wrestling / TV Reports
Csonka’s Evolve 60 iPPV Review 5.06.16
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Csonka’s Evolve 60 iPPV Review 5.06.16
OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Lio Rush defeated Caleb Konley @ 10:00 via pin [***¼]
– The Bravado Brothers defeated The Devastation Corporation @ 8:25 via pin [***]
– Matt Riddle defeated Anthony Nese @ 11:33 via submission [***¾]
– Johnny Gargano defeated Marty Scurll @ 20:20 via submission [***½]
– Drew Galloway defeated Ethan Page @ 10:11 via pin [**]
– EVOLVE Tag Team Title Match: Champions Drew Gulak & Tracy Williams defeated TJ Perkins & Fred Yehi @ 17:07 via submission [***¾]
– Chris Hero defeated Zack Sabre Jr @ 28:55 via pin [****¾]
– Lenny Leonard welcomed us to the show. They have a new sweet ring canvas, with the WWLive logos in the corners and the Evolve logo in the middle. It’s very spiffy. The lighting, graphics and entrance look upgraded as well, nice work from the company.
Lio Rush vs. Caleb Konley: Rush has made his name in the area, and is a good choice to kick off the show. Konley recently signed with TNA. So it’s ROH vs. TNA in a company in a relationship with WWE. Let that sink in. Konley attacked at the bell, and quickly took the battle to the floor, where he worked over Rush. They had a little miscommunication when they got back into the ring, and then Konley took the heat with an apron powerbomb. Konley grounded Rush, working the body scissors as he tries to ground the highflier and play off of that apron powerbomb. Rush escaped, fought back with strikes and followed with a nice dive. The crowd is way behind Rush here, as he put his speed game in display with some great counters and then hit a spike RANA and shining wizard for a good near fall. Rush kept trying to work a rear naked choke, a little sloppy in the exchanges and then Konley hit a Regal-plex for a near fall. The crowd is great here, and feel as if they are mic’d well. Konley then hit the Gory special into the O-Face. Rush escaped, ate a buckle bomb but then Konley ran into the Spanish Fly and BOTH men are down. After a series of reversals, Rush hit a kick and the frog splash and that was that. That was an overall good opener, a bit sloppy in parts, but they worked hard and had a great crowd. If they could have cleaned up the middle a bit, it would have come off way better. This was a good way to kick off the show.
The Bravado Brothers vs. The Devastation Corporation (Blaster McMassive and Flex Rumblecrunch): The Devastation Corporation have the best names in wrestling. After a few lock ups and stalemates, we broke into a striking battle and then the Corporation took control and the match quickly went to the floor. The Bravados took control during this, but Harlem ate a slam to the apron and the Corporation took the heat on Lancelot. The Corporation used their power game and double teams, Lancelot finally avoided an attack and Harlem got the hot tag and hit a high cross onto both opponents. The Bravados then worked double teams, it broke down and all four men were in for a bit. The timing felt a bit off, it was not too bad, but noticeable. Harlem hit a cannonball to the floor, McMassive sent Lancelot to the floor and then hit the HUGE over the corner dive, but accidentally took out his partner. The gentlemen’s agreement scored the win for the Bravados. That was fun and overall good, but they had some noticeable communication issues that held it back. Not bad, but they can do better. That was a good win for the Bravados and a good debut for the Devastation Corporation.
Matt Riddle vs. Anthony Nese: This could be an interesting clash of styles. After some basic pro wrestling to begin, Riddle started to try and go after the arm of Nese with a kimura. Nese tried to work leg kicks, which Riddle found amusing so he started to light up Nese with some of his own. Some nice back and forth counters as Riddle continues to get more comfortable with the basic pro wrestling stuff, which used to be at a minimum in his offense. Nese then sent Riddle to the floor and hit a Fosbury flop. After a short brawl on the floor, Riddle hit a springboard knee strike and then teased a dive. Instead he slid to the floor and simply punched Nese. Riddle then hit rolling gut wrench suplexes. Nese then countered a German and commented with a double stomp for a near fall. Nese tried to slow things down, but after a back and forth battles of strikes, Riddle hit a fisherman’s buster and both men were down. Riddle then took Nese out of his boots with a clothesline and applied the hanging kimura, but Nese powered out and they started to slap the shit out of one another. Riddle again got the hanging kimura, which Nese turned into a deadlift suplex for a near fall. Riddle then hit a series of running knee strikes, but Nese fought back and headed up top. He jumped into a knee strike and German with the bridge for a near fall. Riddle back to the kimura, Nese escaped but Riddle rolled into a cross arm breaker for the win. That was a very good back and forth match, with a good flow and a great layout that allowed both men to shine. The evolution of Matt Riddle is a joy to watch.
– Really strong start to this show, with good matches and nothing overstaying its welcome.
