Revolution Pro Wrestling

Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro/RPW) is a British professional wrestling promotion founded on 26 August 2012 by Andy Quildan after separating from International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom.

Revolution Pro Wrestling
AcronymRevPro[1]
RPW[2]
Founded26 August 2012
StyleProfessional wrestling
Sports entertainment
HeadquartersPortsmouth, England
Founder(s)Andy Quildan
Owner(s)Andy Quildan
WebsiteRevolutionProWrestling.com

Revolution Pro Wrestling currently has partnerships with several internationally based promotions including US-based All Elite Wrestling (AEW), Japan's New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Mexico's Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL). American independent company Global Force Wrestling (GFW), also has worked with RPW in the past.[3][4][5]

Top international wrestlers who have worked for RevPro, include WWE performers Kurt Angle, AJ Styles, Rey Mysterio, Kevin Owens, Apollo Crews, Finn Bálor, Karl Anderson, Luke Gallows, Kalisto, Sami Zayn, Shinsuke Nakamura, Killian Dain, Noam Dar, Tommaso Ciampa, and Adam Cole.

History

On 26 August 2012, at Summer Sizzler International Pro Wrestling: United Kingdom's (IPW:UK) booker Andy Quildan broke with the company to ensure the high standards he set to the promotion would be maintained.[6][7] Quildan would bring with him the British Heavyweight, Tag Team and Cruiserweight Championships to the promotion. RPW would also book talent from other promotions such as Prince Devitt, Big Damo and Noam Dar, whom later were signed by WWE. With the rising popularity of RPW, it would become one of the biggest promotions in the British independent circuit.

RPW would begin a series of international collaborations and partnerships with other promotions. On 25 July 2014, RPW announced a working agreement with Global Force Wrestling (GFW).[3] On 5 April 2015, RPW hosted the first independent UK defence of the ICW World Heavyweight Championship[8] as part of the At Our Best card when Drew Galloway defended the ICW title along with the EVOLVE and DGUSA Open the Freedom Gate Championships[9] against Doug Williams.[10]

On 18 July 2015, RPW established a working agreement with New Japan Pro-Wrestling as part of their "New IWGP Conception", a global expansion strategy centered on their international partnerships.[11][12][13] The agreement also led to NJPW wrestlers making regular appearances for the promotion.

In May, RPW hosted a qualifying match for the WWE Cruiserweight Classic.[14] The first co-promoted shows with NJPW were Uprising and Global Wars UK, which took place in October 2015.[15][16][17][18] On 3 March 2016 RPW released their own OTT streaming service the RPW On Demand.[19] On 16 March, announced a working agreement with Pro-Wrestling: EVE, which would also feature various title defenses of the Pro-Wrestling:EVE Championship and Pro-Wrestling:EVE events airing on the demand for the RPW On Demand.[20] On 23 March, RPW launched a YouTube series the RevPro TV, which airs on Mondays.[21]

On 8 June 2017, RPW announced the British J-Cup, a tournament based on NJPW's Super J-Cup for cruiserweight wrestlers from all over the world.[22] In August 2017, RPW partnered with American promotion Ring of Honor (ROH) and Mexican Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (CMLL) for the War of the Worlds UK, which featured participation from the promotion.[23] On 22 September, RPW announced that content from Over The Top Wrestling would also be available on RPW On Demand.[24]

On 13 November, RPW announced the creation of its fourth active title the British Women's Championship,[25][26] On 30 November, RPW reach a deal with NJPW to officially sell their merchandise from the RPW shop, becoming their second European carrier of their licensed merchandise.[27] On 30 August 2018, RPW signed a television deal with FreeSports, where it premiered on Wednesday and Thursday, 5 and 6 September 2018,[28] in a live special held at the York Hall in London, England. On 3 October, it was announced the Queen of the Ring tournament for their women's division.[29]

On August 3, 2023, the CMLL and Revolution Pro Wrestling announced their alliance beginning with their first joint event, Fantastica Mania UK.[30] [31]

Southside Wrestling Entertainment

On 18 September 2019, RevPro announced they took over Southside Wrestling Entertainment (SWE) operations.[32]

