The British J Cup has become one of the most celebrated tournaments in the wrestling world, showcasing top talent from around the globe.
Since its inception in 2017, fans from all over the UK have gathered to see the iconic tournament. RevPro modelled it after the Super J Cup in Japan, which sought to showcase the top cruiserweights across the globe.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the winners of the British J Cup, highlighting their incredible performances and the impact they’ve had on the tournament.
Whether you’re a long-time fan or new to the British wrestling scene, join us as we delve into the stories of these remarkable athletes who have etched their names into the annals of British wrestling history.
British J Cup 2017 Winner
Jushin “Thunder” Liger
- Defeated Kushida, Marty Scurll and Will Ospreay to win the tournament
- Was the oldest winner in British J Cup history (53)
- Retired three years later in 2020, after a 36 -year career.
In 2017, Japanese wrestling icon Jushin ‘Thunder’ Liger made history by becoming the inaugural British J Cup champion. The inaugural British J Cup featured eight competitors from three different promotions, highlighting the tournament’s international appeal.”
He was one of four wrestlers from New Japan Pro Wrestling, alongside Tiger Mask, Rysuke Taguchi and Kushida. It also included two Ring of Honor wrestlers (Marty Scurll and Kyle O’Reilly), and Will Ospreay and Josh Bodom from RevPro.
But none of them could match up to Jushin Liger. The WWE Hall of Famer defeated Josh Bodom in just two minutes in the first round. This sent him through to a four-way elimination match later that night to crown the first ever British J Cup winner.
In the final stage, Marty Scurll eliminated both Kushida and Will Ospreay, setting up a one-on-one encounter with Liger. Liger countered a superkick with a decisive brainbuster, pinning Scurll to claim the inaugural British J Cup title.
British J Cup 2018 Winner
El Phantasmo
- Became the first Canadian to win the tournament
- Beat 15 other wrestlers as the tournament expanded to 16 entrants
- It helped him secure a deal to wrestle in NJPW
The second year of the British J Cup gave it the first Canadian winner of the tournament. This was the first time the tournament was stretched over two nights, with double the number of wrestlers as the previous year (16).
El Phantasmo, also known as ELP, beat Mexican star Bandido in the opening round. He went onto the second night and defeated Jushin Liger. Defeating the trophy holder went a long way to establish ELP as a contendor for the British J Cup.
In a star-studded elimination four-way match, El Phantasmo beat Kushida, Rich Swann and Rocky Romero to win the 2018 edition of the British J Cup.
The win would help launch ELP’s career, in England and abroad. He went on to win the British Cruiserweight Championship the following year, a belt which he held for a nearly a year.
The performances in the British J Cup earned the Canadian notice from New Japan Pro Wrestling. He signed for the Japanese giants a year after winning the tournament, ironically debuting his first vignette during the 2019 New Japan Cup.
British J Cup 2019 Winner
Michael Oku
- Became the first British wrestler to win RevPro’s competition
- The competition was reduced back down to 8 wrestlers again
- Featured an AEW wrestler for the first time in British J Cup history
The first Briton to win the British J Cup was Michael Oku, and his victory marked a turning point in the youngster’s career.
Oku entered the tournament representing RevPro, standing alongside talents such as El Phantasmo, Robbie Eagles, and Rocky Romero.
It was also the first edition of the tournament to include AEW stars. The company had been formed earlier that year, and former WWE star PAC was included in the British J Cup. He made it all the way to the final, and was the favourite to take home the trophy.
However, Michael Oku walked away as champion. He only debuted for RevPro the year prior, and was still in the very early stages of his career.
The win wasn’t the cleanest. PAC was disqualified for beating him up too badly, and refusing to stop when requested. This put Oku on the back foot, but didn’t stop him forcing last-years winner El Phantasmo to submit to his Boston Crab submission hold.
This made Michael Oku the youngest winner of the British J Cup up until that point.
British J Cup 2020 Winner
N/A
Due to the global pandemic forcing RevPro to close their doors for a good portion of 2020.
Their last show before lockdown was on March 8, 2020. RevPro wouldn’t return until August 23rd, with their “Epic Encounters 1” event.
This was broadcast on pay per view, with no fans into attendence due to COVID restrictions.
British J Cup 2021 Winner
“Speedball” Mike Bailey
- Became the second Canadian to win the British J Cup
- Was the first tournament that included qualifing matches
- Baile defeated three English wrestlers to win the tournament
The 2021 edition of the British J Cup was broadcast November 6 from the Gordon Craig Theatre in Stevenage, Hertfordshir
Due to travel restrictions still in place due to the pandemic, it featured an almost entirely local group of wrestlers. The only exception was Canadian star “Speedball”, who was fresh off ending a five-year ban from wrestling in the United States.
Mike Bailey continued to tradition of beating the previous edition’s winner to take home the trophy. In the four-way final match, he beat Michael Oku, as well as Luke Jacobs and Connor Mills, to add his name to the historic roll of victors.
British J Cup 2022 Winner
Robbie X
- Became the second British wrestler to win the British J Cup
- For the first time, the winner didn’t defeated last year’s victor
- Only one foreign wrestler appeared, for the second year in a row.
Another year under COVID, another year with just one foreign entrant. Lio Rush was brought over from the US, to join seven British stars in the annual tournament in 2022.
Robbie X won the British J Cup in 2022. He beat Lee Hunter, Leon Slater and Will Kaven in the final match, which ended a long-time tradition in the cup.
With Mike Bailey not taking part that year, Robbie X didn’t get to beat the previous year’s champion. In fact, he didn’t beat any previous champion. Lee Hunter beat Michael Oku in the first round, meaning that the final match was guaranteed in the tournament.
British J Cup 2023 Winner
Leon Slater
- Became the youngest ever winner of the tournament (18-years-old)
- Was just the third English wrestler to win the tournament
- TNA signed Leon Slater to a contract soon after winning the British J Cup
With travel back up for foreign wrestlers, the 2023 edition of the British J Cup had a much more international feel to the previous years.
Stars from Japan, Mexico and the United States joined the British stars of RevPro. However, it was a hometown boy who took home the trophy for RevPro.
At just 18-years-old, Leon Slater was barely out of nappies, let alone expected to go all the way and win the cup.
His talent was obvious, and TNA soon snapped up the young Englishman. His win over Harrison Bennett, Mascara Dorada and Wild Boar in the final elimination match was not the best British J Cup match ever, but it helped make the young Slater an instant star overnight.
British J Cup 2024 Winner
Lio Rush
American star Lio Rush won the British J Cup in his second attempt, after failing to take it home in 2022.
The event took place on 28th September 2024 at the Stevenage Concert Hall in Stevenage, England. Rush was one of eight men, which included AEW star Dante Martin, both Kid Lykos’ and NJPW Robbie Eagles.
