EVOLVE 71

October 16, 2016

From the Orpheum in Ybor City, FL

Lenny Leonard is your host

Fight to the Finish: Drew Gulak vs. Timothy Thatcher

This is under street fight rules. They start off brawling in the middle of the ring. Gulak knocks Thatcher outside as Leonard mentions how William Regal gave a speech before the show that they are unable to air due to legal issues. Gulak heads outside and roughs up Thatcher then they make their way to the bar area where Thatcher takes control. They are now on top of the bar where Thatcher stops a Dragon Sleeper attempt then hammers away. Now, they head up to the bleachers where they try to toss each other off. More brawling as they head down the steps then head backstage where they end up in the parking lot. Gulak sticks Thatcher’s head in the ice machine and slams down the flap as they are back to the stage where Gulak is tossing chairs and stools at Thatcher before tossing him off. Gulak then jumps off with a plancha then yells street fight as they are actually brawling in the street. Thatcher tries a gutwrench suplex as that fails but he is able to toss him on the bench. Thatcher drags Gulak back inside where he lands some more uppercuts. Gulak fights back as they are now at ringside. He clotheslines Thatcher then lands some more shots but Thatcher kicks him in the gut then rolls him into the ring. Thatcher unloads in Gulak, who fights back. Thatcher gets dropped with a spinning back fist then hits a German suplex. They trade suplexes then Gulak works a hanging Dragon Sleeper in the ropes after blocking a reverse rollup and ends up getting the win (14:20) ****. After the match, Gulak stands over Thatcher and yells at him before giving a slap.

Thoughts: I really liked this match. Being that they literally brawled all over the building and into the street, the crowd wasn’t into it at times but they were solidly behind Gulak at the end. This came off great and both guys brought the intensity and hatred here.

After the match, Stokely Hathaway heads into the ring and asks Thatcher what he is doing. He tells Thatcher he lost due to being distracted and that he has too much on his plate at the moment. Hathaway said that if Thatcher was with him, he’d take care of everything else while Thatcher could focus on what he loves, which is wrestling. Thatcher gets up and looks at Hathaway and ends up shaking his hand. The two women accompanying Hathaway then make it rain on Thatcher. Seeing how the crowd keeps booing Thatcher, it made sense to turn him heel.

Jason Kincaid vs. “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams

These two start off on the mat. Williams hits a fireman’s carry slam then stretches Kincaid out. Kincaid gets out and works the arm but Williams is one step ahead and works a hammerlock/armbar combo on the mat. They trade rollups in the midst of a reversal sequence then Williams blocks a headscissors in the corner and drops Kincaid on the mat. Williams lays into Kincaid, who fights back. Kincaid snaps Williams’ head off of the ropes then takes him off the apron with a springboard forearm. Williams is tossed back outside where Kincaid stomps his head then drives him into the floor. Kincaid gets up on the stage then jumps off with a clothesline while Williams was seated on the apron. Back inside, Kincaid rakes the back but misses a chop as Williams fires away. Kincaid catches Williams with a kick to regain control. Williams fights back and hits a pair of clotheslines before getting a nearfall with a brainbuster. Williams chops Kincaid in the corner before getting a nearfall with a butterfly suplex. Kincaid breaks out of a strangle hold as he hits a facecrusher. Kincaid catches Williams with a powerslam then follows with a double stomp. Springboard blockbuster gets two. Kincaid hits a coast-to-coast dropkick after a sunset buckle bomb as that gets two. They fight up top where Williams hits him with a brainbuster on the turnbuckle as that gets two. Williams then peppers Kincaid with forearm smashes but that still cannot put Kincaid away. Kincaid cuts off a dive then hits a springboard guillotine leg drop to the back of the neck for two. Williams catches Kincaid off of the top then after a reversal sequence he finally hits Kincaid with the piledriver for the win (18:18) ***.

Thoughts: Good match although they were losing me at times. Kincaid can do some nice things but Williams was the one holding the match together. With a lot of talent leaving for the WWE, guys like Kincaid are going to have to fill out the roster while someone like Williams will need to be elevated. With that in mind, this match result made sense as it put both guys over.

Joe Coleman & Erick Locker vs. The Gatekeepers w/ Ethan Page

Coleman comes out to the ring with a tub of what appears to be whey protein powder. The Gatekeepers immediately attack their opponents. The ref finally calls for the bell once things settle down as Coleman gets destroyed. Locker tags in and gets speared then Coleman is put away with a backbreaker/top rope elbow drop combo (1:11) NR.

