Csonka’s EVOLVE 125 Review

Csonka’s EVOLVE 125 Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Adrian Jaoude defeated Harlem Bravado @ 4:55 via submission [**]
– Kazusada Higuchi defeated Curt Stallion @ 11:25 via pin [***]
– AR Fox & Leon Ruff defeated John Silver & Alex Reynolds @ 15:50 via pin [***½]
– Anthony Henry defeated Darby Allin @ 7:27 via referee stoppage [**¾]
– Angelo Dawkins defeated Colby Corino @ 2:30 via pin [NR]
– WWN Title Match: Champion JD Drake defeated Angelo Dawkins @ 8:00 via pin [***]
– Montez Ford defeated Shane Strickland @ 12:45 via pin [***]
– EVOLVE Tag Title Match: Champions Eddie Kingston & Joe Gacy defeated Konosuke Takeshita & MAO Ionue @ 14:10 via pin [***¼]
– EVOLVE Title Match: Champion Austin Theory defeated Kyle O’Reilly @ 20:20 via pin [***½]

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Harlem Bravado vs. Adrian Jaoude: Jaoude flashes some kicks and then takes Bravado down. Bravado battles back and hits the big boot, and covers for 2. Bravado grounds the action, working a cravat. The DVD follows for 2. He then lays the boots to him, but Jaoude fires up with rights and knee strikes. He rolls for an arm bar, but Bravado kicks him away. Jaoude connects with a German, kicks, and knee bar and Bravado taps. Adrian Jaoude defeated Harlem Bravado @ 4:55 via submission [**] This was an ok opener, with Jaoude picking up a win over a higher caliber opponent.

Kazusada Higuchi vs. Curt Stallion: They lock up and Higuchi overpowers Stallion to the ropes. They break and then lock up again. Higuchi grounds the action, and then hits a shoulder tackle. And takes Stallion down. They work to the floor and Higuchi follows with chops, just lighting Stallion up. Higuchi then cuts off the suicide dive, and back in follows with a slam. More chops follow, and Higuchi grounds the action. Stallion fires back, locks on an abdominal stretch and transitions to an octopus hold. Higuchi makes the ropes and hits a German and follows with chops. Stallion then cuts him off with a German for 2. Running knee strikes follow, and then hits the dropkick. The DDT connects for 2.Higuchi cuts him off with a back breaker, and follows with chops. They trade chops, heavy shots now and Higuchi hits the clothesline and running powerslam for 2. Stallion hits a head butt and air raid crash for 2. Stallion counters the chokeslam and hits the head butt for 2. Stallion heads up top and the flying head butt misses. The lariat by Higuchi follows for 2. The spear follows and the doctor bomb finishes it. Kazusada Higuchi defeated Curt Stallion @ 11:25 via pin [***] This was a good, hard hitting match with a lively crowd.

– Josh Briggs makes an appearance. Briggs says that it’s odd to be here after being injured. He was worried he’d not be able to wrestle again, and thanks the fans for their support. The fans helped him get out of the ring and that was special to him. He respects and appreciates the fans more than they can ever know. When he comes back he plans to win the EVOLVE title. Austin Theory arrives and says he has the championship and mocks Briggs for getting hurt. He attacks Briggs and fake limps around to mock him further. Briggs is up and chokeslams him.

AR Fox & Leon Ruff vs. John Silver & Alex Reynolds: Reynolds and Fox begin. They lock up and work into counters, Reynolds blocks arm drags but Fox gets a backslide for 2. Reynolds follows with kicks, but fox counters the cutter and follows with a dropkick. Ruff joins in for double teams, covering for 2.Silver now tags in and takes Ruff down. He works for a choke, but Ruff escapes. They trade shoulder tackles until Silver levels him with an uppercut. Ruff follows with arm drags, and hits the RANA and dropkick. He follows with a dive. Back in and Reynolds tags in, cutting off Ruff. They then double team Ruff, covering for 2. Silver follows with kicks, and covers for 2. Silver follows with crossface strikes, grounding the action. Reynolds tags in and the double team cutter follows for 2. Reynolds follows with strikes, sets Ruff up top and Silver tags in and Ruff RANAs Silver into Reynolds. Tag to Fox. He runs wild on Silver, shoves Reynolds into Silver and the cutter follows. Fox follows with a tope and lands in the front row. He then goes coast to coast, covering for 2. He dumps Reynolds, but Reynolds takes out Ruff and superkicks Fox for 2. Silver joins him and Ruff makes the save. They work over Reynolds, but Silver cuts off lo mein pain with a powerbomb for 2. Ruff fights them off, but Fox flies in with the double cutter. They double team Fox and the German gets 2. Ruff saves Fox, and Fox hits the superplex. Lo mein pain, the swanton and 450 finishes it. AR Fox & Leon Ruff defeated John Silver & Alex Reynolds @ 15:50 via pin [***½] This was a very good, high energy, all action tag match.

