Csonka’s Evolve 91 Review 8.12.17

Csonka’s Evolve 91 Review 8.12.17

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Ethan Page defeated ACH @ 9:38 via pin [DUD]
– Darby Allin defeated Timothy Thatcher @ 10:45 via pin [***]
– EVOLVE Tag Team Championship Match: Champions James Drake & Anthony Henry defeated Fred Yehi & Jason Kincaid @ 11:27 via pin [***¾]
– Mark Haskins defeated Austin Theory @ 15:53 via submission [***]
– Chris Dickinson & Jaka defeated Travis Banks & TK Cooper @ 13:37 via pin [****]
– WWN Title Fatal Four Way: Champion Matt Riddle defeated Keith Lee, Tracy Williams, and WALTER @ 15:52 via submission [****¼]

---

– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– You can read my EVOLVE 90 review at this link.

Ethan Page vs. ACH: The “Troll Boyz” make their entrance together, but they’re facing each other tonight. Tries to sell the shirt he wore to the ring, leading to a bidding war and he sells it for $25. This leads to ACH almost being counted out. They work a banter filled back and forth, with ACH kipping up and then Page failing to kip up and ACH having to help him. ACH then does some random backflips and hits a springboard cutter. Page hits a spinebuster, looks for the people’s elbow and connects, covering for 2. ACH fights off the rock bottom and more comedy ensues. Page is staggered, and they end up in a double down. They then trade strikes, and both get upset when they start hitting too hard. ACH slaps Page all over, tries to pick his pocket, and then bag tags Page. ACH finger pokes page, but he kicks out at 1. page hits a tombstone, ACH no sells but then falls down. They hug it out, page teases a rainmaker and ACH falls down before it can connect, and page pins him. Ethan Page defeated ACH @ 9:38 via pin [DUD] I think this is supposed to be some funny commentary/mockery of strong style or overly spotty wrestling. I found it tedious to sit through; it’s just not my cup of tea. There’s an audience for this, but I’m not it. The best thing about this was the utter distain from Lenny Leonard on commentary.

Timothy Thatcher w/Stokely Hathaway vs. Darby Allin: This is a rematch from EVOLVE 89, where Thatcher won. Thatcher quickly tosses Allin to the floor, because Thatcher doesn’t think Allin belongs in his ring. Alin makes it back in, only to wipe out Hathaway with a suicide dive. That was completely uncalled for. Allin keeps Thatcher on the floor, but he makes it back in and is sent back to the floor, and Allin hits the coffin drop. This leads to brawling on the floor, and then to the apron. Thatcher attacks the previously injured arm, using a hammerlock slam on the floor. Back in and Thatcher hits a series of gut wrench suplexes, covering for 2. He follows with knee strikes to the ribs, and then works the arm as he delivers more knee strikes. Allin tries to fight to his feet, but Thatcher cuts him off with a sleeper. Allin hits a jawbreaker, but springboards into another sleeper. Allin escapes the German, hits a springboard high cross but Thatcher rolls into the arm bar; Allin makes the ropes. Allin heads up top, Thatcher cuts him off and Hathaway slides a chair in and orders Thatcher to end Allin. Allin hits the coffin drop as Thatcher took too much time thinking about the chair and using it. Alin starts to attack the leg, hits a code red but Thatcher kicks out. Allin locks in the Gibson lock and pins Thatcher. Darby Allin defeated Timothy Thatcher @ 10:45 via pin [***] This was a good match with an invested crowd and a good story of Allin having to overcome the superior wrestler, playing the underdog role well and picking up a huge win.

– The crowd is already way better for this show than last night’s event.

– WALTER appears in the entranceway, he is not leased that his stablemate (they team in Europe as Ringkampf) lost his match. Thatcher then tells Hathaway he has to leave, and they hug it out. Is this the end for Thatcher in EVOLVE?

