3/30 EVOLVE 80 iPPV Results: Orlando, Florida
* Drew Galloway interrupts the intro and calls out Matt Riddle for their match to happen right now, leading to…..
Drew Galloway defeated Matt Riddle by pinfall in a Grudge Match with the Future Shock
Fun brawl between the two. Big spot towards the end with Galloway piledriving Riddle off the apron through a ringside table, leading to the finish. Riddle has picked up pro wrestling quicker than anyone since Kurt Angle, he’s one of the top indy guys going right now and if he’s not in WWE or NXT by the end of the year, someone screwed up. Galloway went to attack Riddle after, but Riddle’s Catch Point stablemates made the save.
Show kicked off with a fun brawl between Drew Galloway and Matt Riddle. Riddle should be in #WWE or #NXT by the end of 2017. #EVOLVE80 – JN
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) March 31, 2017
Timothy Thatcher w/Stokely Hathaway defeated Chris Dickinson by submission
Solid bout between Timothy Thatcher and Chris Dickinson. Thatcher's style is an acquired taste, Dickinson brought good intensity. #EVOLVE80
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) March 31, 2017
Lio Rush defeated Jaka and Jason Kincaid by pinfall
Rush got the win with his Dragon’s Claw Frog Splash on Kincaid. Was originally supposed to be Jaka vs. Kincaid, but Rush, who was set to re-debut on the show later today after his departure from ROH, was added as a surprise. Fun match, Rush brings a ton of babyface charisma and has a great presence to him for someone of his height. Kincaid works a unique Buddhist-type gimmick and his mannerisms and movements set him apart.
Fun match from Lio Rush, Jaka and Jason Kincaid. Rush has a ton of babyface charisma. Kincaid works a unique Buddhist gimmick. #EVOLVE80
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) March 31, 2017
Ethan Page’s Gatekeepers won a squash match by pinfall over Facade and Leon
The Gatekeepers won with a Doomsday Elbow Drop on Leon.
Good showcase for Ethan Page's Gatekeepers aka the former Devastation Corporation from CHIKARA in a squash. #EVOLVE80
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) March 31, 2017
* Page cuts a promo after before his match up next, demanding to be included into the EVOLVE title picture.
Ethan Page defeated Austin Theory by pinfall with the Spinning Dwayne
Page won another showcase match with a spinning urnangi that he calls the Spinning Dwayne. Afterwards, Darby Allin, who portrays a supernatural gimmick, came back from an attack on an EVOLVE show last month from Page and ran off Page and the Gatekeepers with a pipe, then challenged Page to an Anything Goes match on the show later today, to which Page accepted. Allin was with Priscilla Kelly as they are aligned in the FIP promotion, as Kelly bears a striking resemblance to WWE’s Paige, as well as Moriticia from the Addams Family.
Ethan Page had a solid showcase. Good post-match angle with the returning Darby Allin, who does a supernatural gimmick. #EVOLVE80
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) March 31, 2017
Allin had Priscilla Kelly with him as they team in FIP. Kelly bares a striking resemblance to Paige, as well as Morticia Addams. #EVOLVE80
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) March 31, 2017
Ricochet defeated Keith Lee by pinfall with the 630 Splash
The first great match of this long weekend. Ricochet has become a great all-around performer, no longer relying solely on his high-flying that initially got him over. Keith Lee, who has been with EVOLVE since January after departing ROH, is very similar to Apollo Crews in terms of his power and agility mixture, but much heavier, as Lee is well over 300 pounds, but you wouldn’t know it from how he moves. My first recommended match to watch to people from this weekend.
Ricochet and Keith Lee had the first great match of #Wrestlemania33 weekend. Ricochet has become a great all-around performer. #EVOLVE80
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) March 31, 2017
Keith Lee is very similar to Apollo Crews in terms of mixing power with agility, although Lee is much heavier at over 300 pounds. #EVOLVE80
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) March 31, 2017
EVOLVE Tag Team Champions Catch Point (Fred Yehi and Tracy Williams) defeated Michael Elgin and Donovan Dijak to retain the titles
Catch Point retained after Williams submitted Dijak with the Sauce Face crossface submission. Very good tag match. Elgin and Dijak worked well as a team, utilizing their power, along with Dijak’s impressive agility for being 6’7. Yehi and Williams, while they don’t show a lot of tag chemistry, do enough with their selling and their babyface fire that it still works for them in the end. Good stuff.
Very good tag title match with Fred Yehi and Tracy Williams retaining over Michael Elgin and Donovan Dijak. #EVOLVE80
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) March 31, 2017
Yehi and Williams don't have a lot of tag chemistry, but they make up for it nicely with their selling and babyface fire. #EVOLVE80
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) March 31, 2017
* Larry Dallas comes out after and continues to stir up problems within the Catch Point faction, something he has been doing on EVOLVE shows for months now.
EVOLVE Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defeated ACH to retain the title by submission
Sabre retained the title with his complex arm triangle/double armbar combo submission that has the longest finisher name in pro wrestling history. For a match that going in, you think would be a total clash of styles, wound up being a damn good main event. As much as Sabre is loved by many independent crowds, his rough striking and submission style works better for him as a heel, especially when up against a charismatic babyface, and it worked a ton matched up with ACH’s oozing amounts of charisma.
Damn good main event with Zack Sabre Jr. retaining the EVOLVE Title over ACH that going in, you'd think would be a styles clash. #EVOLVE80
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) March 31, 2017
As loved as ZSJ is, his rough submission style works better as a heel, especially when up against a charismatic babyface like ACH. #EVOLVE80
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) March 31, 2017
* Afterwards, Michael Elgin came out to interrupt Sabre’s promo as they are matched up later today and eventually laid out Sabre with a backfist to close the show.
The replay is now available on FloSlam.TV as part of a $20 a month subscription.
Overall, #EVOLVE80 kicked @WWNLive's weekend off to a good start, would recommend Ricochet-Lee, ZSJ-ACH, replay on @FloSlam. – JN
— Wrestleview.com (@wrestleview) March 31, 2017