Darby Allin vs. Anthony Henry: Priscilla Kelly is out with Allin. Allin hits a dive right away, they work into the ring and Allin hits arm drags and follows with another suicide dive. They brawl into the crowd, and Henry cuts Allin off with a double stomp. Back to ringside and Henry lays in chops. Allin fights off the apron bomb, but Henry takes him up top and teases a suplex to the floor. Allin fights that off, and hits the superplex but Henry rolls into a brainbuster. Henry then stuns him over the ropes and follows with a suicide dive. The double stomp misses and Allin hits code red for 2. Henry uses last supper for 2. The stunner and powerbomb follow for 2. Henry follows with kicks, but Allin hits the stunner. Henry kicks him in the face, follows with stomps and the ref stops it. Anthony Henry defeated Darby Allin @ 7:27 via referee stoppage [**¾] his was pretty good, but the finish came off as flat and the fan were completely disappointed with Allin losing. He may not be long for WWN.

– Brandi Lauren attacks Kelly post match to set up tomorrow’s tag match.

Colby Corino vs. Angelo Dawkins: Dawkins just rag dolls Corino to begin, tossing him around with ease. Corino fights back with an enziguri and meteora. Dawkins then cuts him off with an XPLODER. He then kills him with a lariat. The pop up spear follows and it’s over. Angelo Dawkins defeated Colby Corino @ 2:30 via pin [NR] SQUASH

– Dawkins asks for a better challenge, and WWN Champion JD Drake answers, and puts his title on the line.

WWN Champion JD Drake vs. Angelo Dawkins: Drake takes early control, hitting a slam and senton. They trade chops, and Drake follows with kicks and a falling head butt for 2. Drake follows with chops, but Dawkins fires back and they trade clotheslines. Dawkins then hits the corner splashes, and follows with a bulldog for 2. Dawkins lays in chops, which just angers Drake. Drake then lights him up with chops, hits an overhead toss but misses the leg lariat. Dawkins hits the spear for 2. Drake battles back with a German, but Dawkins pops up only to run into the drill bit for 2. Drake follows with more chops, takes Dawkins up top but Dawkins counters with a super spinebuster for 2. Dawkins now lays in chops, but Drake gets pissed and cuts him off with a knee strike. The stunner connects and then the cannonball follows. Drake up top and the moonsault connects for the win. Champion JD Drake defeated Angelo Dawkins @ 8:00 via pin [***] This was a good match with Dawkins looking more than competitive with the fighting champion, Drake.

– BIG STOKE ARRIVES! He was asked to come here tonight, and wanted to change the main event to him vs. Theory, but that was refused. He’s here to say goodbye since he’s signed by WWE now. That only happened because of EVOLVE. He thanks the fans.

Montez Ford vs. Shane Strickland: Ford rushes the ring and attacks right away. They brawl to the floor with Ford controlling until Strickland pokes the eyes. He follows with chops, but Ford fights back and he lays in chops. Ford then hits an over the post tope. Corino arrives and that distracts Ford, allowing Strickland to attack. Back in and Strickland grounds things, working a double arm bar. Ford battles back and gets some cradles or 2. Strickland then dropkicks the knee, grounding Ford and then goes back to the arm. Ford slowly works to his feet, but Strickland follows with chops. Ford fires back, hitting knee strikes and a clothesline. The belly to back connects for 2. Strickland now lays in kicks, hits a 619 but Ford cuts him off with a dropkick. Strickland then hits the powerbomb and superkick. Ford pops up and hits a German and follows with the lariat as they work into the double down. Strickland now lays in strikes, and Ford is down. Strickland pulls him up, but Ford bites his hand. Strickland plants him with a German and then cutter. Strickland up top and the double stomp connects for 2. Ford keeps fighting back, but gets dumped to the floor. Ford hits an enziguri and hits a draping leg drop. The frog splash connects and Ford wins. Montez Ford defeated Shane Strickland @ 12:45 via pin [***] This was a good match, but a bit flat in terms of the intensity and drama considering the angle that led to the match. It started strong but fell off the longer it went on.

