Csonka’s EVOLVE 110 Review

Csonka’s EVOLVE 110 Review

– Zero One USA X-Division Championship Match: Champion Jake Parnell defeated Gary Jay @ 4:20 via pin [**]
– Freelance World Championship Match: Champion Isaias Velazquez defeated Matt Knicks @ 4:34 via pin [**]
– Anthony Henry defeated Jon Davis & Josh Briggs @ 7:35 via pin [***½]
– DJZ vs. AR Fox @ 13:17 via pin [***½]
– WALTER defeated JD Drake @ 15:02 via referee stoppage [****]
– Jaka defeated Tracy Williams @ 8:40 via pin [***]
– The Skulk defeated Chris Dickinson, Dominic Garrini, & Stokely Hathaway @ 6:40 via pin [**¼]
– EVOLVE Champion Shane Strickland & FIP Champion Austin Theory defeated WWN Champion Joey Janela & Saieve Al Sabah @ 16:17 via pin [***½]
– Darby Allin defeated Matt Riddle @ 15:40 via pin [****¼]

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Champion Jake Parnell vs. Gary Jay: Jay attacks with strikes, sends Parnell to the floor, and follows with a suicide dive. Parnell quickly fights back, takes Jay down and hits a double stomp off of the apron. Back in and they work up top, and Jay hits the superplex. They trade strikes, and then chops. Parnell fire up and hits a lariat for 2. Jay counters the half and half suplex into a cradle for 2. The neck breaker follows and that gets 2. Parnell now lays in a series of strikes, follows with chops but Jay hits a knee strike and sliding forearm for 2. Parnell misses a charge and then hits a rebound lariat. The powerbomb finishes it. Champion Jake Parnell defeated Gary Jay @ 4:20 via pin [**] This was an ok, but very rushed opening match. Not bad, but just sort of there.

: Champion Isaias Velazquez vs. Matt Knicks: They work a fast paced opening stretch, nice back and forth action and Velazquez gets a cradle for 2. We get a stand off. Velazquez takes control, they work to the ropes and Velazquez knocks Knicks to the floor and then the apron. Knicks hits a slingshot backstabber and that gets 2. Knicks grounds the action, follows with forearms and they work into counters. Velazquez hits knee strikes and a disaster kick for 2. Knicks counters the flatliner, and hits a complete shot for 2. Velazquez battles back but Knicks catches him with a German and lays in kicks. Velazquez now hits a spike DDT and wins. Champion Isaias Velazquez defeated Matt Knicks @ 4:34 via pin [**] This was another solid, but short and rushed match, which resulted in some sloppiness.

Jon Davis vs. Josh Briggs vs. Anthony Henry: Briggs takes out Henry right away, allowing Davis to attack. They brawl, Henry back in and Davis powerbombs him onto Briggs and covers for 2. Davis hits a back breaker and flatliner on Briggs, nut Henry breaks up the pin. Davis takes him out, and trades strikes with Briggs. Henry is back and lays in kicks on Davis. He superkicks Briggs, Davis takes him down and Briggs hits a Saito suplex on Davis. Briggs tosses Henry into Davis, and then whips Davis into Henry and follows with the running boot. Double back breakers to Henry follow for 2 as Davis makes the save. Briggs tosses Davis, and Henry fires up with kicks. Davis back but Henry works both over, hits a tornado DDT and hits the German for 2 on Davis. Henry runs wild until Davis cuts him off and then heads up top. Henry follows and Henry falls into a tree of WHOSA, Briggs over and up, but Henry hits a German tower of doom on the big men. Henry up top and hits a missile dropkick on both. To the floor and Henry lays in kick on both. Davis cuts him off with an apron bomb, and Briggs wipes him out with a huge tope! Back in and Davis hits a pop up powerbomb, German and lariat but Henry flies in with a double stomp and steals the pin. Anthony Henry defeated Jon Davis & Josh Briggs @ 7:35 via pin [***½] This was a very good sprint, with the big men too concerned with each other, allowing Henry to pick up the win. It was a ton of fun. They all worked hard, but Briggs continues to really impress.

