Hull City Hall, Hull, England.
  • June 29th- Valor Wrestling “Playa Haters Ball”. Grand Ole Opry, Glasgow, Scotland.
  • July 3rd- Infinite Promotions “Indy-Pendance Day”. Hooters, Liverpool, England.
  • July 4th: EVE: Riot Grrrls of Wrestling “Mean Grllls”. Big Penny Social, Walthamstow, London, England.

© wXw

wXw

wXw

Drive of Champions 2025

June 14th, 2025
Turbinehalle, Oberhausen, Germany
Company Announced Attendance: 464
Watch On: wXwNow

wXw returned to Oberhausen for the first time since March for “Drive of Champions”, a show which was the first to be broadcast completely away from Triller in some time, after the promotion ended their agreement with the streamer last month.

The headline outing on this one was the return of wXw Unified World Wrestling Champion 1 Called Manders to German shores for a Texas Death Match with Elijah Blum. Manders has been racking up defenses of the World Title across North America but made his way back here to settle the score with Blum in what was a near-40 minute encounter. Traditional Texas Death rules were in place for this one, with each competitor required to pin or submit their opponent before a standing 10 count could be issued. The person who is then unable to answer the count will be deemed the loser of the match.

This one started quick, with Blum going right after Manders straight out of the gate, quickly earning the first pin of the match with a Parting Gift but nowhere close when it came to the count. From there, the action moved to the outside, with a cowbell being cracked off the head of Blum leading to him being opened up. Manders would rub it in by removing a spur from one of his boots, digging it into the cut to open it up further on multiple occasions, whilst still finding time to throw a chair straight at Blum’s face in between.

Blum found himself in a somewhat difficult situation but remained defiant, even spitting in Mander’s face at a point where he had no offense to offer. He managed to get into the match after Manders became distracted setting up additional furniture, getting his hands on the spur and driving it into the forehead of the champion. Turnabout is fairplay, after all. Kendo sticks, thumb tacks and plasterboards were all brought into the ring from there as this bloody encounter rolled on, with Manders drawing a cross on a board he had set up on the turnbuckle with Blum’s blood, before driving him through it.

Blum survived the count after that one and managed to even things up with a legsweep off of the middle rope that drove both competitors onto exposed ring boards for a double pin, with both just about surviving the count after. Barbed wire boards were the next thing to be introduced, with Blum paying for bringing a first one in, before Manders concocted himself a barbed wire board bed intended for Blum that he himself fell victim of. It felt like Blum had a chance before Ahura’s music hit, with the momentary distraction leading to Blum walking straight into a Boss lariat. Manders wrapped an arm in barbed wire for a second lariat and it was over. Ahura emerged after the match to face off with the wXw Champion, before hitting a cheap attack with the belt, setting up a match between the two in August. Ahura got a big victory of his own earlier on in the night before interrupting the main event proceedings, taking advantage of Leon Slater jarring his knee on a swanton attempt and quickly hitting a Boss Lariat for the pin.


© wXw

There was one major title change on this show, as Marc Empire and Robert Dreissker (collectively known as Planet Gojirah) defeated the makeshift Tag Champion team of Anil Marik and Norman Harras. Marik’s past crimes came back to haunt him in this one, when a masked man stopped him attacking the injured knee of Robert Dreissker whilst the referee was knocked out. The man revealed himself to be Joseph Fenech Jr., a man Marik had turned upon earlier on this year. Fenech gave Marik a spear before jumping back into the crowd, leaving the path open for Empire and Dreissker to hit a double muscle buster and land the wXw World Tag Team Championships.

Full Results

Jane Nero & KxS (Axel Tischer & Fast Time Moodo) defeat Laurance Roman, Nick Schreier & Stephanie Maze (9:25)

Aigle Blanc defeats Ricky Marvin (8:05)

Bobby Gunns defeats Metehan (11:26)

wXw World Tag Team Titles:
Planet Gojirah (Marc Empire & Robert Dreissker) defeat Anil Marik & Norman Harras (c) (11:37)

