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Csonka Reviews Free EVOLVE Matches With Matt Riddle, WALTER, & More

November 11, 2017 | Posted by Larry Csonka
evolve keith lee matt riddle
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Csonka Reviews Free EVOLVE Matches With Matt Riddle, WALTER, & More  

OFFICIAL RESULTS
From EVOLVE 90: Champion WALTER defeated Fred Yehi @ 15:08 via submission [***¾]
From EVOLVE 74: Jeff Cobb defeated Matt Riddle @ 9:15 via pin [***½]
From EVOLVE 87: Champion Matt Riddle defeated Keith Lee @ 14:56 via pin [****½]


PROGRESS Atlas Championship: Champion WALTER vs. Fred Yehi: WALTER makes his EVOLVE debut and defends the PROGRESS Atlas Championship (the big lads belt) for the first time in the Baltimore area; he’s a great big lad and I had called for him to work EVOLVE this year, so I am glad to see it happening. Yehi has had a great year, but is still underrated by many who haven’t had the chance to really dig into his work. They work the power vs. speed battle early, with WALTER controlling with ease. WALTER plays monster until he misses an elbow drop, allowing Yehi to work stomps and a basement dropkick. Yehi picks apart the legs of WALTER, grounding him and finally putting some sustained offense together. WALTER gets pissed, fires up and drops Yehi with a big boot, sending him to the floor. The fight goes to the floor with WALTER laying in big time chops. Yehi goes back to the attack on the knee, stomps on WALTER’s hand on the steps but then gets slammed onto the apron. Back in the ring and every time Yehi tries to fire up, WALTER cuts him off with strikes or power moves. WALTER takes Yehi down again, and follows with a big lad senton and that gets 2. Yehi hits the up kicks to the chest, and finally stops the assault of WALTER and takes him down. WALTER is back up, works a sleeper and then transitions into a series of suplexes, which gets him a near fall. Yehi escapes the powerbomb, hits a standing double stomp and then another. Yehi then hits the dead lift German for a near fall. WALTER fights off the koji clutch, they trade chops and Yehi attacks the arm but WALTER kicks out the leg and hits the powerbomb and press for a near fall. WALTER back to the sleeper, Yehi fights but drops to a knee. Yehi fights back to his feet and slams WALTER to the corner and sets him up top. He follows, but WALTER head butts him; Yehi hits the up kicks as he hangs off the ropes and hits a huge superplex for a near fall. Yehi transitions into the koji clutch, but WALTER powers out and hits another powerbomb. The running boot and German follows. The lariat gets a near fall for WALTER. WALTER locks in the choke sleeper and Yehi is done. Champion WALTER defeated Fred Yehi @ 15:08 via submission [***¾] This was a very good match that thrived off of its simplicity. It was the resilience of Yehi trying to overcome the monster WALTER. The crowd was rough early but they did a good job of getting them invested by the end. This was a good EVOLVE debut for WALTER, who looked like a legit beast. WALTER is a really special dude who everyone needs to make more time for.

Matt Riddle vs. Jeff Cobb: Cobb is likely better known to many as “The Monster Matanza Cueto” in Lucha Underground. Riddle has a hell of a head of cabbage going these days. These two have worked on PWG & AAW to rave reviews. They did some basic back and forth, and then worked into grappling. Riddle got a takedown that surprised Cobb, Cobb then rag dolled Riddle a bit, but Riddle rolled for an arm bar try to cut off Cobb. Cob was an Olympic wrestler for Guam in 2004. Riddle then worked knee strikes and kicks, slowing the big man down and taking control with forearms. XLPLODER by Riddle, and then the standing senton follows for 2. Cobb finally caught a kick and suplexed Riddle across the ring. Big forearms by Cobb followed, more throws by Cobb followed and then a head butt. Snap suplex by Cobb gets 2, he then hits a dead lift gut wrench throw. Riddle then fired up with strikes and kicks, bro to sleep by Riddle into the jumping tombstone for the near fall. Hammer fists by Riddle into the bro mission, but Cobb rolls out, Riddle takes his back but Cobb slams him to the corner, and hits the tour of the islands for the surprising win. Jeff Cobb defeated Matt Riddle @ 9:15 via pin [***½] That was a very good match, with the surprising finish and also delivering a different Riddle match, in a good way, taking Riddle out of his comfort zone.

WWN Championship Match: Champion Matt Riddle vs. Keith Lee: The crowd is into both guys here, chanting for both as they stand off to begin and share a fist bump. We’re friends to begin, or so it seems, as they start to beat the hell out of each other. They wok to the corner, Riddle lays in knee strikes and running forearms. Lee catches him but Riddle escapes, laying in kicks but lee then hits an overhead belly-to-belly toss into the corner. Lee then works clubbing strikes, beating Riddle down. Lee then flings Riddle across the ring, hits a head butt and then slaps around Riddle. Big chops by Lee follow, Riddle tries to fire up with strikes but lee drops him with a big right and follows with a slam, covering for 2. Riddle then hits rapid-fire strikes, counters the German and hits a superman punch and then hits a dead lift gut wrench suplex. Lee fights out of a second, and hits a big right, covering for 2. Riddle fights back with chops and rights, Lee hits him with a head butt but Riddle counters and hits bro to sleep, a German and that gets 2. Riddle hits the running senton, covering for 2. Riddle follows with kicks to Lee, more chops follow but lee hits a big spinebuster and then destroys him with a pounce for 2. Lee teased the powerbomb, but Riddle countered with a guillotine, transitioned to a neck crank, knee strikes and the fisherman’s buster followed for a good near fall. Riddle follows with four running sentons, covering for 2 again. Riddle is desperate to put Lee away, hits a PK and covers again for 2. Lee catches a senton and HITS THE SPIRIT BOMB and Riddle just BARELY beats the count. Riddle fires up with strikes, but lee starts to destroy him with forearms, but runs into a bro to sleep, but Lee fires the fuck up and they trade forearms, throwing bombs and Lee hits a toss into a rolling elbow. Riddle is fired up and they continue to beat the shit out of each other, big time strikes here from both men but Riddle hits a knee strike, Lee hits a big head butt and they both collapse, with Riddle landing on Lee and getting the cover for 3. Champion Matt Riddle defeated Keith Lee @ 14:56 via pin [****½] The finish saw Lee collapse from sheer exhaustion after hitting the head butt, with Riddle luckily landing on top after an absolutely great war. This was an excellent main event match, with Riddle surviving, but not being able to put away Lee even with his best stuff. They worked an excellent, hard-hitting match that never felt slow, and stayed in that 10-15 minute window that Riddle thrives in. While Riddle did pick up the win, he didn’t dominate or finish Lee like he does most opponents, protecting Lee and allowing them to easily set up another match down the line; which they did.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

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“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

8.0
The final score: review Very Good
The 411
This was an overall great set of matches; Riddle vs. Lee is must see, and Yehi vs. WALTER is extremely fun and are two guys you should be following.
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