Csonka’s EVOLVE 97 iPPV Review

Csonka’s EVOLVE 97 iPPV Review

– Prelim Match: Dominic Garrini defeated Craig Mitchell @ 1:20 via submission [NR]
– Prelim Match: Matt Knicks and Stevie Fierce defeated Brandon Watts and Stephen Wolf @ 8:15 via pin [**]
– Prelim Match: Jarek 1:20 vs. Jason Kincaid went to a 10-minute draw [***]
– Anthony Henry and James Drake defeated Kyle the Beast and Shane Mercer @ 10:10 via pin [***½]
– AR Fox defeated DJZ @ 11:07 via pin [***]
– Non-Title Match: Darby Allin defeated WWN Champion Keith Lee and Tracy Williams @ 10:15 via pin to earn the right to any match of his choosing in 2018 [***]
– FIP Title match: Austin Theory defeated Champion Fred Yehi @ 16:06 via pin to win the FIP title [***½]
– No Rope Breaks Match Matt Riddle defeated WALTER @ 10:00 via referee stoppage [****]
– EVOLVE Title Match: Champion Zack Sabre, Jr. defeated Jaka @ 18:13 via submission [****¼]

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This is the new format of EVOLVE, which will feature three “prelim bouts,” (with 10-minute time limits) testing out new talent that hope to make it to the main cards down the line; similar to UFC prelims and main show structure. Going forward, the shows will be structured with three prelims, three main bouts, an intermission, and then the three headlining bouts.

– Follow all of my reviews at this link.

– You can read my EVOLVE 96 review at this link.

Dominic Garrini vs. Craig Mitchell: Garrini quickly takes it to the ground, and looks for an arm bar. Mitchell escapes, takes Garrini don and hits a basement dropkick. The standing moonsault follows, but Garrini snatches him in a rear naked choke and then into he arm bar for the win. Dominic Garrini defeated Craig Mitchell @ 1:20 via submission [NR] Garrini goes 2-0 on the weekend prelims, winning a good match the night before and getting a quick and dominating win here. This is how you use these prelims to move a guy up to the featured card.

– The End then arrived and attacked both men. I was not a fan of Garrini getting destroyed after his win at all.

Matt Knicks and Stevie Fierce vs. Brandon Watts and Stephen Wolf: We get some basic back and forth to begin, with Fierce showboating and allowing Wolf to fight back. Wolf the slipped on the lucha arm drag, and Watts tags in, picking up the pace. The top rope cannonball follows for 2. Quick tags follow, Wolf and Watts work double teams and a cover gets 2. Fierce pulls Wolf to the floor and slams him to the apron. Knicks and Fierce take control, working double teams and picking up near falls. They isolate Wolf, but he hits a desperation RANA and enziguri. Wholesale changes to Watts and Knicks, Watts runs wild, hitting a tornado DDT for 2. Watts and Wolf then work over Fierce, Wolf hits a code breaker, tags in Watts who sorta hits a top rope leg drop for 2. Wolf back in, but gets run into Watts. Fierce cuts off Wolf with a double stomp and he and Knicks hit a double team unprettier for the win. Matt Knicks and Stevie Fierce defeated Brandon Watts and Stephen Wolf @ 8:15 via pin [**] This was ok, but largely felt disjointed and never fully locked in. They tried and it wasn’t bad, but I just couldn’t get into it.

Jarek 1:20 vs. Jason Kincaid: Kincaid took a loss at EVOLVE 96 and was demoted to the prelims, while Jarek is coming off of a victory on the prelims of the same show and is looking for a win here to make it to the main card; it’s a good use of the concept. They work some basic back and forth, pick up the pace and it ends in a stand off. Kincaid starts to show frustration, despite his general Zen nature, and starts to take control. The sunset bomb to the corner follows and then a coast-to-coast dropkick sends Jarek to the floor. Jarek’s valet, Candy Cartwright distracts Kincaid and Jarek posts him and takes control on the floor. Back in the ring and Kincaid fires back but runs into an enziguri. Kincaid again fires up, misses a charge and spills to the floor. Jarek looks for a countout, Kincaid makes it back in and he lays the boots to him and covers for 2. Jarek up top, but Kincaid press slams him to the mat. Kincaid follows with strikes and kicks, trips him up and hits a springboard forearm to the apron. Kincaid hits a cutter back in the ring, covering for 2. Kincaid then slingshots in, but right into a cutter and that gets 2. They work into a series of counters, Kincaid gets a cradle for 2 and transitions into a cross face, and then an ankle lock. The double stomp follows and time expires as Kincaid locks in the compassionate release. Jarek 1:20 vs. Jason Kincaid went to a 10-minute draw [***] I love the use of the draw here, it allows Jarek to maintain some momentum against a main roster regular, and also plays into Kincaid’s story, which is that he is not focused and cannot put together a string of wins, despite putting in good performances. This was good overall and severed it’s purpose.