EVOLVE Tag Team Championship Match: Champions Eddie Kingston & Joe Gacy vs. Konosuke Takeshita & MAO Ionue: Kingston and Takeshita begin. They lock up and work to the ground, and then into a stalemate. Takeshita lays in chops and Kingston bails. Back in and Kingston runs into a leg lariat. Gacy & MAO tag in, they trade shoulder tackles, and MAO then begs off. It’s a trap as he hits a dropkick. MAO and Takeshita double team Gacy, covering for 2. The champions dump Takeshita and then double team and isolate MAO. Kingston follows with chops and a suplex for 2. Gacy tags in and hits a suplex, and then grounds the action. The champions work quick tags, continuing to control MAO and picking up near falls. Gacy follows with strikes, but runs into the dropkick. MAO fights off Kingston and tags in Takeshita. He runs wild on Gacy and then Kingston. The champions pull him to the floor, but MAO follows with a tope to wipe them out. Back in and Takeshita hit the frog splash for 2. MAO follows with strikes, a slam and the Arabian press connects for 2. It breaks down, German by Takeshita and Gacy makes the save. Takeshita and Kingston trade strikes, Kingston his the XPLODER and then another. Takeshita and MAO now hit double team kicks and the brainbuster; MAO hits the 450 for 2. It breaks down into the big move buffet, Gacy works over MAO until MAO hits the stunner. Kingston hits the back fist and Gacy covers for 2.The powerbomb/neck breaker combo gets 2 for the champions. Takeshita tries to fight off the champions, Gacy hits a cutter and Kingston hits the backdrop driver for the win. Champions Eddie Kingston & Joe Gacy defeated Konosuke Takeshita & MAO Ionue @ 14:10 via pin [***¼] This was a good and fun tag match, but it unfortunately suffered due to no drama regarding a title change. MAO & Takeshita were a ton of fun though.

EVOLVE Championship Match: Champion Austin Theory vs. Kyle O’Reilly: Theory stalls to begin. They lock up, working into counters, and separate. O’Reilly looks to ground the action, but Theory takes him to the ropes and follows with strikes. O’Reilly takes him right back down, Theory powers into a suplex, but O’Reilly just hangs on and maintains control. O’Reilly is outwrestling him with ease, and locks on an arm bar, but Theory escapes to the floor. Back in and O’Reilly grounds things again and starts attacking the knee, locks on a knee bar, but Theory makes the ropes and powders. O’Reilly follows with a flying knee from the apron, and back Theory cuts him off with the rolling blockbuster. The standing moonsault follows for 2. Theory grounds things, and then lays in elbows and covers for 2. Theory follows with a clothesline, and then chops in the corner. The suplex follows for 2. Theory follows with elbows and then grounds things. O’Reilly now fires back with kicks, sweeps the leg, and follows with running forearms and kicks. Rolling butterfly suplexes follow for 2. O’Reilly gets the ankle lock, and transitions into a Regal-plex for 2. O’Reilly lays in knee strikes, and then a guillotine. O’Reilly then hits a PK so hard that he rolls to the floor. Back in and they trade strikes, Theory hits a flurry and then three seconds around the world gets 2. O’Reilly gets the triangle but Theory buckle bombs out. The 2k1 neck breaker follows for 2. O’Reilly counters attaksia and rolls into a knee bar, but Theory makes the ropes. He powders and teases leaving with the title. O’Reilly chases and brings him back in. Brainbuster by O’Reilly and that gets 2. The ankle lock follows, Theory escapes and DDTs O’Reilly into the belt for 2. Attaksia finally finishes O’Reilly. Champion Austin Theory defeated Kyle O’Reilly @ 20:20 via pin [***½] This was a very good main event overall, with O’Reilly delivering as expected. I have been hot and cold on Theory, there are times where he really steps up and delivers, but in a huge match with O’Reilly, he came off as more of a participant than an effective champion.

– Theory attacks post match, but Fish & Strong arrive and make the save, thoroughly kicking Theory’s ass. Strong says Kyle was screwed, and Fish discusses how he and Kyle kicked off EVOLVE. They will return when needed. Kyle says this is not the last you’ve seen of them.

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 8. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka is joined by Steven Jefferson Douglas Cook. The guys will discuss the possibility of Smackdown going to three hours, thoughts on Scarlett’s Debut & Allie’s Death on Impact, and then break down WrestleMania 35. The show is approximately 85 minutes long

* Intro
* Smackdown to Three Hours?: 5:35
* Impact Thoughts on Scarlett’s Debut & Allie’s Death: 17:15
* WrestleMania 35 Preview: 26:40

You can subscribe and listen to the 411 on Wrestling Podcast via the
above player on Transistor, or on the following platforms:

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

While I don’t feel that there was anything must-see, I felt that EVOLVE 125 was an overall good and consistent show, clocking in at under three hours and feeling like an easy watch.