August 12, 2017
From the Elmcor Youth and Adult Activities Center in Corona, NY
Lenny Leonard is your host
Ethan Page vs. ACH
The Troll Boyz come out together looking for a tag match but are upset when learning they will have to wrestle each other. They start off by messing around with the referee then they end up auctioning off ACH’s shirt, which sells for $25 as ACH poses with the fan that paid. ACH almost gets counted out during this then the two finally lock up and make over-exaggerated sounds. They try to knock each other down as ACH kips-up but Page fails to do so then ACH assists him with the kip-up as the crowd applauds. ACH floats over in the corner then does several backflips in a row before hitting a springboard Ace Crusher. Page runs back in to hit a spinebuster then sets up for the People’s Elbow as that gets two. Leonard says that Lou Thesz is rolling over in his grave right now as ACH is telling Page what to do now then ACH spins around several times before connecting with a rolling elbow as both men fall down. ACH yells out how they will “fight forever” and the crowd chants that as the two are brawling from their knees. They get comical with their strikes and end up hurting their hands playing patty cake. ACH hits Page low then pokes him down but Page is up at one and pissed over getting hit in the dick. Page hits ACH with the tombstone and ACH is up at one then goes back down and said that hurt. The two hug it out then fight until Page hits a ripcord finger poke for the win (9:27) *1/2.
Thoughts: This stuff can work as an opening match comedy routine and what they are doing does fit into storyline of both guys being pissed how they are being used in EVOLVE so they decided to make a mockery of everything, resulting in fines and threats of suspension. However, the shelf-life is not going to be long for this but I will say they entertained the crowd here.
Darby Allin vs. Timothy Thatcher w/ Stokely Hathaway
Thatcher immediately boots Allin down before tossing him outside. Thatcher tells Allin he does not belong in his ring then kicks him off of the apron a few times. Allin finally runs back in then flies out with a tope con hilo to take out Hathaway. Thatcher runs out but Allin is back in the ring then prevents Thatcher from heading inside. Allin takes Thatcher down with an arm drag then flies out with a coffin drop from the top rope. Allin fires away but Thatcher overpowers him to take control. They head back into the ring where he works the arm. The fans rag on Thatcher as he hits Allin with a gutwrench suplex. Thatcher goes back to working the arm then uses a chinlock. Allin breaks that up with a jawbreaker but Thatcher catches a coffin drop attempt and puts Allin in a choke. Allin reaches the ropes and floats over on a German suplex before getting a few pin attempts. Thatcher puts Allin in a Fujiwara amrbar but Allin got his foot on the ropes. Allin fights back but Thatcher cuts him off the top rope then hammers away. Hathaway slides in a chair and wants Thatcher to end Allin’s career but Thatcher seems a bit conflicted and by the time he goes to pick up the chair, Allin comes off the top with a coffin drop. Allin then hits some strikes then a springboard coffin drop. Code Red gets two then Allin puts on the Gibson Lock for the win (10:37) ***1/4. After the match, WALTER comes out in the aisle as Allin walks by on his way backstage. Hathaway then gets in the ring as Thatcher says he has to leave. Hathaway then hugs Thatcher and begs him not to leave but Thatcher goes off with WALTER.
Thoughts: Allin finally gets a big win in a “wrestling” match. I do like how he uses the Gibson Lock as a finisher because with his size he can perform it on anyone and it looks credible. The angle of Allin trying to prove himself as a wrestler is intriguing and the crowd was behind him during this match. I would like to see him dial back on using the coffin drop as he is far too reliant on the move. Anyway, this was a way to write of Thatcher as he is moving to Germany for the rest of the year to train in wXw, which is why he left with WALTER.