Thoughts: A squash to put over the Gatekeepers. Its exactly what it should have been.

After the match, Page yells at the ring announcer for not doing her job then Page gets pissed over being fined his pay this weekend after attacking an official. However, Page then says he is happy to provide chaos and screw up this company as he promises to bring chaos to EVOLVE. He then waits for his opponent to come out as it is Sami Callihan. Page’s mic work remains top notch.

Ethan Page w/ The Gatekeepers vs. Sami Callihan

Callihan points to the EVOLVE logo and tells Page he built this company. Callihan escapes out of a package piledriver then takes Page outside where he hits three straight topes as the crowd chants his name. Callihan decks Page then they accidentally chop the ring post before engaging in a slugfest. Callihan hits a pair of bicycle kicks before dropping Page with a DDT on the floor. Page comes back with a powerbomb on the apron as Callihan uses a fan to pull himself up. Back inside, Page beats on Callihan. Page mouths off but Callihan fights back and hits a leg sweep into the corner. Page cuts Callihan off then they work a reversal sequence that ends with Callihan hitting Page with a Death Valley Driver into the corner as both men are down. They slug it out then start kicking each other hard and this ends with both men kicking each other down as we see the Gatekeepers watching from the aisle as a “this is awesome” chant breaks out. They both get nearfalls after covering each other with one arm then get up and clothesline each other a few times before Page gets the upper hand. Page almost puts Callihan away with the RK-Ego then he taunts the crowd. However, Callihan takes him down and works an ankle lock. Page escapes then tries for the package piledriver but his knee gave out. Callihan hits Page with the Cradle Killer for two. Callihan runs into a boot after some chops then Page hits the package piledriver for the win (13:45) ***1/2.

Thoughts: A damn good match. Callihan brought the intensity and had a fantastic showing while Page stepped up his game too, especially after the last show where he had a bad match against Thatcher. Since Page is the one getting a push, makes sense that he wins over a credible opponent.

Darby Allin vs. DUSTIN

Drew Galloway has joined on commentary. DUSTIN toys with Allin then they roll onto the mat as Leonard talks about Allin’s journey to EVOLVE. Allin uses a few springboard moves before working a rear choke. DUSTIN trips up Allin on the apron then swings him into the wall. Back inside, DUSTIN stomps on Allin before hitting a pair of slams. Allin jumps on DUSTIN’s back but gets hit with a back suplex as DUSTIN goes back to roughing up Allin. DUSTIN misses a slingshot senton as Allin works a sleeper. DUSTIN fights him off but Allin keeps fighting back and takes DUSTIN down with a springboard headbutt. DUSTIN gets up and hits Allin with a spinning powerbomb for two. Allin is shown gasping for air on the mat as DUSTIN keeps inflicting more pain. DUSTIN tries for a running powerslam but Allin counters with a DDT for two then works another sleeper. DUSTIN makes it to the ropes then drops back but Allin hangs on and maintains the hold. They head outside where DUSTIN gets sent into the wall as Allin decides to climb up the pole and takes DUSTIN out with a coffin drop as the crowd starts up a well-deserved “holy shit”chant. Back inside, Allin climbs the top rope but DUSTIN cuts him off. Allin fights DUSTIN off but misses a coffin drop as DUSTIN then puts him away with the Awful Waffle (11:00) ***. Galloway says that tonight, Chris Hero will finish off his mission.

Thoughts: Allin’s coffin drop off of the pole was absolutely insane. The match was good as Allin’s selling was tremendous as his underdog character who refuses to stay down is getting him over. A good feud and he could really break out. He’s a guy to keep an eye on in 2017.

Fred Yehi vs. Zack Sabre Jr.

