Csonka’s EVOLVE 141 Review

Csonka’s EVOLVE 141 Review

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– EVOLVE Tag Team Title #1 Contenders Match: The Besties In The World defeated The Skulk @ 10:00 via pin [***½]
– Brendan Vink defeated Colby Corino @ 6:20 via pin [**½]
– Harlem Bravado defeated J-Rocc @ 3:44 via pin [*]
– Reina Gonzalez defeated Shotzi Blackheart via DQ @ 6:30 via DQ [**]
– EVOLVE Tag Team Title Match: Champions AR Fox & Leon Ruff defeated Andrew Everett & Matt Sydal @ 15:40 via pin [***¾]
– Extreme Rules Match: Curt Stallion defeated Anthony Greene (w/Brandi Lauren) @ 17:00 via pin [***½]
– Natalia Markova defeated Camron Bra’Nae @ 3:00 via pin [NR]
– The Unwanted defeated Anthony Gutierrez, Arturo Ruas & Babatunde @ 12:35 via pin [***]
– EVOLVE Title Match: Champion Josh Briggs defeated JD Drake @ 12:35 via pin [***]
– WALTER defeated Timothy Thatcher @ 14:14 via pin [****]

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The Besties In The World (Davey Vega & Mat Fitchett) vs. The Skulk (Adrian Alanis & Liam Gray): Fitchett and Gray work into a fun opening stretch, with Gray running wild. The Besties quickly cut him off, dumping Alanis and isolating Gray with double teams until Gray makes a comeback and hot tag. Alanis controls with ease, playing the power man role and tossing bodies around as Gray joins in for double teams for 2. They isolate Vega, working quick tags and double teams, but he battles back and Fitchett gets the tag. Running wild on the Skulk and picks up a near fall. It breaks down, Fitchett runs wild with poison RANAS, knee strikes and they pick up a near fall off of a big swing and running shooting star press. Lanais cuts them off with lariats, the Skulk hit double superkicks and the powerplex for 2. The Besties battle back and Fitchett hits double PELEs. They double team Gray and the braineater finishes it. The Besties In The World defeated The Skulk @ 10:00 via pin [***½] This was a very good, high energy tag that kicked the show off in a proper way. The Skulk are always fun & improving, while adding the Besties to the slim EVOLVE tag division feels like such a smart and much-needed move, and having them become #1 contenders came off as the right move. With the other half of the Skulk as the current tag team champions.

Brendan Vink vs. Colby Corino: Ink is an NXT talent, who recently appeared on Raw & NXT TV with Shane Thorne, in his WWE TV debut matches. Vink is huge compared to Corino. Vink overpowers Corino to begin, tossing him around until Corino picks up the pace until Vink hit a huge catatonic. He then dominates the smaller Corino, and starts picking up near falls. Corino fires up and gets cut off quickly as Vink continues to dominate and dumps Corino. Vink just tosses him around, pummels him and Corino keeps firing up, but is again, cut off. Corino counters into a stunner, follows with strikes and hits John Wooooooooooo. The suicide dive follows and follows with a sloppy springboard moonsault press. The senton follows for 2. Corino hits kicks, but Vink hits splash mountain to the buckles for the win. Brendan Vink defeated Colby Corino @ 6:20 via pin [**½] This was a solidly enjoyable big man vs. little man match, Vink has a good look and potential, while Corino has great babyface fire, but I feel will be stuck in places like EVOLVE for a long time due to his past legal issues and the feeling that he needs to prove himself and stay clean before any one seriously gives him a look.

-The In Crowd, Bravado, Greene, & Lauren, arrive.

Harlem Bravado vs. J-Rocc: Bravado teases leaving, they stall and then attacks J-Rocc. He controls with ease and picks up a near fall. Bravado keeps it grounded, J-Rocc fires back and dumps Bravado. He then follows with chops, but back in and Bravado cuts him off with the draping DDT. Straight cash homie finishes it. Harlem Bravado defeated J-Rocc @ 3:44 via pin [*] This was short and really clunky; J-Rocc isn’t good.

Reina Gonzalez vs. Shotzi Blackheart: Shotzi had just signed with NXT and worked her first live event there. They work into early back and forth with Shotzi taking control with a RANA and cannonball. Gonzalez quickly stuns her of the ropes and the big boot gets 2. Gonzalez takes the heat, overpowering Shotzi with ease as the spinebuster gets 2. Shotizi fires back, hits 619 and another. She heads up top and hits the Thesz press, strikes and then gets leveled with a lariat. She gets the cowbell and the ref takes it, as Shotzi cradles her for 2. Gonzalez bitches at the ref, and Shotzi hits her with the cowbell for the DQ. Reina Gonzalez defeated Shotzi Blackheart via DQ @ 6:30 via DQ [**] While the DQ made sense in terms of story (revenge for their last match/set up for the next) it came off really flat. Gonzalez has good size and power, and a solid in ring presence, but is still really unrefined. Shotzi is a lot of fun & charismatic but has some rough edges still; it was ok.

