EVOLVE 79

EVOLVE 79EVOLVE 79

By Big Red Machine
From February 25, 2017
Discussion

IF ACH WINS HE GETS AN EVOLVE WORLD TITLE MATCH IN ORLANDO:
ACH vs. Jason Kindcaid - 5.75/10


This was a pretty short match which ACH did, in fact, win.

FOUR-WAY MATCH:
Anthony Henry vs. Fred Yehi vs. Chris Dickinson vs. Austin Theory - 7/10


Priscilla Kelly was out to watch Austin Theory's match again. Or maybe she's just out here to watch this match and the fact that Austin Theory is in the match she has chosen to watch from ringside for the second straight night is just a coincidence.

This was a great, action-packed match that gave everyone some time to shine. The finish saw Yehi get Henry in the Koji Clutch but Henry held on for a long time- enough time for Dickinson to hit a Crucifix Powerbomb on Theory and then pin him for the win, marking the second time that Yehi's inability to put away Henry has cost him in the WWN (the first was their time limit draw at Style Battle S1, E1 which eliminated both of them from the tournament.

JEFF COBB vs. JAKA - 6/10


A fantastic little strong-style match for the time it got that built off of last night's segment very well.

TRACY WILLIAMS vs. KEITH LEE - 7/10


This was a really exciting match. They're doing a great job of making use of Lee's size. Apparently he is facing Ricochet over WrestleMania weekend, and I, for one, cannot wait for that match.

DARBY ALLIN vs. ETHAN PAGE (w/the Gatekeepers) - no rating, AWESOME SEGMENT


Apparently handcuffing your opponent does not warrant a DQ. The referee did ask Darby Allin if he wanted to continue the match, and because he is insane both in and out of kayfabe, he said yes. Shockingly, he didn't break his arms or wrists. He put on one of those performances that no one watching will ever forget simply because he was so insane and willing to risk so much for the business.
That stuff was good and all, but what really made this was the awesome promo Page cut on Allin, which was made even more awesome because he cut it while the Gatekeepers were stuffing Darby into a bodybag.

MATT RIDDLE vs. DREW GALLOWAY - 7.25/10


They had a really intense match that ended in a referee stoppage victory for Riddle, which I thought was a great finish because now Galloway can claim that the Evolve official screwed him on purpose in order to build up to a rematch (maybe of the I Quit variety). Galloway kicked Riddle in the nuts after the match and was about to piledriver him into a chair when Riddle's Catchpoint teammates Tracy Williams and Fred Yehi came out to make the save.

LARRY DALLAS & CATCHPOINT SEGMENT - Very good. Larry announces that because Tracy Williams shoved him last night and because he has almost been attacked some other times, he has hired himself some security in the form of "The Big C" Earl Cooter. You are probably inclined to not take him seriously just based on his name, and apparently Catchpoint shares your opinion.

He also breaks the news that Williams, Riddle, and Yehi have all been entered into the Battle of the Champions Elimination Match to crown the first ever WWN Live Champion on account of all being champions. Riddle says that all of the titles will be his. Yehi and Williams exchange Catchpoint handshakes. Yehi goes to give one to Riddle but Cooter is between them so Riddle doesn't realize it. Riddle then leaves the ring and heads to the back but Yehi grabs the mic and cuts a promo on him, calling him "selfish." Yehi wants a match with Riddle, who replies "anytime, bro" and walks to through the curtain. Yehi wants to chase after him but Williams tries to calm him down.

EVOLVE WORLD TITLE MATCH:
Timothy Thatcher(c) (w/Stokely Hathaway) vs. Zack Sabre Jr. - 8.75/10


Wonderful, pure, professional wrestling. This is the type of match that the Evolve World Title should change hands in, and lo and behold it did. They also had a good post-match segment in which Thatcher was clearly having difficulty with the idea that he would have to follow the tradition of handing the Evolve World Title over to the man who took it from him. While he was still deciding this Ethan Page attacked Zack from behind and put the boots to him. Thatcher watched for a moment, then just dropped the title and left. ACH then came out to make the save. Once Ethan left ACH cut a promo putting Zack over but then saying he would win the title from him at the next show. Then the rest of the locker room came out and congratulated Zack, ending in Keith Lee, who exchanged some words with Zack to build to a title match between them (which makes sense because Lee beat Zack last night).

Final Thoughts:
Another GREAT show from Evolve. The wonderful little details of Gabe's booking continue to impress while the wrestlers more than do their part in the ring. Evolve in 2017 feels so wonderfully fresh, and it's about to get even fresh with the additions of Michael Elgin and Donovan Dijak next month.

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