Anthony Henry and James Drake vs. KTB (Kyle the Beast) and Shane Mercer: Anthony Henry and James Drake are former EVOLVE tag team champions, while KTB and Shane Mercer won on the EVOLVE 96 prelims. Mercer looked really impressive. Henry and KTB start things off. KTB overpowers him to begin, leading to Henry looking to ground the action. Henry picks up the pace, but KTB hits a powerslam for 2. Mercer tags in, double teams follow and the cover gets 2. Mercer and KTB work quick tags, isolating Henry. Henry counters out and gets the tag to Drake. The lariat follows and then a dropkick. Henry tags back in, double teams follow and Henry covers for 2. He lays in kicks and Strikes, Drake back in and he delivers chops. The sliding lariat follows for 2. Drake just hosses around here, beating on Mercer, and then covering for 2. Henry tags back in, but mercer cuts him off with a pop up powerslam and KTB gets the tag. Drake in as well, they exchange chops and KTB follows with an atomic drop and splash for 2. They exchange strikes and it breaks down. Henry up top and misses the double stomp, KTB then hits a double jump moonsault press and takes out both men. Hot tag to Mercer, but he runs into double superkicks and Drake up top, gets cut off and Mercer press slams him to the mat. Henry takes out KTB, hits a high cross, Mercer rolls through, takes him up top and the moonsault slam connects for 2 as Drake makes the save. It breaks down again, Drake fights both off and he and Henry work double teams. Henry up top and hits the double stomp, takes out KTB and Drake finishes with the moonsault. Anthony Henry and James Drake defeated Kyle the Beast and Shane Mercer @ 10:10 via pin [***½] This was an overall very good tag match, with Drake & Henry getting some momentum back and mercer again impressing. This was a lot of fun.

AR Fox vs. DJZ: Fox is accompanied by his hype crew/posse/friends. They open up with some fun back and forth, Fox takes a cheap shot but DJZ quickly fights back and grounds him and gets a crucifix for 2. They pickup the pace, working really fun and slick counters as Fox takes control with a superkick and cannonball off of the guardrail. Back in they go and Fox hits a corner clothesline and then a dropkick. Fox misses the asai moonsault, but hits a DDT and celebrates. The slam follows, and a cover gets 2. DJZ counters back, hitting a neck breaker for 2. He then stuns Fox off the ropes and hits a sling shot splash, but Fox then cuts him off with a cutter after his crew distracted DJZ. DJZ is sent to the floor and Fox follows with a dive. Back in they go, and Fox hits a springboard cutter. The swanton eats knees. DJZ then spikes him with a RANA, covering for 2. DJZ hits the superkick, and follows with a code red for 2. DJZ now lays in chops, but Fox cuts him off with a running boot. The twister suplex connects and Fox covers for 2. Fox up top now, DJZ cuts him off and his crew catches him so DJZ wipes them all out with a dive. Back in they go, and DJZ up top, but gets cut off. DJZ counters lo mein pain, and hits a reverse cutter off the ropes and Fox makes the ropes for the break. DJZ lays the boots to him, heads up top but Fox cuts that off, and lo mein pain connects and then a brain buster and Fox picks up the win. AR Fox defeated DJZ @ 11:07 via pin [***] Fox picks up another win, and with his pedigree in the WWN Universe, is making a case for a title shot. DJZ’s presentation in EVOLVE is so much better than it ever was with TNA/Impact (in terms of being hyped as a star and being allowed to really be himself in the ring) and that’s a shame. The match was good overall, but felt a bit too disjointed and lacked a cohesive flow at times.

Non-Title Match: Darby Allin vs. WWN Champion Keith Lee vs. Tracy Williams w/Stokely Hathaway: Allin and Williams attack Lee to begin. Lee quickly fights back and cuts them off. Lee follows with corner splashes and chops on Williams. Allin eats a corner splash as well and then some chops. Allin and Williams again attack, but Williams cuts off Allin and they work up top, but Williams hits the buckle DDT and then dropkicks Lee. Lee cuts off his attack, lays the boots to him and lays in uppercuts. Lee then starts throwing men around and laying them out with big time hoss strikes to both men. Williams fights back, and he and Allin double team Lee once again, and then go after each other. They trade strikes, with Williams taking control. Lee is back, but gets double-teamed. He then suplexes both men, but misses a charge and Williams and Allin start to work together, reluctantly, once again. Lee then Germans Allin into Williams, and Williams gets a cradle for 2. Lee now Germans them both! Lee catches him, countering the RANA, but Williams breaks that up and gets the crossface on Allin. Lee breaks that up, and lays in big strikes. He sets Williams up top and follows him up. Allin follows them up and gets knocked to the mat. Lee hits a superplex, landing on Allin, who may be dead. Lee then covers Williams for 2. Lee again sets Williams up top, follows but Williams slides out and attacks the knee and slams Lee off the top, covering for 2. He locks in the crossface, Lee rolls, but Williams keeps the hold. Allin is back in and hits the coffin drop and gets the last supper cradle and pins Williams. Darby Allin defeated WWN Champion Keith Lee and Tracy Williams @ 10:15 via pin to earn the right to any match of his choosing in 2018 [***] This was another good match, with a nice mix of styles, but felt like it was just about to really get going when they went home.