Ahura defeats Leon Slater (18:59)

wXw European Title:
Marius Al-Ani (c) defeats Zozaya (13:42)

wXw Unified World Wrestling Title Texas Death Match:
1 Called Manders (c) defeats Elijah Blum (38:31)

wXw News

wXw have begun the hard push for their 3 tournament weekend in Oberhausen between the 26th and 28th of September, with multiple match and talent announcements. MLW’s Matthew Justice is the first man announced for a 4 way, 4 corners of pain match at “wXw Extreme Wrestling Party” on September 26th. The hardcore match on the September 26th show will have no rules, but it will instead have 4 weapons placed inside the structure for the competitors to use. In another match on this Over 18’s show, veteran hardcore British wrestler, Iceman, returns to the promotion to face Mike Schwarz in a ‘fans bring the weapons’ match. Canadian hardcore favourite, Green Phantom, will also be part of this show.
Stephanie Maze will be part of the Femmes Fatales 2025 Tournament that weekend, whilst the King of the Catchers Tournament will begin, with NJPW’s Francesco Akira the star name in the lineup so far. The tournament will consist of 2 round robin blocks, each consisting of 4 wrestlers. The lead name in the first block will be wXw Shotgun champion Hektor Invictus, whilst recently crowned wXw European Champion Marius Al-Ani will head up the second block.

“Broken Rules” in Frankfurt on July 19th will be an event to settle scores – with Elijah Blum, fresh off a defeat to 1 Called Manders in a Texas Death Match, has challenged Ahura to a dog collar submission match. Ahura has not been an innocent party in some of Blum’s losses this year, including when the two have faced each other, leading to things being taken to this level.
Not to be outdone, Joseph Fenech Jr. followed up on his surprise return to the promotion with a first match of its type on this show, after Anil Marik accepted his challenge for a ‘body bag’ match.

© APC Catch

Mainland Europe

APC Catch are running “Final Storm” on June 28th from Nanterre, with the show being available live and for free on Youtube in both French and English.

Aigle Blanc taking on Nic Nemeth is the big attraction match for this show that also sees APC Champion Kuro looking to gain revenge on once-ally Ravage, whilst also defending his title. APC Tag Champions Top Dawgs Family will defend in a 3 way against Suplex Republik and La Tactique, whilst the visiting Rhio will put her Progress Women’s Championship up for grabs against Celine and JGU.

North France Wrestling are bringing over RevPro Tag Team Champions the Young Guns for “Battle of the Kingdom” on August 2nd in Gravelines.

A major match has been added to BZW’s “Les Jeux Sont Faits” show on July 5th, with Trent Seven’s challenge for Joseph Fenech Jr’s BZW World Title also putting his BZW career on the line. Big Joe is already set to defend the BZW Hardcore Title against Georges Balzac on the same show.

BZW will be holding a summer camp alongside fellow promotion RIXE between August 18th and August 23rd. Joseph Fenech Jr., Hal and Aigle Blanc have already announced their involvement in the camp.

© Triple W

Triple W’s “Total Rumble” on June 14th became a Triple W Total Championship after Johan was forced to vacate the belt for the Madrid promotion due to injury. The Rumble was won by Chicharito Jr., with Jedu being the final elimination. Triple W General Manager Coajim Echevarria brought out the belt for the new champion, only to be attacked from behind by the babyface Chicharito, who pulled off his mask to reveal himself as Gin El Libertario.

Elvis Harrison also announced his retirement on the show, after losing an Extreme match to Yunke, whilst Goldenboy Santos successfully defended the OTT European Title across in Spain in a 4 way elimination match, which ended in him pinning Zozaya. Rizo and Iker Navarro had been eliminated earlier on in the match.

Resist Barcelona will hold “Savage Saturday” on June 28th, including a Street Fight between Toni Aeri vs Chicharito and a hardcore match between Emersyn Jayne and Santiago Sangriento. César Bravo will also face Zozaya, who will be holding a seminar at the promotion’s adjacent training school the day after the show.

RCW Spain have announced that their RCW Women’s Champion, Takumi Iroha, will defend her title against Frenchwoman Amale on July 5th in Barcelona.

Scandinavian outfit Bodyslam are holding a “Wrestlecruise” between Danish and Norwegian capitals Copenhagen and Oslo between the 15th and 17th of August.

Slam Wrestling have announced they will have a (yet to be revealed) TNA Knockout on their August 23rd Stockholm show.

Fury have added Jessy F’n Jay to their “Brawl 4 Glory” line up for October 4th in Stuttgart, Germany. Jay will be the number 1 entrant for “The Golden Brawl” gauntlet match where the winner will receive a Golden Ticket, entitling the winner to a title shot at any time.

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