DJZ vs. AR Fox with Ayla & The Skulk: After some stalling, they work into some back and forth with DJZ grounding the action. Fox escapes, hits a shoulder tackle, trade strikes and DJZ now hits a shoulder tackle. Fox trips him up and works from north-south position. Back to the feet, they work into counters, and Fox now hits a lucha arm drag into another stand off. DJZ now hits a head scissors, and follows with a dropkick. DJZ now wipes out the skulk with a moonsault and follows with a tope, wiping out Fox and crew. Fox fights back and hits the kick flip moonsault. Ayla now hits a suicide dive, but DJZ follows with a step up dive and wipes everyone out. Back in and DJZ up top and hits a high cross. Fox is now draped in the ropes and DJZ follows with the moonsault for 2. DJZ now works submissions, locking on a koji clutch. Fox fights and makes the ropes. Fox now takes him up top, drapes DJZ over the ropes and goes coast to coast with a missile dropkick, covering for a good near fall. The blue thunder bomb follows for 2. Fox up top, DJZ follows and Fox fights him off, hits an enziguri and then rolls through on the 450. The head scissors driver connects for 2. DJZ fights off lo mein pain, locks on a dragon sleeper, and then hits an inverted DDT for 2. Fox counters into a sunset flip, but DJZ gets a cradle for 2. Fox hits kicks and a springboard cutter. He follows with kicks, but DJZ catches him with a cradle for the win. DJZ vs. AR Fox @ 13:17 via pin [***½] This was a very good and tremendously fun back and forth match, these fellas are quite good. But I’m not a fan of Fox losing clean one night ahead of his title shot.

WALTER vs. JD Drake: They jockey for position early on, lock up and work to the corner. WALTER starts to overpower Drake, grounds the action, and starts slapping Drake around. Drake lays in chops, and WALTER is not amused. Drake hits a big shoulder tackle and takes WALTER down. WALTER looks for the choke, Drake makes the ropes and WALTER cuts him off with a big boot. WALTER now grounds the action, looks for a slam and gets it. The knee drop follows for 2. WALTER now lays in huge uppercuts, and then clubbing strikes in the ropes. Drake battles back with strikes, but WALTER dumps him to the floor. WALTER follows and punishes Drake with clubbing strikes. WALTER charges, Drake moves and WALTER eats the post. Drake now follows with a suicide dive. Back in and Drake heads up top, WALTER cuts him off and follows him up and hits the butterfly superplex for 2. They now trade big time strikes, throwing bombs. WALTER just absorbs these strikes and hits a big boot as they work into a double down. Back to the feet, they trade again and light each other up. Drake hits a Saito suplex and cannonball for 2. WALTER now lays into him with thunderous chops, and hits a suplex for 2. WALTER avoids the enziguri and locks on a crab. Drake makes the ropes, and eats more chops for his troubles. Drake answers back, and WALTER likes it. They continue to trade and Drake hits huge desperation lariat for 2. WALTER looks for the choke; Drake rolls out and hits a superkick. Drake up top and WALTER cuts him off. The German follows but Drake pops up and hits a dropkick. Drake back up top and the moonsault misses. John Woooo by WALTER, and then the powerbomb gets 2. WALTER lays in clubbing strikes, gets the choke and Drake fades, and WALTER ties up the am and the ref stops it. WALTER defeated JD Drake @ 15:02 via referee stoppage [****] We always talk about styles, I love technical wrestling and high flying, but sometimes two hosses kicking the shit out of each other simply kicks ass. And that’s what this was, a great, ass kicking hoss fight. It ruled, WALTER delivers again and Drake continues to impress in his singles run.

