Csonka’s EVOLVE 113 Review

Csonka’s EVOLVE 112 Review

– Anthony Henry defeated Façade, Harlem Bravado, Jon Davis, Josh Briggs, and Jason Kincaid @ 15:40 via pin [****]
– Non-Title Match: JD Drake defeated WWN Champion Joey Janela @ 13:40 via pin [***¾]
– Chris Dickinson defeated Stokely Hathaway @ 0:30 via pin [NR]
– EVOLVE Tag Team Championship Match: Champions Chris Dickinson & Jaka defeated Alanis & Ruff @ 7:30 via pin [***]
– Austin Theory defeated AR Fox @ 13:50 via pin [****¼]
– EVOLVE Championship Match: Champion Shane Strickland defeated Tracy Williams @ 20:56 via submission [****]

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Façade vs. Harlem Bravado vs. Jon Davis vs. Josh Briggs vs. Anthony Henry vs. Jason Kincaid: This is one fall to a finish. Henry and Kincaid start us off, they work into some back and forth and then into a standoff. Kincaid picks up the pace, and hits the lucha arm drag and he and double team Henry. Bravado in and hits the blockbuster on Kincaid. Façade in and he follows with kicks and the corner dropkick. Façade follows with a springboard bulldog and Davis is in and lays in strikes on Façade. Davis catches the Façade moonsault and follows with a back breaker. Briggs is in and HOSS FIIIIGHT time! They go crazy fists right away, Briggs connects with a knee strike and that gets 2. Kincaid and Façade attack Briggs but he easily cuts them off. It breaks down, so Briggs goes back after Davis and Davis cuts him off with a suplex and big boot. The powerslam to Henry follows. Davis now lays in chops, but Henry hits an enziguri and DDT. Henry takes out Bravado on the floor and then Kincaid. He then double stomps Davis on the floor. Bravado cuts him off and Briggs is back and gets dumped and Bravado follows with a tope. Kincaid then wipes him out with a dive and now Façade follows with a steep up dive. Back in and Henry flies in, caught by Davis and he powerbombs him to the floor onto the pile. Briggs cuts off Davis with the F5 and that gets 2. Back in and we get a tower of doom. Bravado has seemingly hurt his knee. Davis and Briggs back in and Davis hits the powerbomb and German, the big lariat follows for 2 as the others make the save. Kincaid and Façade double team Davis, and Façade hits the destroyer for 2. They cut of Bravado, but Bravado suplexes Kincaid into Façade and hits straight cash homie for 2. Henry in and cuts him off, hits the brain buster but Briggs is back and hits F5 but Davis makes the save. They trade strikes center ring as the others brawl. Briggs and Davis take each other to the floor. Façade goes coast to coast and Henry hits a double stomp on Kincaid for the win. Anthony Henry defeated Façade, Harlem Bravado, Jon Davis, Josh Briggs, and Jason Kincaid @ 15:40 via pin [****] This was a great opener, and one they needed after last night’s show. Everyone got a chance to shine while the Briggs & Davis dynamic was the common thread ahead of their final battle. The Kincaid & Façade pairing is also a lot of fun; the right man won here.

Non-Title Match: WWN Champion Joey Janela with Penelope Ford vs. JD Drake: Drake overpowers Janela early on, tossing the champion around with ease. They trade shoulder tackles, but Janela is basically running into a wall and then a dropkick from Drake. Janela finally cuts off Drake, takes him to the floor and follows with a lariat from the apron. Janela lays in chops, but Drake is not impressed. They trade on the floor and Drake cuts him off with a big right and back in, covers for 2. Janela fires back as Drake challenges him to keep throwing. Drake absorbs the strikes and lights up Janela, and the champion is down. Drake follows with a sitout slam for 2. He continues to brutalize Janela with chops and they work up top, Janela follows and Drake shoves him away but Janela pops back up and hits the RANA. The superkick follows for 1. Another superkick follows and Drake kicks out. The crowd is into this, cheering both. Janela up top and rolls through on the double stomp and eats a lariat and shining wizard, and Drake covers for 2. They work to the apron, trading strikes, and Drake hits an apron German and both spill to the floor. They work back in and Drake covers for 2. Drake follows with the bog boy senton for 2. Drake misses the Vader bomb and Janela hits the rolling elbow and DVD for a good near fall. Drake to the floor and Janela follows with a suicide dive. Ford up top and wipes out Drake with a cannonball. Janela hits another suicide dive and rolls Drake back in. Janela back in and runs into a boot and leg lariat from Drake but Drake can’t follow up. Drake up top, Ford distracts him Janela looks for a powerbomb but Drake hits a RANA. He then runs Janela into Ford, drill bit by Drake and he heads up top and the moonsault connects and Drake wins! JD Drake defeated WWN Champion Joey Janela @ 13:40 via pin [***¾] This was a very good match, and a huge win for Drake, one that he needed. The thing I didn’t like was the stuff with Ford, which has become a regular thing as of late, and I’m not a fan, because it isn’t needed.

