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Csonka’s Evolve 73 Review 10.12.16

November 13, 2016 | Posted by Larry Csonka
Chris Hero
7.3
The 411 Rating
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Csonka’s Evolve 73 Review 10.12.16  

Csonka’s Evolve 73 Review 10.13.16

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Jaka defeated Darby Allin @ 6:45 via pin [**¾]
– Jason Kincaid defeated Icarus @ 6:20 via pin [***]
– Ethan Page defeated Chris Dickinson @ 12:45 via pin [** ½]
– Drew Gulak vs. Zack Sabre Jr@ 25:45 via submission [****]
– Chris Hero vs. Matt Riddle @ 11:11 via pin [****¼]
Evolve Tag team Title Match: Fred Yehi & Tracy Williams defeated Champions DUSTIN & Chris Hero, Tony Nese and Drew Gulak, and The Gatekeepers @ 25:20 via submission [**½]


– Lenny Leonard says there is something special planned or the tag titles later tonight. Stokley Hathaway arrives wearing the Evolve title and announces that Thatcher is out tonight due to a concussion suffered last night. Darby Allin then arrived and challenged Jaka to a match since Jaka pinned him last night.

Darby Allin vs. Jaka: Allin went for near falls early, trying to use his speed to avoid the power advantage of Jaka. They brawled to the floor where Jaka kept control and trapped Allin in the ring skirt. Jaka delivered a series of head butts as he beat down Allin in the corner. Jaka continued to beat down Allin, just bullying him around big brother style. Jaka hot-shotted Allin off the ropes as he easily kept control. Jaka countered the coffin drop with a German suplex that turned Allin inside out. Allin again went for a series of pinning combos, but Jaka fought him off and hit a spin kick to pick up the win. Jaka defeated Darby Allin @ 6:45 via pin [**¾] This was a rock solid opener, and I get that they need to get the new guy over but they invested a lot into Allin and have killed that momentum.

Icarus vs. Jason Kincaid: Icarus attacked right away, taking Kincaid to the corner and beating him down. Good aggression by Icarus early, Kincaid showed good fire as he made his comeback with a sunset flip bomb to the corner and then the coast-to-coast dropkick. Icarus cut him off with a wheelbarrow German for a near fall; Kincaid then hit a blockbuster to the floor and then a sick double stomp for the win. Jason Kincaid defeated Icarus @ 6:20 via pin [***] This was a good match with both men working well together and keeping a great pace. Kincaid is really fitting in well in Evolve.

Ethan Page w/ The Gatekeepers vs. Chris Dickinson w/Jaka : They traded side headlock takeovers, with Page getting frustrated early. Thy then went into a test of strength; Dickinson had the advantage here and took Page to his knees. Dickinson then hit a back elbow. Jaka and the Gatekeepers had a standoff as Dickinson and page brawled to the floor. Page shot Dickinson to the steps, and then back in Page took the heat, working the ribs of Dickinson. Page worked over Dickinson in the corner, continuing to work the ribs and lower back of Dickinson. Dickinson up top, but Page cut him off and slammed him to the mat. Dickinson started to fire back with rights, they traded strikes center ring and then Dickinson slammed Page to the corner. They battled up top, but Page knocked Dickinson to the floor. Dickinson back on the ropes here and scored with the RANA off the top! Dickinson then fired up and hit a series of running clotheslines and mounted corner strikes. Dickinson then hit an enziguri for 2. Page to the apron and Dickinson tried to send him to the floor, but Page hit RKEGO for 2. Dickinson fought off the package piledriver and hit the enziguri for 2. Dickinson went for a lariat, but Page hit the spinning Dwayne for the win. Ethan Page defeated Chris Dickinson @ 12:45 via pin [**½] This was fine back and forth action, but felt as if it was missing something. I kept waiting for them to really grab my attention, but it was largely flat