Jaka w/Stokely Hathaway vs. Tracy Williams: Williams is wrapped up like a mummy on his face due to his eye injury following Hathaway stabbing him with a screwdriver last weekend. Williams attacks and they brawl at the bell. Jaka cuts him off with chops but Williams hits a slam for 2. The suplex follows for 2. He looks for the crossface, Jaka fights, and Williams transitions to an Indian death lock but Jaka makes the ropes. Jaka stuns him off the ropes and they spill to the floor. Jaka whips him to the barricade. Back in and they work up top, and Williams scores with a superplex for 2. Jaka cuts him off attacking the eye of Williams. Jaka follows with strikes, punches Williams in the eye, and covers for 2. Williams fights back and hits a knee strike and dropkick. They work up top and Jaka lays in chops. They continue to trade Williams hits the DDT. The top rope splash gets 2. Jaka fights out of a dragon suplex, but Williams hits a Samoan drop and follows with a lariat for 2. They trade strikes center ring, Williams counters the spin kick into a knee bar. Hathaway takes the ref, allowing Jaka to rake the eye of Williams and the Jaka bomb finishes it. Jaka defeated Tracy Williams @ 8:40 via pin [***] They did a nice job of following up on last week’s angle with the Williams eye injury, and this was what it needed to be. Jaka softening up Williams and setting Williams as the ultimate underdog heading into tomorrow.

– Post match, catch Point kicks the shit out of Williams.

Chris Dickinson, Dominic Garrini, & Stokely Hathaway vs. The Skulk: Dickinson and Garrini attack at the bell, and isolate Maserati. Dickinson hits a suplex for 2. Maserati fires up and is immediately cut off by a Dickinson powerbomb. Hathaway tags in and hits a spinning back elbow. He tags in Garrini and he lays in chops. The suplex follows for 2. Garrini takes out the rest of the Skulk, and then destroys Maserati with strikes. The capture suplex follows. Dickinson tags in and hits a powerbomb. Hathaway tags in and misses the people’s elbow. Dickinson and Alantis tags in and Alanis runs wild. The spinebuster gets 2. It breaks down, Ruff in and hits a RANA on Dickinson. Garrini takes out Alanis, Ruff hits a wacky looking cannonball on Dickinson, but Dickinson fires up and hits a toss. Hathaway tags in and Riff counters out of death trap and rolls up Dickinson for the win. The Skulk defeated Chris Dickinson, Dominic Garrini, & Stokely Hathaway @ 6:40 via pin [**¼] This was ok, but more importantly, caused issues ahead of Hathaway & Dickinson’s match with Williams tomorrow. It will be interesting to see if the Skulk, a fun and over act, get a tag title match out of this.

WWN Champion Joey Janela & Saieve Al Sabah vs. EVOLVE Champion Shane Strickland & FIP Champion Austin Theory: Ford & Kelly are at ringside. Strickland and Sabah start us off. They work into a series of counters and then into a stand off. They pick up the pace and Strickland hits a head scissors into a dropkick. Janela tags in and wants Theory. Theory tags in and then right back out. Janela and Strickland in and they work into standing switches, and Janela grounds the action and makes Strickland tag in Theory. Janela attacks, laying in rights, and then chops. Janela follows with more rights, and then counters a standing moonsault with knees and takes control back. Sabah tags in and hits the slam and hits a standing moonsault for 2. Sabah follows with a suplex and corkscrew elbow drop for 2. Theory cuts him off and Strickland blind tags in and attacks. Theory dumps Janela and Theory and Strickland run wild with double teams, showing great teamwork so far. Strickland isolates Sabah, maintaining the heat. Theory tags in and the fisherman’s buster gets 2. Sabah now fights back hits the belly to back suplex, and dumps Strickland. Kelly and Ford brawl with Kelly slamming her to the apron. Theory cuts off Sabah and covers for 2. Strickland tags back in and lays in knee strikes on Sabah. Sabah fights off a dragon suplex, looks for a tag, hits an enziguri on Theory and makes the tag. Janela now runs wild off of the hot tag, to the floor and dump Theory over the barricade and then hits a running senton over the barricade to wipe out Theory. The suicide dive to Strickland follows. The stunner and superkick gets 2. They trade strikes, and Janela hits a Michinoku driver for 2. Janela up top and has to roll through on the double stomp. Theory in and they run through double teams on Janela and Sabah in for the save. Sabah dumps Strickland and then Theory. Sabah hits a corkscrew tope to wipe out both. Back in and he and Janela work over Strickland, Kelly tips up Janela, he chases, allowing Theory to cut him off. Sabah hits the lightening spiral on Theory and a running kick on Strickland. Ford is back up and takes out Kelly with a high cross and they roll back to the floor. Janela about kills Strickland with a STIFF DVD and covers for 2. He takes Strickland up top, Theory makes the save and Strickland hits the doomsday double stomp and Theory hits attacksia and pins Janela. EVOLVE Champion Shane Strickland & FIP Champion Austin Theory defeated WWN Champion Joey Janela & Saieve Al Sabah @ 16:17 via pin [***½] The team of the two champions won as I expected, and Theory winning gives him momentum ahead of tomorrow’s triple threat WWN Championship match. The match was very good and fun overall, but never hit that next level to be great.