EVOLVE Tag Team Championship Match: Champions James Drake & Anthony Henry vs. Fred Yehi & Jason Kincaid: The champions attack at the bell, working over Kincaid. Ethan Page and ACH take over on commentary. Kincaid battles back, but Henry cuts him off and hits a buckle bomb, but Yehi makes the save. Kincaid then counters out, hitting a double stomp and tagging in Yehi. Henry and Yehi trade a vicious series of strikes, Yehi then works the stomps and runs wild with chops and a double stomp. Yehi takes Drake to the floor and he and work double teams on Henry. Drake drags Henry to their corner, tags in and he takes control, hitting a shining wizard on Kincaid for 2. Kincaid picks up the pace, he and Yehi work double teams and Kincaid connects with a double stomp. Yehi in, working over Drake with chops. Henry tags in, they cut off Yehi hitting an AA into a powerbomb. Henry then lays in a series of kicks, but Yehi hits the snapdragon on Henry and a German on Drake. Kincaid tags in, hits a double stomp on Henry but Henry cuts him off with a leg sweep and kick to the chest. Kincaid cuts of the suicide dive into a cutter on the apron. Bodies spill to the floor and Drake hits a big lad dive to wipe everyone out. Henry up top and Kincaid manages to cut him off, they battle up top and Kincaid sunset bombs Henry off the top onto Yehi and Drake! Back in and Kincaid hits the double stomp off the top for a really good near fall. Henry hits a springboard Spanish fly, the double stomp and Drake hits the big moonsault for the win. Champions James Drake & Anthony Henry defeated Fred Yehi & Jason Kincaid @ 11:27 via pin [***¾] This was a VERY good match, as the champions seem to begetting better with each outing. They worked a great pace, it was a ton of fun, and the hot crowd only added to things. Page and ACH were amusing on commentary, but I think it was a mistake to have them do it because Lenny Leonard would have added so much more to the match.

Mark Haskins vs. Austin Theory w/Priscilla Kelly: Austin Theory looks like Baron Corbin’s smaller, but in better shape, brother. Haskins looks to ground the action, but Theory lays in the strikes so he changes plans and hits a running knee strike. Theory then hits a corner dropkick, sends Theory to the floor and follows with a suicide dive. Haskins lay in the chops, back in they go and he hits a running double stomp for 2. Theory counters the kicks of Haskins, crotching him in the ropes and kicking the ropes into his balls. The brainbuster follows, and then a clothesline for 2. Theory takes the heat here, grounding Haskins and doing so while talking shit and being a dick about it. Theory takes the back, working a sleeper, and then laying in some ground and pound. Theory follows with knee strikes, and back to the chinlock he goes. Haskins tries to fire up but eats a forearm strike. The heat is starting to drag here, Theory’s control is fine but feels very one-dimensional. Haskins finally fires up with kicks and corner elbows. Theory trips him up and misses the standing moonsault. Haskins licked in the arm bar, but Theory made the ropes. The crowd is really into Haskins, but Theory catches him with the rolling dropkick, hits another but Haskins counters into a Michinoku driver for 2. Haskins then locks in the arm bar, transitions to the crossface and Theory makes the ropes. Theory counters the kicks and then pulls Haskins up and hits a rack bomb for the near fall. Theory hits the buckle bomb, and follows with the half nelson back breaker covering for 2. Gabe is peeping out the action from the entranceway. Theory lays the boots to Haskins, the ref gets distracted by Theory, and Kelly in and hits a cutter. Theory hits a neck breaker, but Haskins survived. They work to the apron, but Haskins fights him off and hits an apron DVD; both men are down. Kelly distracts Haskins, but the hits a dive off the apron onto Theory. Back in and Haskins hits superkicks and locks in the sharpshooter for the win. Mark Haskins defeated Austin Theory @ 15:53 via submission [***] This was a good match that peaked a bit too early and went a big too long. Had they gone home a bit sooner, and cut out the stuff with Kelly, I feel it is a much stronger match. Overall this was another good and strong performance for Theory.

Chris Dickinson & Jaka vs. Travis Banks & TK Cooper w/Dahlia Black: This is a rematch of a great match from WrestleMania weekend. Jaka and Dickinson attack before the bell, but Banks and Cooper quickly fire back and send their attack to he floor. Banks then hits a series of dives, Cooper up top but Dickinson cuts him off and he does the super deal with the super falcon arrow! Jaka and Dickinson take the heat on Cooper, isolating him in their corner and working quick tags. Good heat by Jaka and Dickinson, they keep the action moving well and don’t allow things to drag. Cooper avoids a Jaka dropkick, which accidentally sends Dickinson to the floor. Hot tag to banks, he runs wild and more miscommunication from Jaka & Dickinson allows Banks to keep rolling. Dickinson and Cooper battle up top and Cooper hits a superplex but Jaka immediately hits a double stomp, Banks in and we end up with everyone down. It breaks down into the big move buffet, Jaka eats a superkick and it breaks down into a superkick party, and we then do a quad down. Dickinson is the first to his feet and lays in chops, but he gets cut off with a series of kicks and a fisherman bomb. Dickinson counters the springboard 450 with knee, and that allow she and Jaka to take back over, working double teams and scoring a near fall. Banks and cooper avoid the death trap, Dickinson dumped to the floor and Jaka eats double stomp/Omori driver combo for a great near fall. They then light up Jaka with repeated kicks, Jaka with a great fire up spot and hits a double chokeslam! Dickinson back in and Jaka hits a powerbomb, but Cooper dumps him to the floor and Black now distracts Dickinson. Dickinson attacks, but Cooper makes the save but gets ran into Black and she flies to the floor. Total elimination by Dickinson and Jaka. The DEATH TRAP hits and that’s that. Chris Dickinson & Jaka defeated Travis Banks & TK Cooper @ 13:37 via pin [****] This was a great match, just a notch below their Mania weekend match, but the best thing on the show so far. The stuff with Black at the end really wasn’t needed and added nothing to the match. Banks and Cooper can come back anytime they want as far as I am concerned. Lenny Leonard was great on the call here, adding a lot to the match.