Drew Gulak vs. Zack Sabre Jr.: They locked up and battled around the ropes a bit, Gulak scores with a takedown and works a body lock , but ZSJ escapes almost right away. Both guys working the ground game here, with some smooth transition and escape work. Both men looking for dominant position, teasing heel hooks. ZSJ finally snatches the ankle of Gulak, but Gulak escapes and they have a standoff center ring. Gulak hits a side headlock takeover, and ties up ZSJ to stop his escape. Really basic stuff here with good counter work to make it come off more difficult looking than it is. They then traded a series of pinning combos, leading to a stalemate. Gulak worked a standing leg lock and bridge, but ZSJ countered that and took the advantage working the leg of Gulak. ZSJ then worked a grounded abdominal stretch, but Gulak got the ropes. Gulak was favoring the leg, but managed to escape the full nelson until ZSJ pulled him to the mat. ZSJ then tied up the arms, bending them in way they should not go. ZSJ again worked for a full nelson, trying to keep Gulak grounded. Gulak then tried to work the arm to escape, working the arm Page previously injured. Gulak now has control, but ZSJ worked a triangle variation to get out of that. The grappling here is really good, it has a nice flow and never felt slow as it all had a purpose. Gulak again attacks the injured arm of ZSJ. Gulak worked a cloverleaf variation, which looked slick. ZSJ looked for a heel hook to work the escape, which he got. ZSJ worked to keep the left arm away from Gulak, but Gulak managed to attack it anyway. ZSJ slipped away and looked for an arm bar. But Gulak locked in the ankle lock. ZSJ escaped and locked in the Japanese stranglehold but Gulak escaped into a chinlock with the body scissors. ZSJ then attacked the arm of Gulak, but Gulak hit a running high cross for 2. He then attacked the injured arm once again, which has constantly been his out when he gets in trouble. ZSJ kept fighting off the arm bar attempt, they worked back to the feet, ZSJ looked for a guillotine, but Gulak countered by taking it to the mat and working body strikes. Everything these two do looks so effortless, just smooth back and forth, playing off of the previous work and it all making sense. ZSJ countered a sunset flip into the bulldog sitdown, but Gulak snagged the dragon sleeper and ZSJ had to tap. Drew Gulak vs. Zack Sabre Jr@ 25:45 via submission [****] This was a beautiful technical display and everything right with the grappling style. It was smooth, clean, had purpose and never felt long. It was also great to see Gulak walk away with the win after last night’s devastating loss to Thatcher.

Chris Hero vs. Matt Riddle: Riddle is wearing trunks, it looks odd; bro has gone full von Erich. During the intro Hero kicked Riddle in the face and took the immediate heat. Grumpy , bully Chris Hero is awesome. Hero was beating down Riddle with strikes and knees until Riddle scored with a charging knee strike. Hero scored with a bicycle kick, buy Riddle then hit the German. Hero countered a running senton with the knees, and then delivered forearm strikes to the lower back. Hero is beautifully focused and relentless in his attacks, Hero then hit the running senton to add insult to injury on Riddle. Riddle tried to fife up with strikes, went for a springboard knee but Hero destroyed him with an elbow strike to send him to the floor. Hero followed to the floor to continue the attack, hitting another senton. Hero again kicked Riddle in the face, and that led to Riddle firing up with rapid-fire strikes. Riddle then hit the double knees and XPLODER, followed by a running senton. Riddle then laid in kicks to Hero’s chest. Riddle hit bro to sleep and Hero countered with the rolling elbow for the double down. Hero to his feet and laid in a series of stiff elbows, they did the tombstone reversal spot, leading to Riddle hitting the jumping tombstone, followed by hammer fists. Hero made the ropes to escape that, Hero countered the springboard knee with the elbow and short piledriver. GOTCH piledriver followed and Hero again defeated Riddle. Chris Hero vs. Matt Riddle @ 11:11 via pin [****¼] This was exactly what I wanted it to be, hard hitting intense and worked with aggression the whole way through and played well off of the previous encounters. There was no need for it to go any longer, these two work well together and the 10-15-minute window works or Riddle’s strengths.