SWE was a promotion operating out of Cambridgeshire, England, which ran events from 2010 to 2019. They promoted internationally known names like Drew Galloway, Chris Hero, Tyler Bate, Pete Dunne, TAJIRI, MJF, Gabriel Kidd, Noam Dar, Tommy Dreamer and Kevin Steen, among others.[33][34]

Previous SWE title holders had included Will Ospreay, Mark Haskins, Ethan Page, Tommy End, Kris Travis, PJ Black, Kay Lee Ray, Stevie Boy, BT Gunn, Rampage Brown, Mike Bailey, Kip Sabian, Davey Richards, Andrew Everett, Trey Miguel, Nixon Newell, Shigehiro Irie, Ricky Knight Jr., Rockstar Spud, Jade, Melina and numerous others.[35][36][37][38][39]

The SWE Heavyweight Championship, SWE Speed King Championship, SWE Tag Team Championship and SWE Women's Championship were defended on RevPro events before eventually being vacated or unified with their own active titles.[40][41][42]

Training

Revolution Pro Wrestling hosts a professional wrestling school in Portsmouth, England. It was founded in August 2012 and run by Andy Quildan[43] and Andy Simmonz. The school runs 4 trainee level shows a year for them to showcase their ability in front of a live audience. They teach all the basic elements of professional wrestling as well as other vital parts of being a wrestler such as how to conduct on social media.

Championships

Current champions

As of October 24, 2023

ChampionshipCurrent champion(s)ReignDate wonDays heldLocationNotesRef.
Undisputed British Heavyweight Championship Michael Oku 1 9 July 2023 107+ London, England Defeated Great-O-Khan at Epic Encounter. [44]
Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship Connor Mills 1 9 July 2023 107+ London, England Defeated Robbie X at Epic Encounter. [44]
Undisputed British Women's Championship Alex Windsor 1 7 November 2021 716+ London, England Defeated Gisele Shaw on Live at The NOTpit. [45]
Undisputed British Tag Team Championship Subculture
(Flash Morgan Webster and Mark Andrews)		 1
(1, 1)		 9 July 2023 107+ London, England Defeated Greedy Souls (Brendan White and Danny Jones) at Epic Encounter. [44]

Former champions
ChampionshipLast champion(s) Date retiredNotes
Southside Heavyweight Championship Ricky Knight Jr. 18 July 2021 Ricky Knight Jr. retired the championship and proclaimed himself the British Heavyweight Champion, using the old British Heavyweight Championship belt.
Southside Speed King Championship Michael Oku 13 September 2020[46] Defeated Ricky Knight Jr. to unify the title with the Undisputed British Cruiserweight Championship.[47]
Southside Tag Team Championship Rampage Brown and The Great-O-Kharn 24 November 2019 Defeated Mike Bailey and Mao to unify the title with the Undisputed British Tag Team Championships.[48]
Southside Women's Championship Alex Windsor 9 July 2023 Defeated Skye Smitson, Dani Luna and Hyan in a four-way match to unify the title with the Undisputed British Women's Championship.[44]

Events

Marquee events

Collaborated events

Tournaments
Tournament Last winners Date won
British J-Cup Robbie X 22 October 2022
Queen of the Ring Zoe Lucas July 31, 2021
Great British Tag League The VeloCities (Jude London and Paris DeSilva) July 23, 2022