– Post match, Hathaway talks shit to Lee. Williams then attacks Lee, they trade strikes and Lee lays out Williams. Jaka then arrives and makes the save, but he gets laid out as well. Dickinson arrives and Germans Lee; Jaka & Dickinson hit the death trap, setting up singles matches with Lee for January. Hathaway gets the mic, and says that Catchpoint is the greatest faction in Evolve history.

FIP Champion Fred Yehi vs. Austin Theory w/Pricilla Kelly: Yehi looks to ground Theory to nullify the speed advantage Theory has. Yehi smartly keeps things grounded, using his amateur wrestling skills. Yehi then gets a cradle for 2. Theory cuts him off and follows with strikes. Yehi works chops and stomps, and hits a Saito suplex for 2. Theory now lays in knee strikes, they work into a series of counters, and Yehi lays in stomps, taking control back. The basement dropkick follows for 2. To the corner they go and Yehi lays in chops. Theory fires back, hitting a back elbow and follows with a double stomp and suplex to take control of things. Theory then hits a snap suplex and goes for repeated covers, but Yehi keeps kicking out. Theory grounds things, but Yehi battles back, connecting with chops but Theory cuts him off with a straight left. Yehi cuts him off with the dropkick, and we get a double down. Yehi lays in chops as they get back to the feet. Follows with repeated kicks and hits a standing double stomp for 2. Yehi hits a German and follows with strikes and then a reverse suplex for 2. The fisherman’s buster gets another 2. More chops by Yehi follow; sets Theory up top and follows him up with kicks. Theory hits a desperation blockbuster for 2. They work back and forth, countering each other, and Theory hits a spin out rack bomb for a really good near fall. Yehi counters the TKO and locks on the koji clutch. He then transitions into a cradle for 2 and follows with a double stomp and then a lung blower and snapdragon suplex for 2 as Kelly puts Theory’s foot on the ropes for the save. Yehi is even more pissed than usual. He gets distracted by Kelly and Theory rolls him up for 2. The last shot follows for another 2. The TheoryKO connects, but Yehi survives! Theory hits a superkick, and hits cradled flatliner to pick up the win and title. Austin Theory defeated Champion Fred Yehi @ 16:06 via pin to win the FIP title [***½] This was a rough weekend for Yehi, dropping two matches and his FIP title. Theory goes 1-1, but leaves the weekend with gold. This was a very good match, with Yehi fighting until the very end, while Theory had to use everything in his bag of tricks to overcome the 500+day champion. WWNLive is building Theory & Kelly as a power couple and then both now hold titles, and after the speech by Regal at Evolve 96, telling Theory & Allin to win gold to get noticed, Theory answered the challenge and did do here tonight. This is great for Theory, but Yehi feels completely directionless at this time. I am very curious to see where this goes.

No Ropes Break Match: Matt Riddle vs. WALTER: WALTER lost to Lee at EVOLVE 96, while Riddle beat Yehi in the same style of stipulation match at the same show. Riddle shoots for a takedown right away, but WALTER will have none of that shit. They work to the ground, WALTER starts to overpower Riddle, but Riddle looks for a choke. WALTER escapes, and lays in strikes from the guard. WALTER now chokes out Riddle in the ropes, and lays in big chops. Riddle fires back with some of his own as they trade big time chops. WALTER finally drops Riddle with a big boot and follows with clubbing strikes. The gut wrench suplex follows. Riddle then hits a gut wrench and running senton. WALTER now cuts him off with strikes and chops, and then works him over in the ropes. The big boot and slam follow, and the elbow drop gets 2. Riddle fires up with strikes, but WALTER hits a big powerbomb for 2. He then applies the half crab, stepping on the back of Riddle’s head, liontamer style. Riddle kicks free and lays in a series of kicks and knee strikes. Big forearms follow, they exchange suplexes, and WALTER gets the cover for 2. More chops from WALTER now, just beating Riddle down. Riddle battles back with knee strikes, hits bro to sleep and a bridging German for 2. The senton follows, Riddle up top but WALTER cuts him off with huge chops. WALTER follow shim up top, but Riddle slips out and hits the powerbomb and knee strike. Riddle back up top and the senton eats knees! WALTER locks in the sleeper and drop to the mat, Riddle fights, but pushes off the ropes into the WALTER keeps going for the ropes, but Riddle pummel him with repeated elbows for the referee stoppage. Matt Riddle defeated WALTER @ 10:00 via referee stoppage [****] This was a great, back and forth, hard-hitting match with a consistent and deliberate paving and style that separated it from everything on Evolve 96 & 97. It was unique; it kept the crowd and simply delivered. Riddle picks up two big wins on the weekend, working a new stipulation that freshens up the shows and really added to the weekend overall; there was no wasted motion and no busy work here, just two guys working a style that felt like a fight and that were focused on winning at all costs. You’d have to think that the weekend gets Riddle back into title contention.