WWN Title Fatal Four Way: Champion Matt Riddle vs. Keith Lee vs. Tracy Williams vs. WALTER: After getting no love last night, WALTER is rather over tonight, which is good to see. This is one fall to a finish. Lee and WALTER face of to begin, but Riddle and Williams attack and break that up and we have a big brawl. Lee and face off again, that gets broken up as WALTER and Riddle pair off, while Williams works over Lee. Williams and Riddle reluctantly work together to beat on WALTER. Lee puts a stop to that, but Williams and Riddle turn their attention to him and Lee gets sent to the floor. Riddle and Riddle battle now, Williams works an ankle lock but WALTER is back and takes control, Lee rolls in and v wants to war with the fellow big lad. They start running into each other like a pair of bulls, Riddle and Williams try to ruin the party again, but the big lads fight them off and start trading suplexes and strikes. THIS IS AN OFFICIALLY SANCTIONED HOSS BATTLE! They finally take each other down, and Riddle and Williams return, firing up and trading strikes and kicks. They battle up top, Williams hits the buckle DDT and follows with a Saito suplex 2. Riddle battles back, hitting the fisherman buster for 2. Lee and WALTER make their way back in, Riddle lock in a triangle on WALTER, and Williams gets the crossface on Lee. WALTER then powerbombs Riddle onto Williams to break both submissions. They all make it to their feet, and everyone is hitting everyone with big time strikes. Williams gets taken down, Riddle lays in chops on the big lads, and all three are simply lighting each other up. Riddle now works kicks, drops WALTER with a head kick but he fires up but Lee Germans both WALTER and Riddle; Williams hits a brainbuster on Riddle for a near fall, but Lee pounces him to the floor! WALTER locks in the choke on lee, but Riddle hits a top rope senton to break it up, allowing Williams to lock on the crossface. WALTER makes the save and Riddle lays in the elbows and is fucking up WALTER’s word. Lee makes the save, but Riddle drags him down and lays in elbows. Williams in to breaks that up, piledrives Riddle for a near fall and applies the crossface, but Riddle counters into the bromission! Williams has to tap. Champion Matt Riddle defeated Keith Lee, Tracy Williams, and WALTER @ 15:52 via submission [****¼] This was a great match with a great atmosphere in the ring and from the crowd. They did a great job of making Lee and WALTER’s interactions feel really important while paying attention to the previously existing issues with Riddle and Williams. Williams took the role of the opportunistic asshole, constantly ruining everyone’s chance to win and also picking up some great near falls, especially down the stretch, and he kept trying to end Riddle’s title run by picking the bones after other’s had done the hard work. Riddle defeated Williams to retain, submitting him and possibly ending their feud. Keith Lee lost, but didn’t take the fall and was protected. But you can see that his happy go lucky façade is slowly cracking, and he was reluctant to give his buddy Riddle the fist bump at the end. The big man is about to snap, and a pissed off and unhinged Keith Lee will be a glorious death machine

– Riddle and Lee share a reluctant fist bump; Lee is pissed about the loss. He’s going to snap on Riddle soon and kill him and it will be glorious.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.8

The final score: review Good

The 411

Tonight’s show was a good rebound from EVOLVE 90, which I expected after the solid but unspectacular show the night before. Outside of the opener, which just wasn’t for me, EVOLVE 91 was a highly enjoyable event, with the tag title match, Chris Dickinson & Jaka vs. Travis Banks & TK Cooper and the main event all worth your time.