Yehi grabs a hold of Sabre’s arm and refuses to let go. Sabre escapes and traps Yehi’s legs then they end in a stalemate. Sabre works the neck until Yehi counters with a Dragon Sleeper but Sabre makes it over to the ropes. They are back on the mat and end in another stalemate as neither man can gain the advantage. Sabre drops down during an Irish whip sequence then Yehi immediately puts him in the Koji Clutch as Sabre gets his foot on the ropes. That looked really cool, actually. Yehi stomps Sabre before chopping him down in the corner then works the neck. Sabre grabs the fingers and bends them back before hitting an upkick. Sabre then grinds his elbows in Yehi as he works the arm. Sabre now eggs on Yehi, who lights him up with chops in the corner. Sabre fights back with uppercuts then goes back to working the arm. Yehi hits Sabre with a German suplex then declares Sabre in “big trouble” as he hits a stomp. He follows with a dragon screw then a powerbomb as that gets a nearfall. Sabre fights back and floats over on a suplex to put Yehi in a Kimura. The crowd gets behind Yehi as he breaks the hold by grabbing on to Sabre’s ear. Yehi almost puts Sabre away after a flurry of strikes but Sabre counters a discus elbow and goes back to working the arm. They are now trading strikes as that ends with Yehi putting Sabre in the Koji Clutch. Sabre tries to escape but Yehi rolls him up for two. Sabre then takes Yehi down with an armbar then has both arms stretched back on the mat for the win (20:45) ***3/4.

Thoughts: A very good technical wrestling match. The finish looked quite painful too. This ended Yehi’s brief win streak but it was an even match and both guys came out looking great.

After the match, Sabre gets the mic and that they should wrestle again in the future. He then talks about being 2-0 this weekend and asks Thatcher for a title shot but Page runs in for the attack.The Gatekeepers are standing in the aisle then Page calls them inside as they hold up Sabre for Page, who grabs a chair. Allin runs out to try and help but he is quickly beaten down then tossed outside on top of some of the WWN tryout guys. Page then puts Sabre’s arm between the chair then stomps it as Sabre is on the mat in pain as the crowd boos. Page then sits in the chair and declares this his ring. Good segment as they seem to be building up to a future Page/Sabre match.

Matt Riddle vs. Chris Hero

They trade waistlocks to start as Hero uses his size to his advantage. Hero toys with Riddle briefly but Riddle comes back and starts destroying Hero in the corner. Riddle lands on the apron after a backdrop and Hero takes him off with a bicycle kick. Hero mocks Riddle by calling him “bro” but Riddle fights back. Hero drops Riddle with a forearm smash then they head back into the ring where Hero inflicts more punishment. Riddle gets dropped after blocking a piledriver but Riddle comes back with a gutwrench suplex. He tries for a German but Hero deadweights him so Riddle softens him up before hitting the move. Riddle follows with a senton then gets two with a fisherman’s buster. Hero comes back with a bicycle kick then gets two with the Cyclone Kill. Riddle locks on the Bromission after rolling away from a senton. Hero escapes and comes back with a knee smash but gets caught in the Bro to Sleep as Riddle almost gets the win, leading to a “bro my god” chant. Both men just beat the ten count as Hero lays into Riddle with elbows as he was playing possum. Riddle takes Hero down and fires away then tries a tombstone but Hero reverses and hits Riddle with one before using a short piledriver. Hero does not cover as he tries a Gotch piledriver but Riddle blocks that with a triangle. Hero picks Riddle up and piledrives him but that only gets two then follows with a rolling elbow for two (17:45) ****.

Thoughts: Really good match but nothing I’d consider a “Match of the Year Candidate” though. Riddle showed great fire but I did not care for the finish and at times it felt like two guys just hitting each other for the sake of it instead of an actual match.

After the match, Williams enters the ring and asks for the mic. He tells Hero that Catchpoint is about competition as Hero reminds him how he beat him in Queens. However, DUSTIN & Galloway come out as the take care of Williams. Galloway then stands over Riddle and quotes Winston Churchill then says that in just two weeks he will return but has inspired his friends and now, the clock struck midnight for Catchpoint as their run has come to an end. Galloway asks them to finish off Riddle but Hero walks out then Catchpoint runs in as DUSTIN & Galloway bail. Catchpoint then stands tall as Gulak tells Galloway this has to end one way or another and will with Catchpoint on top.

Final Thoughts: A very good show. From top to bottom, the wrestling was excellent and the angles they have going on are all compelling. One of the best EVOLVE shows from this year.

Here is my schedule for the next several days:

Thursday: Kayfabe Commentaries Timeline Series: 1987 WCW as told by Tully Blanchard

Friday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 5/14/89

Saturday: Mid-South Wrestling 5/13/82

Sunday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 5/20/89

Monday: WWF Wrestling Challenge 5/21/89

Tuesday: WWF Superstars of Wrestling 5/27/89

Wednesday: EVOLVE 72