Matt Riddle vs. Darby Allin: they shake hands and we’re friends to begin. Or not as Riddle just chucks Allin across the ring. Allin looks to work the arm, but Riddle works into slick escapes and grounds him. Allin makes the ropes, and Riddle grounds him again and looks for an arm bar, but Allin stacks him up and covers for 2. Allin lays in strikes, and dumps Riddle and follows with a suicide dive. Allin follows with chops and strikes, takes Riddle to he apron and goes for a Coffin drop, but Riddle rolls in the ring and Allin crashes and burns (and made a sick thud sound when he landed). Riddle follows him back out and lays in chops and kicks. Riddle continues to punish him with body kicks to the delight of the crowd. Back in and Riddle lays in strikes and chops in the corner. The running forearm strikes follow, and then an XPLODER. The senton follows for 2. Riddle now hits rolling gut wrench suplexes, and covers for 2. Riddle lays in a PK and follows with body kicks. Allin fires up and lays in strikes, and follows with a high cross for 2 and then transitions into an arm bar. He transitions to a guillotine, but Riddle powers out and Allin gets a cradle for 2, and then back to the arm bar. Riddle powers out and looks for a powerbomb but instead hits bro to sleep and a German for 2. The PK connects, but Allin fights back and hits John Woooooooo. The stunner connects, but Riddle catches the moonsault press and hits the jumping tombstone for 2. Riddle hits a senton and that gets 2. He follows with another, and now heads up top. Allin up and cuts him off, he follows and they battle but Riddle hits the super fisherman’s buster for 1 as Allin was too close to the ropes. Riddle stomps away at Allin and is in a bad mood. The fisherman’s buster gets 2 and Riddle is completely frustrated here. Allin fires up as Riddle talks shit to him, Riddle fires away with chops and strikes, but Allin keeps coming and Riddle catches him with a knee strike, a powerbomb, and a running knee strike for 2 off of the cocky cover. Riddle now just kicks the shit out of Allin, he’s pissed as Allin used the ropes for a break and he can’t put him away. To the floor, Allin avoids the knee strike and Riddle eats the barricade. Allin in and up top and flies over the barricade into a senton from the top. They work back in, an up top, and Allin hits the crucifix bomb for a great near fall. Allin up top and hits the coffin drop for 1! Riddle is fired the fuck up and lays in strikes, but Allin locks on last supper and pins Riddle! Darby Allin defeated Matt Riddle @ 15:40 via pin [****¼] This is a huge and heartbreaking win for Allin, as this was originally set to be an EVOLVE title match. While not quite up to the level of their excellent efforts last weekend, this was an absolutely great main event, and with the clean and decisive win, as well as Riddle putting him over huge post match, Allin leaves this match as a made man. The work was great, the layout and drama worked, and Riddle dominating (as he should due to his stature in EVOLVE), only for Allin to survive long enough to completely frustrate and piss off Riddle, leading to him making a small mistake, leading to the Allin win was a great story. Allin continues to evolve, continues to improve, and has crowd support; he’s a star for EVOLVE.

– Post match, Riddle puts over Allin big time and says he’s proud of him and impressed. They shake hands to close the show.

– End scene.

– Thanks for reading.

“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

While not quite as strong as last weekend’s shows, EVOLVE 110 was a good and string show that played off of them well and did a good job of setting the stage for tomorrow’s show. The weak part of the show was the local matches at the start, I understand why they do them, but they were horribly rushed, weren’t very good, and would have made for better “live crowd only” matches in my opinion. Make sure to catch Drake vs. WALTER & Riddle vs. Allin if cherry picking, they are the must see matches.