Johnny Gargano vs. Marty Scurll: Scurll was 2-0 over Mania weekend, including a non-title victory over Thatcher. He impressed overall, and now faces one of the most consistent performers and former face of the company in Gargano. The opening of the match was designed to make it come off as different from the previous matches, as they worked some clean and strong pro wrestling style grappling. Everything they did was smooth and came off as effortless; well done by both men. Both men teased their submission finishers, with Scurll informing Gargano, “That’s how we do it in England, bitch!” Gargano tried to evoke the power of Jim Duggan, but Scurll just poked him in the eyes, because he’s the villain. Like the previous three matches, they went to the floor for a brawl segment, which is just getting overly repetitive now. It’s not that what they are doing is bad; it just means less when everyone brawls on the floor. Scurll took the heat, working the arm of Gargano to soften him up for the chicken wing. Scurll slowed things to a crawl, and for the first time on the show, it feels as if the action is dragging. Gargano made his comeback and it felt as if it was a struggle to get he crowd into the action. Gargano mostly sold the arm well; a little selective at times, but nothing that was really bad. Scurll came back with a series of knees and a superkick for a near fall, and the crowd is slowly getting back into this. Gargano escaped the chicken wing attempt, battled up top and Scurll hit a tower of London for a near fall. Some really nice counters of each other’s signature moves down the stretch, leading into a great exchange of strikes and a double down as things have really picked up. Scurll did his finger break spot, which led to them countering in and out of their submission finishers, and then Scurll got the cattle mutilation but Gargano got the ropes. Gargano finally hit the lawn dart, and locked in the Gargano-escape and Scurll tapped. That was a great performance character wise by Scurll, who looks to be fitting in well in Evolve. The match was good, and I felt could have been better if they had shortened it up a bit. The middle was dragging for me, and it felt like they were trying to build a 20-minte epic instead of having a really great 15-minute match.
– Gargano announced a return to the venue on August 19th. He then called out Drew Galloway. Galloway made his way out, and Gargano spoke about Galloway thinking WWE and Evolve’s relationship was a bad thing. Gargano then explained that the big crowd and success of Evolve doesn’t mean that independent wrestling has been compromised. Gargano then said he was wrestling in front of 50 people at Evolve 2 while Galloway was with WWE and at Mania. It’s about time that people realize how great Evolve is and that he performers get the exposure that they are getting. Gargano then claimed that Galloway is upset because he was the chosen one in WWE and blew it. BAH GAWD GARGANO IS SHOOTING! Galloway then sucker punched and attacked Gargano, and Ethan page hit the ring to make the save and start their match.
Drew Galloway vs. Ethan Page: Page hit a suicide dive, and like every other match, we brawled on the floor. They quickly got back into the ring, and Page ran wild for a bit, just lighting up Galloway. Galloway cut him off, and after another short floor brawl, worked the heat. Galloway worked a solid, but unspectacular heat, mostly yelling at Page and flipping off the crowd. Page fought back, and after some strikes, hit a sitout sky high for a near fall. They slapped the hell out of each other and then did fists of fury into the double down. Page then hit the cutter for a near fall. Galloway hen hit a low blow behind the ref’s back, followed by the future shock for the win. This was supposed to be a heated brawl, with Page fighting for what is right (and for Gargano) against Galloway, who is the asshole that attacked Gargano. This felt lethargic and lacked that hate and energy a match like this usually has. The good news is that “the new Ethan Page” showed heart, and Galloway cemented his heel turn.
– Post match, Galloway hit another future shock DDT and told the crowd that he does this for himself, and he is doing this better than anyone else in the world. He made himself, and no one helped him. The Evolve locker room used to praise independent wrestling, but now WWE came and said jump, and the roster asked how high, and it’s pathetic. He knows he grew up in WWE, he doesn’t hate them, he hates the lacks of balls from the hypocrites in Evolve. Tomorrow, something big will happen, and it won’t be the “cruiserweight thing.” This will be on Gargano’s head. Gargano then ran out and saves Page from a third future shock DDT. Page looked for Gargano to help him up, but Gargano just left him in the ring. Sad Ethan Page is sad as he struggled to the back on his own.
– BREAKING NEWS: DREW GULAK HAS NEW BOOTS!