-As Riddle was taken to the back, Drew Galloway arrived and mocked Riddle for losing and praised Hero. Galloway then said he sold his soul for his wrestling career, and that he has sacrificed to save Evolve. He claimed his war was won. DUSTIN wanted to celebrate and leave. Fred Yehi & Tracy Williams arrived and wanted their tag title rematch. Williams reminded them all that he tapped out Hero last night. DUSTIN & Chris Hero will defend the titles since Galloway isn’t cleared to perform. Hero agreed, but said he was no one’s soldier. Gulak then arrived and told Yehi and Williams that Catch point failed. He then said he and his partner wanted in on this and introduced Tony Nese.

Champions DUSTIN & Chris Hero with Drew Galloway defend vs. Tony Nese and Drew Gulak Fred Yehi & Tracy Williams vs. The Gatekeepers: This will be elimination rules. Nese and Yehi are in to begin, working basic standing switches and wristlocks, Yehi then stomped away on Nese, who fired back with kicks. DUSTIN in now, he works over Yehi for a bit, as Gulak tags in as the Gentlemen’s club collides. Gulak and Nese worked over DUSTIN in their corner, until DUSTIN raked the eyes and tagged in Hero. Hero wanted revenge on Williams, who tagged in. Hero just started to kick the shit out of Williams with strikes and knees. Williams fought back with the big boot and lariat. The Gatekeepers then hit the ring and work over Williams, Yehi in to make the save fighting off The Gatekeepers on his own. Yehi worked the foot stomps, and The Gatekeepers are in big trouble. They cut off Yehi, working the heat, using quick tags and scoring near falls. Yehi fired up and made a comeback but got caught and tossed across the ring with the sack of shit slam. The Gatekeepers cleared the ring, until Hero returned to go face to face with them. Hero laid in hard strikes and was running wild on The Gatekeepers, until they hit the double chokeslam. Darby Allin then ran in and took out a Gatekeeper, allowing DUSTIN to roll him up and to eliminate The Gatekeepers. DUSRIN then hit a dive to wipe out Williams and Nese. Hero and DUSTIN worked together to beat down Yehi. DUSTIN stopped Yehi from tagging Williams in by biting his fingers. Yehi kept trying to fire up, but constantly got cut off. Hero tried to take out Williams, but it backfired as he dropkicked Hero to the floor. Hero then pulled him to the floor and destroyed him with an elbow strike. Back in the ring, Williams fought off DUSTIN’s awful waffle. Yehi then hit suplexes on DUSTIN, he and Williams worked him over in their corner. Nese in and hits a suplex on Williams for a near fall. DUSTIN and Hero attacked Nese in their corner, but Nese fought back and that allowed Hero to accidentally elbow DUSTIN. Yehi, Gulak and Williams surrounded DUSTIN, and Williams locked in the crossface , causing DUSTIN to tap. Galloway threw a fit, pulling the ref to the floor. DUSTIN tried to stop him, Tony Nese and Drew Gulak Fred Yehi & Tracy Williams are left. Williams and Nese in as Gulak was sent to the floor. Nese and Williams up top and Williams hit the drop down into the DDT for the near fall. Michinoku driver by Nese onto Williams, but Yehi makes the save. Nese, Yehi and Williams did some nice stuff here at the end. Yehi with forearms to Nese and then the koji clutch as Nese had to tap.

Fred Yehi & Tracy Williams defeated Champions DUSTIN & Chris Hero, Tony Nese and Drew Gulak, and The Gatekeepers @ 25:20 via submission [**½] This was a disappointing main event, I appreciate them doing something with the tag titles, but this never really got going. I was waiting for a big spot where the Gatekeepers would run wild or a big breakdown spot with some rapid-fire offense or eliminations. The match was just there, seemingly existing, begging to be exciting. It was far from bad, but outside of the stuff with Catchpoint finally getting revenge, this didn’t do much for me. I am glad to see Yehi and Williams thrive and overcome, especial without Gulak’s help. But if you haven’t been watching, you had no reason to be invested in the work.

– All looked well for Catchpoint, but Gulak bailed during the celebration.

7.3
The final score: review Good
The 411
Tonight’s show was good, make sure you catch Hero vs. Riddle and Gulak vs. Zack Sabre, Jr. Evolve continues to deliver consistently good shows, showcasing familiar talent and also introducing new faces. as they have to move on with so many departing to WWE.
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