– Stokely Hathaway arrives and begs for a job. Dickinson & Jaka arrive. Dickinson tells Hathaway says he cannot manage them anymore but says Hathaway can be a wrestler and face Dickinson tonight.

Chris Dickinson vs. Stokely Hathaway: Hathaway is in his suit and Dickinson attacks, hits the pazzuzu bomb almost killing Hathaway and pins him. Chris Dickinson defeated Stokely Hathaway @ 0:30 via pin [NR] Squash.

EVOLVE Tag Team Championship Match: Champions Chris Dickinson & Jaka vs. Alanis & Ruff: The champions attack before the bell and isolate Ruff, tossing him around. Ruff tries to fire back, and follows with the springboard into a RANA. Dickinson cuts him off and Jaka joins in and they beat down Ruff. Jaka lays in knee strikes and chops, and then hits an XPLODER. The powerbomb follows for 2. Dickinson tags in and beats down Ruff and then tags Jaka back in who kicks Alanis to the floor. Ruff keeps fighting and surviving, and hits a desperation DDT. Alanis gets the hot tag and runs wild on Dickinson. The spinebuster connects for 2. he follows with strikes, Ruff returns and they work double teams but Jaka cuts off Alanis. Dickinson takes out Ruff, but Alanis is back and hits the powerslam on Dickinson for 2. Ruff tags back in and they take Dickinson up top. Jaka returns and powerbombs Alanis and Dickinson hits the super pazzuzu bomb on Ruff. Jaka hits the top rope splash for the win. Champions Chris Dickinson & Jaka defeated Alanis & Ruff @ 7:30 via pin [***] This was a good match with the Skulk playing great babyfaces before falling to the champions. But it felt like a missed chance for a title change.

– Austin Theory & Pricilla Kelly arrive and mocks the Skulk for their loss. He promises to beat Fox here in their match.

AR Fox w/The Skulk vs. Austin Theory w/Priscilla Kelly: Theory powders to the floor, bitches at the Skulk and Fox takes him out with a pair of dives. Back in and Fox unloads with chops and strikes. Theory now fights back and tosses Fox to the buckles. Fox battles back with an enziguri and cannonball. Theory tries to crotch Fox, but Fox counters and Theory stuns him off the ropes. To the floor they go, Theory lays in chops and then rolls Fox back in, covering for 2. Theory lays in strikes and follows with a suplex for 2. Theory maintains control, catapulting Fox under the ropes and then grounds the action. He stomps away at Fox, but the standing moonsault eats knees. Fox fires up with strikes, but Theory cuts him off and covers for 2 with his feet on the ropes. Theory grounds things again, but Fox hits a jawbreaker and springboard cutter. Fox follows with strikes, and then ground and pound. Sling blade follows, Fox up top and the senton connects for 2. They work into counters, Theory hits the buckle bomb and the 2k1 neck breaker for 2. Theory looks to end it, but Fox counters ataxia and hits lo mein pain for a good near fall. Fox back up top and the 450 eats knees and Theory cradles him for 2. Theory to the apron and then hits the rolling thunder dropkick but Fox rebounds off the ropes with a basement dropkick. The trade strikes, Fox hits an enziguri but Theory counters the cannonball into a buckle bomb only for Fox to rebound out with meteora. Theory begs off, Fox is conflicted, the crowd is into this big time. Fox fucks up his day with a series of kicks, but Theory catches him and tosses him over the top and onto the Skulk. Theory rolls him back in and Fox rolls him up for 2. Theory now hits ataxia and pins his teacher. Austin Theory defeated AR Fox @ 13:50 via pin [****¼] This was a great match. The pacing was excellent, the crowd was into it big time, and they played the student vs. teacher dynamic well. And that was really the key here. The wrestling was really great, but Fox going from reluctant attacker to doing what he felt he needed to do played well and Theory was a great asshole throughout. The main theme was that Fox didn’t want to be doing this match, as he still sees Theory as one of his kids/students, and near the end that cost him as he was controlling and Theory begged off and asked for forgiveness. These are the kinds of performances that Theory needs. Also, AR Fox, really good at the pro wrestling thing. He makes so many things look effortless.