See also

References
  1. "Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro)". CAGEMATCH - The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved 5 March 2023.
  2. "Japanese World Cup Qualifiers Hosted In Association With NJPW & RevPro". What Culture Pro Wrestling. Retrieved 18 May 2017. What Culture Pro Wrestling (WCPW) are pleased to announce the formation of a working partnership with global wrestling giants New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and British wrestling's most must-see promotion Revolution Pro Wrestling (RPW)
  3. GFW Global Partners Archived 2017-07-13 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. "#Results: RPW (@RevProUK) "At Our Best" *Titles & Challenges". 6 April 2015. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  5. Caldwell, James (18 July 2015). "NJPW news: New Japan announces big int'l expansion plans, including expanded N. America partnerships & NXT-like program". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on 21 August 2015. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  6. "About RevPro". Revolution Pro Wrestling. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  7. Boon, Allan (30 August 2015). "THE STEELCHAIR INTERVIEW: ANDY QUILDAN OF REVOLUTION PRO-WRESTLING". TheSteelChair. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  8. "New Phenom: The ICW World Heavyweight Championship Reign of Drew Galloway". November 2022.
  9. "Self-Chosen: The EVOLVE Championship Reign of Drew Galloway". 7 August 2022.
  10. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=125358
  11. "新日本プロレス３～５年後上場目指す". Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Kobe Shimbun. 18 July 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  12. "木谷オーナーが「ファーム設立プラン」「21世紀のIWGP構想」、そして「新日本プロレスは株式上場を目指す」と宣言! 【7.18戦略発表会】". New Japan Pro-Wrestling (in Japanese). 18 July 2015. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  13. Caldwell, James (18 July 2015). "NJPW news: New Japan announces big int'l expansion plans, including expanded N. America partnerships & NXT-like program". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  14. "Who qualified for Cruiserweight Classic at RevPro?". www.wwe.com. Retrieved 8 May 2016.
  15. "RevPro Global Wars UK". Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  16. "RevPro/NJPW Global Wars UK 2016 - Tag 2". Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  17. "RevPro/NJPW Global Wars 2017 - Tag 1". Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  18. "RevPro/NJPW Global Wars 2017 - Tag 2". Retrieved 5 January 2018.
  19. "ANNOUNCING THE BRAND NEW RPWONDEMAND.COM!". Revolution Pro Wrestling. Retrieved 3 March 2016.
  20. "REVPRO PARTNERS WITH PRO WRESTLING:EVE". Revolution Pro Wrestling. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  21. "BRAND NEW YOUTUBE SHOW LAUNCHES". Revolution Pro Wrestling. Retrieved 23 March 2016.
  22. "BRITISH J CUP IS COMING TO LONDON!". Revolution Pro Wrestling. Retrieved 8 June 2017.
  23. "Briscoes, Taven, Daniels Headed To CMLL In August". Ring of Honor. February 16, 2017. Archived from the original on February 17, 2017. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
  24. "ON DEMAND: WE ARE JOINING FORCES!". Revolution Pro Wrestling. Retrieved 22 September 2017.
  25. "LONDON: ENTRANT NUMBER 1 IN THE WOMENS TOURNAMENT IS JINNY". Revolution Pro Wrestling. Retrieved 13 November 2017.
  26. "So this is what the semi-finals look like... who will make it through? Who will become the first Undisputed British Women's Champion? Tonight we make history! #LiveAtTheCockpit25".
  27. "SHOP: OFFICIAL NEW JAPAN MERCH NOW AVAILABLE DIRECTLY FROM SHOPREVPRO". Revolution Pro Wrestling. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  28. Fernandes, Steven (30 August 2018). "REVOLUTION PRO TV DEAL IN UK ANNOUNCED". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  29. "LONDON: WE START 2019 BY CROWNING A QUEEN". Revolution Pro Wrestling. Retrieved 3 October 2018.
  30. "RevPro & CMLL Announce New Partnership: Fantastica Mania UK is coming". 2 August 2023.
  31. https://twitter.com/CMLL_OFICIAL/status/1686874736561639424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
  32. "RevPro to take over Southside Wrestling Operations". 19 September 2019.
  33. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=8&nr=806&page=16
  34. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=8&nr=806&page=16&year=2013
  35. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=1817
  36. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=2451
  37. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=3918
  38. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=1740
  39. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=1816
  40. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=1817&page=4&year=2021
  41. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=1816&page=4
  42. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=2451&page=4
  43. Fisher, Andrew (14 January 2022). "My son has rekindled my boyhood love of British wrestling - I would love to see it on TV again". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2023.
  44. Thompson, Andrew (9 July 2023). "Michael Oku (The OJMO) ends Great-O-Khan's reign as RevPro Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion". Retrieved 9 July 2023.
  45. Lambert, Jeremy (7 November 2021). "RevPro Live At The NOTpit 55 Results (11/7): United Empire, Doug Williams, More In Action". Fightful. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
  46. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=1740&page=5&reign=24
  47. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=5&nr=1740&page=5&reign=24
  48. https://www.cagematch.net/?id=1&nr=241037
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