EVOLVE Tag Team Title Match: Champions Drew Gulak & Tracy Williams defend vs. TJ Perkins & Fred Yehi w/Stokely Hathaway: All four men are members of the Catch Point stable. Win, lose or draw here tonight, tomorrow night the partners will face off in WWE Global Cruiserweight Series qualifying matches. Since they are all gentleman and teammates, they worked a clan back and forth opening stretch, based around grappling and counter wrestling. Yehi changed the tone, using some strikes and a more aggressive style of grappling. The overall opening stretch was worked well and most importantly the work was clean. They went back and forth constantly, with impact moves and strikes sprinkled in. Both teams as sticking to their strengths right now and also feel as if they are laying the groundwork for a long match. Perkins got the hot tag, and really picked up the pace after the methodical heat on Yehi. It broke down, leading to Yehi and Perkins working double teams on Gulak and scoring a near fall with a powerbomb and frog splash combo. Some of the counter work here was very well done, selling the fact that they are teammates and know each other well. Gulak and Yehi in particular had some nice callbacks to their previous matches. They then ran into some odd timing issues in the homestretch, like seconds before the finish as Perkins and Yehi looked lost on what they wanted to do, which was unfortunate and the only off part of the match. It looked as if they were supposed to do a miscommunication spot, but had miscommunication getting to the miscommunication. Gulak made Perkins tap in what was a very good wrestling match, worked in a very different style than a traditional tag, but it was very, very enjoyable and never felt long.
– Gulak still has the Evolve World Title, and runs down Thatcher for being a poor champion. He says that Thatcher owes all of Catch Point a title match, and on August 19th, one of them will get it. Matt Riddle arrived and “came to answer the challenge or what ever.” He then took the title and said Thatcher should face the real champion when Thatcher returns. Stokely Hathaway then appeared, trying to recruit Riddle. The good brother Hathaway is stealing Catch Point from Gulak and there’s nothing he can do about it.
Chris Hero vs. Zack Sabre Jr.: The story here is that the promotion did a “Best in the world” series of matches, featuring Zack Sabre Jr. Hero took issue with this, because he’s constantly KO’d ZSJ and thinks of himself as “the best of all time.” Hero’s goal is to continue to make ZSJ his bitch, which ZSJ needs to beat Hero to lay claim to being the best. ZSJ worked his magic, doing the smoothest chain wrestling in the world and not even looking like he’s trying. While ZSJ had the pretty work down, Hero had counters to almost everything and not only would escape, but he would also work holds and basically go into ZSJ’s wheelhouse. Hero was cool working in ZSJ’s world, but really took control when he went to his striking game. He brutalized ZSJ on the floor, and then brought it back to the ring. Hero then worked holds and tried to out grapple ZSJ, which he did for a time. Great counter as hero went for the running senton and ZSJ caught him in an arm bar, which Hero sold awesomely. Hero is so good in this style of match, he gets to play the bully and does it so well, and helps who ever he faces come off as the sympathetic face. ZSJ started to make his comeback and was focused on the elbow, manipulating it in ways it should not go, and likely trying to stop that deadly elbow of Hero. ZSJ started to show great fire; calling on Hero to give him his best shots and he’d then take them and continually ask for more. The action is great as is the story being told here. ZSJ is really good, but stretches like this, where he is fighting with everything he has and mixing in a mean streak are when he comes off even better. Hero is a bully, but he’s not a pussy; he also keeps taking everything his opponent has and gives as well as he gets. ZSJ worked into the hanging kimura lock, which Hero turned into a dragon sleeper and looked to submit the grappler as an ultimate insult. Hero had time to mock the crowd as he repeatedly kicked ZSJ in he head, and then berated him and demanded, “get up boy, hey may love you, but you don’t mean shit to me.” Hero then countered a RANA into a piledriver, which ZSJ sold like death. ZSJ manages to then counter a tombstone onto a cradle for a near fall, and then hero ht the stuff piledriver for the near fall as they are mixing in callbacks to the previous matches very well here. Hero then adjusted the elbow pad and looked for another KO of ZSJ. ZSJ fought with all he had to avoid another piledriver, got the Gotch hold but ZSJ countered out and then bent Hero in half with the double arm bar and then into the pinning combo, but Hero barely escaped. ZSJ hit a German and then Tiger suplex, the soccer kick followed, but Hero was still alive and then connected with the ripcord elbow and spinning kick. SICK TOMBSTONE on ZSJ, and that was that. These two men were made to wrestle each other, and not only put together another awesome match, but played into the feud and previous matches very well. Chris Hero simply has ZSJ right now, no matter how hard or how much heart ZSJ shows. These guys can feud forever as far as I am concerned.
FUCKING NASTY PILEDRIVER BY HERO TO WIN IT. Another great match against ZSJ. #EVOLVE60 pic.twitter.com/H9nwhQ6fnV
— DTAM (@DeathToAllMarks) May 7, 2016
– ZSJ was helped to the back post match. Hero then said everyone needs to stand up… and appreciate ZSJ. ZSJ came “this close” to beating the greatest of all time. Hero says ZSJ gets under his skin, especially with that shit he does to his joints, he does bring the best out of him. Hero then thanks the fans. He then proclaimed that he was the undisputed #1 contender.
– You can order Evolve on iPPV or VOD at this link.
* End scene.
* Thanks for reading.
“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”