– Post match, Theory says he surpassed the teacher, and tells Kelly to get out of his spotlight and hold his championship Darby Allin arrives and takes out Theory. Theory grabs his title and leaves Kelly alone.

EVOLVE Championship Match: Champion Shane Strickland vs. Tracy Williams: They immediately work into some grappling, with Williams looking to work the legs on the champion. Williams is easily outwrestling Strickland, and the frustrated champion finally makes the ropes. Williams now lights him up with chops, and follows with a suplex for 2. Williams continues to land suplexes, and again, grounds the action, back to working the legs. Strickland finally fights to his feet and fires away with a superkick. They work up top and battle for position. Strickland drops down, gets Williams into the tree of WHOA and the double stomp follows for 2. Strickland follows with kicks, but Williams answers back with chops and an abdominal stretch. Strickland escapes and catches him with a basement dropkick for 2. Strickland now takes control, breaking down Williams with chops, but Williams fires up and takes him down and into the half crab and then transitions into the STF. Strickland fights back, taking Williams to the corner, and then catches him with an enziguri. Strickland follows him up top and Williams hits the DDT to the buckles and missile dropkick. They work back up top, and Williams hits the superplex for 2. They work into a series of counters, 619 by Strickland but Williams cuts him off with strikes. They trade, Strickland kits kicks and the cutter for 2. Strickland follows with knee strikes and an XPLODER for 2. Strickland follows with chops and kicks, but Williams catches him with a lariat and DVD for 2. Williams takes Strickland up top and looks for a superplex, Strickland fights and knocks Williams into the tree of WHOA but William slips out and heads back up top and HITS A SUPER PILEDRIVER and Strickland somehow kicks out! Williams gets the crossface, Strickland fights, but Williams cranks on it as Strickland barely makes the ropes. Strickland to the apron, lays in strikes and sunset flips in and then dumps Williams. Strickland follows with an apron PK and drapes Williams over the barricade and follows with an apron double stomp. Back in, Strickland up top and the double stomp connects and Strickland only gets 2. Strickland is pissed and starts attacking the injured arm of Williams, takes off the brace, and does the arm break spot. Strickland mockingly holds up the shoulder brace, Williams tries to fight back with one arm. Strickland now locks on the arm bar and Williams taps. Champion Shane Strickland defeated Tracy Williams @ 20:56 via submission [****] This was an overall great main event, that did a tremendous job of keeping Strickland look strong as champion, but also made Williams look like a real threat to the championship. While they didn’t do anything overly spectacular, everything worked, had a purpose, and they had the crowd locked in the entire time, believing Williams and the possible title change.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

8.5

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

The one thing about EVOLVE historically is that when they have a down show, they tend to rebound and recover with a great show the next night and that’s what happened here. Where EVOLVE 112 failed, EVOLVE 113 thrived. EVOLVE 112 felt long, lacked energy, and the usual high-level in-ring work was missing from the show. EVOLVE 113 went back to a truncated format, delivering five matches (minus the squash), that were all good to great. The energy level was off the charts and this felt like the EVOLVE shows that we have been getting most of the year. Everything came off well, Briggs & Davis continues, Drake has a WWN Title shot coming, the tag champions continue to roll, Theory beat Fox but that feels far from over at this time, plus we look to go back to the uncompleted Allin vs. Theory feud, and Strickland had a great title defense and he rolls on as one of the company’s main players. The show flew by at under two-hours and gets an easy recommendation from me; it was a great event.