Champion Zack Sabre, Jr. vs. Jaka w/Stokely Hathaway: This is their 3rd meeting, and they have worked very well together, going 1-1. Sabre is looking for his 11th title defense here. Sabre grounds things immediately, but Jaka makes the ropes. It’s a stalemate early, until Jaka lays in chops and Sabre answers with uppercuts. They trade back and forth, lighting each other up until Sabre pulls guard and locks in a triangle. Sabre transitions into the double arm bar, but Jaka rakes the eyes and escapes. Sabre starts attacking with leg kicks, but Jaka cuts him off with a head butt and stomps him out in the corner, but Sabre attacks the leg and starts working submissions. Jaka bites him to escape, and follows with an elbow drop for 2. More head butts follow, but Sabre catches him in a knee bar. Jaka escapes with kicks and follows with head butts and chops, but the rolling kick is caught and Sabre works a single leg crab, and Jaka makes the ropes. Sabre keeps targeting the knee, laying in kicks and now locks in a triangle. Jaka powers out, postures up and powerbombs Sabre to escape. Jaka now hits the cannonball and XPLODER, but Sabre kicks out. Sabre now attacks the arm, and then goes back to the leg, breaking Jaka down. Jaka about rips off Sabre’s ear to escape. Jaka is hobbled, and Sabre locks in the guillotine, but Jaka dumps him and hits a knee strike for 2. Jaka heads up top, but misses the splash. Sabre hits the PK, covering for 2. They trade strikes now, Jaka tries to fire up but Sabre attacks the leg, cutting him off. Sabre hits another PK, but Jaka hits a desperation kick, and the chokebomb is countered into the triangle choke. Sabre transitions to the knee bar, Jaka fights, but Sabre cranks back on the hold as Jaka just barely makes the ropes. Jaka spills to the floor. Chris Dickinson is here to check on Jaka, slaps him around and tries to fire him up. Jaka hits the ring, hits a German and is all fired up, but Sabre hits the European clutch for 2. Jaka finally hits the chokebomb for a great near fall. Jaka now pummels Sabre with strikes and kicks, but Sabre catches him with an arm bar. Jaka counters out, hits a head butt and sets Sabre up top and follows him up. Sabre attacks the arm, lays in strikes as they go crazy fists. Sabre takes out the knee, and both men crash to the mat. They trade strikes center ring, Jaka fires up, possibly for one last time, hits head butts and a lariat for a great near fall. Jaka misses a kick, and Sabre locks in a double-legged submission, transitions into a stretch muffler and starts splitting the legs, and Jaka finally has to tap. Champion Zack Sabre, Jr. defeated Jaka @ 18:13 via submission [****¼] This was an absolutely great match, and a beautiful clash of styles, that they made work so very well. The story was that Jaka, the tough as nails brawler, came in with a dinged up knee, and Sabre was the pure technician, sticking to his game plan, simply breaking him down and staying focused on taking out the knee to nullify his power advantage. Jaka kept fighting, and the point where Dickinson arrived to fire his partner up to make one last rush for the title played extremely well. The home stretch was really excellent, taking the entire match up a notch, but at the end of the day, Sabre ‘s focused and consistent attacks paid off, taking out the knee and finally submitting Jaka. Jaka has proven a great tag team guy for EVOLVE, but the series with Sabre has shown that he’s capable of so much more.

– The end arrives and attacks Dickinson, but Dickinson fights them off until he eats a chair shot. Williams arrives but gets taken out. Jaka tries to help, but is too damaged to do any good. They then destroy his already injured knee with chair shots. Dickinson attacks again, but gets beaten down and to the back.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

EVOLVE 97 was a more than suitable follow up to EVOLVE 96, delivering a consistently good card and two great main events. The continued the End vs., Catchpoint feud, set up matches with Lee vs. both Dickinson & Jaka for January, and continued the elevations of Allin & Theory. EVOLVE really feels as if they have their groove back after the unfortunate momentum loss due to the Floslam fiasco derailed them.