– They have a post match pull apart to set u a no DQ match on the next show.

Champions AR Fox & Leon Ruff (w/Ayla Fox) vs. Andrew Everett & Matt Sydal: Following issues between Fox & Sydal, Fox told him of he found a partner he’d give him a tag title shot. They work into a fun, fast-paced and counter filled opening stretch, leading to Ruff and Everett tagging in. They keep up the pace, and work into counters, ending a standoff. The champions take control, double teaming Sydal as Fox takes the heat on Sydal until Sydal cuts him off, tagging in Everett. Everett takes control, as quick tags and double teams follow on Fox. Everett chokeslams Ruff on the apron as the challengers continue to control, leaving Fox to fight on his own. Sydal works him over with strikes and kicks, and then targets the knee. Everett tags in but Fox battles back, hits the stunner and Ruff gets taken out by Sydal. Fox cuts him off with the kick flip, tope by Everett and back in, Fox counters into the double cutter and tags in Ruff. Ruff runs wild and takes down both. The springboard cutter follows and gets 2. It breaks down, the champions control and hit a flurry of double teams as Sydal makes the save. He cuts off Ruff and Everett follows with the moonsault as Fox breaks it up. The coat to coast follows on Sydal and Everett is cut off by Ruff and the lo mein German follows as the Ruff ride finishes it. Champions AR Fox & Leon Ruff defeated Andrew Everett & Matt Sydal @ 15:40 via pin [***¾] This was very good and a match the show needed to rebound with. The pacing was strong and the closing stretch was great as all four delivered.

Curt Stallion vs. Anthony Greene: This is an extreme rules match, and the culmination of their feud. Aw yeah, we’re in certified street fight gear here. Greene takes early control, until Stallion counters with a dropkick, ground and pound and chops. they brawl to the floor and then roll back in to slug it out until Greene gets a chair and kendo as Stallion gets a kendo as well. Stallion lights him up and hits him with both kendos. Stallion sets up a chair upside down and suplexes Greene onto it. They brawl back to the floor, with Greene battling back and taking over. Back in and Greene maintains control until Stallion whips him into a chair, delivers a flurry of chops and strikes. the yakuza kick follows, he hits a knee strike but Greene cuts him off with chair shots and the snow plow follows for 2. Stallion counters with an ushigoroshi, sets up a table on the floor and Greene attacks with the kendo. He gouges out his eye with the kendo and follows with the superkick. Stallion with the desperation head butt, German and chair assisted dropkick. The top rope splash follows for 2. He sets up chairs, they work up top and Lauren distracts Stallion as Greene powerbombs him to the chairs for 2. They slide in a table, wedges it in the ropes and repeatedly slams Stallion into it. The chair shot misses, but Greene throws Stallion through the table and to the floor. Back in and the cover gets 2. Bravado arrives, they beat down Stallion until Briggs arrives, chokeslams Greene on the apron and Lauren distracts Stallion but gets put through the table as Stallion shoves Greene into her. Stallion hits the unprettier and running head butt for the win. Curt Stallion defeated Anthony Greene (w/Brandi Lauren) @ 17:00 via pin [***½] This was really good and they played to the stipulation well as Stallion & Briggs both got their revenge on Greene & Lauren, and it felt like a fitting end to the rivalry.

Natalia Markova vs. Camron Bra’Nae: Colby Corino, Eddie Kingston, Joe Gacy & Sean Maluta are at ringside. Markova controls at the bell, Bra’Nae fires back and follows with clotheslines and a dropkick. Markova cuts her off and the cutter follows. Bra’Nae fires back, but run into a clothesline for 2. Bra’Nae fires back with kicks, but Markova Germans her for 2. Bra’Nae keeps fighting back, superkick by Markova and the x-factor finishes it. Natalia Markova defeated Camron Bra’Nae @ 3:00 via pin [NR] It was fine for time given.

The Unwanted (Eddie Kingston, Joe Gacy & Sean Maluta) (w/Natalia Markova) vs. Anthony Gutierrez, Arturo Ruas, & Babatunde: Gutierrez works over Maluta to begin, and hits a standing Spanish fly for 2. Ruas tags in, and just fucks around, making Gacy look silly. He picks him apart with strikes and throws as he grounds him with submission work. Babatunde tosses him around and Kingston tags in. He stalls, and tags out to Maluta. Maluta attacks the knee, but Babatunde mows him down and delivers chops. Gacy attacks Ruas, and then isolate Gutierrez as Kingston picks his spot to tag in and attack. Gutierrez tries to fire up but is quickly cut off. The Unwanted follows with quick tags, cutting off the ring and working double teams as they pickup near falls. Maluta takes over, and does the deal with the falcon arrow for 2. Gutierrez battles back and gets the hot tag to Ruas, who runs wild until Kingston trips him up and works him over with suplexes for 2. Gacy follows with a flurry of strikes until Ruas hits a German and tags in Babatunde. The big man funs wild and tags in Gutierrez, who hits a frog splash off of his shoulders for 2. It breaks down, the Unwanted takes control and put Gutierrez away. The Unwanted defeated Anthony Gutierrez, Arturo Ruas & Babatunde @ 12:35 via pin [***] This was a good trios match overall, but my biggest takeaway is that Gutierrez keeps improving every time I see him and makes me want to see him in more matches.

Champion Josh Briggs vs. JD Drake: No fucking around here as they trade right away, working into counters and lighting each other up with clotheslines until Briggs hits a cross body. That allows him to take control, and dump Drake. Briggs follows and quickly gets cut off with a popup right. Back in and Drake controls as the sliding lariat gets 2. Briggs fires back, but is quickly cut off as the leg lariat gets 2. Drake follows with chops and the Vader bomb for 2. Briggs starts to fire back, dumps Drake and back in, Briggs follows with a lariat. He runs wild with strikes, kicks and the yakuza kick for 2. Drake keeps coming, and the northern lariat and shining wizard follows. Drake then hits the brainbuster for 2. To the floor as Drake fires away with chops, and back in, they trade until Briggs hits the blue thunder bomb for 2. Briggs heads up top and the moonsault misses! Cannonball by Drake and he heads up top as the moonsault connects for 2. Briggs battles back, they work up top as Briggs drops down and hits a spinebuster for the win. Champion Josh Briggs defeated JD Drake @ 12:35 via pin [***] This was Drake’s fourth chance at the EVOLVE title, and he unfortunately failed once again. This was a good, raw boned, hossy style battle that played to the strengths of both men very well, but it lost a lot of steam down the closing stretch and the finish was flat.

WALTER vs. Timothy Thatcher: They work to the ground and end in a standoff. WALTER grounds things and they work to the ropes. They work to they ground again as Thatcher counters out. WALTER looks for a choke as they work to the ropes. WALTER quickly grounds him again, Thatcher fights to his feet and they criss cross until Thatcher gets the abdominal stretch, countered and they work into a series of counters and end in a stalemate. They work for position, good fight from both until WALTER takes control, stomping on Thatcher and wrenching his neck. WALTER looks to keep things grounded, Thatcher fires back but quickly gets grounded again. They trade as Thatcher fights to his feet, but he’s lit up with chops. WALTER targets the leg and quickly follows with a figure four. They trade chops in the hold until WALTER transitions to a half crab. Thatcher sweeps and delivers ground and pound transitions to an arm bar attempt and WALTER stomps him in the face to escape. He follows with a half and half suplex, and then pummels Thatcher in the ropes. Thatcher catches the arm, delivers strikes and WALTER is down. He quickly counters with chops, the sleeper, but Thatcher counters and hits a German. He counters John Wooo into a half crab, WALTER scrambles into the ropes and they break. Thatcher follows with ground and pound, knee strike s and they trade until WALTER counters the butterfly suplex into a pinning combo. Thatcher rolls into a butterfly suplex and that gets 2; the arm bar follows but WALTER counters into the choke, Thatcher fights out, lariat by WALTER and the German follows. He hits another for 2. The lariat finishes it. WALTER defeated Timothy Thatcher @ 14:14 via pin [****] This was a great main event, achieved through a combination of skill, execution, and stylistic difference that made it stand out from anything else on the show. These two men have worked in 9o matches together (including tags with each other) over the last five years, they are awesome, so it delivered.

The 411 on Wrestling Podcast returns to the 411 Podcasting Network for episode 105. On the show, 411’s Larry Csonka & Steve Cook deliver a news roundup and this week’s AEW vs. NXT battle. Jerome Cusson then joins to talk Dark Side of The Ring: New Jack. The show is approximately 113–minutes long.

* Intro
* News Roundup on Wrestling TV: 2:05
* AEW Dynamite (4.08.0) Review: 11:45
* NXT (4.08.20) Review: 30:25
* The Head to Head Comparison: 45:15
* Dark Side of The Ring: New Jack Review: 53:04

* iTunes
* Spotify
* Stitcher
* Google Play

– End Scene.

– Thanks for reading.

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

Despite looking bloated on paper with 10-matches, EVOLVE 141 has a nice 2.5 hour run time. There are two really good tag matches, the fun extreme rules match and a great main event. The show was a it uneven early on, but nothing overstayed its welcome and even if I think they could trim a few matches from these cards, overall, it was a good show.