EVOLVE Tag Team Title Match: Fred Yehi & Jason Kincaid vs. Anthony Henry & James Drake (c)
The champs attack the challengers before the bell. ACH & Page take over on commentary as the action now goes back-and-forth. Yehi and Henry trade strikes as Yehi wins that battle as he starts going nuts. Page & ACH do all sorts of inside stuff on commentary and its actually amusing as the challengers are in control of the match. Drake tags in and wrestles with Kincaid as Henry boots Yehi in the face from the apron. Drake overpowers Kincaid as Page calls him “Morishima” but Yehi comes back in and kicks the crap out of Drake. Yehi hits Henry with a German suplex then tags out as Kincaid runs wild. He catches Henry’s dive attempt and hits a draping stunner but Drake flies out and takes everyone out with a somersault plancha. Henry and Kincaid fight up top and it ends with Kincaid taking Henry off the top and out to the floor on the other two guys with a sunset bomb. Back inside, Kincaid gets two with a double stomp but Henry is able to fight back then follows Kincaid up the middle rope for a Spanish Fly. Henry then hits a top rope double stomp then Drake finishes Kincaid off with a moonsault (11:12) ***1/2. After the match, Yehi gets in the faces of the champs, who taunt him with the belts. The champs leave then Kincaid meditates until Yehi taps his shoulder. Kincaid is first pissed but then shakes Yehi’s hand and they hug before leaving the ring.
Thoughts: The makeshift team of Yehi & Kincaid looked good as this match was all-action. Drake & Henry are fine as a team but they do not seem to be over much. Yehi was clearly the star of the match as his 2017 continues to be great. He’s a guy that should get more opportunities in 2018.
Austin Theory w/ Priscilla Kelly vs. Mark Haskins
These two start off with a struggle on the mat that ends in a stalemate. They start trading strikes now until Haskins takes control. Theory cuts off a dive attempt but is sent back outside where Haskins runs to the other side and hits a tope before posing with the fans. Back inside, Haskins gets two with a double stomp. Theory blocks a knee strike then tosses Haskins’ legs in the ropes before going to work. Theory gets two off of a brainbuster then works over the back and neck to the joy of Priscilla as he keeps him on the ground. Haskins fights back and they trade strikes until Haskins hits a jumping side kick. Theory tries a standing moonsault but misses as Haskins locks on the Star Armbar. Theory makes the ropes as the crowd is chanting for Haskins. Theory fights back and hits a rolling dropkick then seemingly messes up a spot as he just falls down before hitting another dropkick. Haskins rolls through to pick up Theory for a rack driver as that gets two then eats boots on a charge. Haskins catches Theory with a cross armbreaker then turns it into a crossface where he yanks back both arms but Theory is able to get his foot on the ropes. Theory is able to catch Haskins with a rack bomb for two as he is bleeding from the nose. Theory comes back with a buckle bomb then a half-nelson backbreaker before getting a nearfall with a standing moonsault. Theory puts the boots to Haskins in the corner then Priscilla comes in to drop Haskins behind the ref’s back. Theory hits a neckbreaker for two as Priscilla is pissed then both men fight on the apron with Haskins hitting a Death Valley Driver. Priscilla distracts Haskins by standing on the apron then tries to fly out with a springboard plancha but misses and hits Theory instead then Haskins rolls in and puts Theory in the sharpshooter for the win (15:45) ***. After the match, an angry Priscilla pulls a limping Theory backstage.
Thoughts: There was some good stuff here but the match hit a rough patch in the middle and dragged a bit at times. Theory has shown more personality since turning heel and being under the spell of Priscilla but it still feels like there is something missing. At just 20 years old he still shows worlds of potential though. Haskins gets the win in his EVOLVE debut and was over with the crowd.
Chris Dickinson & Jaka vs. South Pacific Power Trip w/ Dahlia Black
The SPPT are quite over here as these teams will have a rematch from the WWN Supershow during WrestleMania weekend that tore the house down. Dickinson & Jaka cheap shot the SPPT, who offered hand shakes before the bell. The SPPT fight back and double-team Jaka then Banks flies out to hit both men with topes. Cooper heads up top but Dickinson takes him off with a Falcon Arrow as the match settles down. Cooper gets worked over in the corner and remains in trouble as Dickinson & Jaka are cutting off the ring. Jaka cuts off a comeback with a dropkick that gets two. Cooper finally fights back then takes Dickinson off of the apron then finally makes the tag as Banks runs wild on both men. The match breaks down with everyone out on the mat. This is all-action as everyone then charges at each other with kicks and drops on the mat as an “all these guys” chant breaks out. Dickinson gets up and beats on the SPPT. Cooper fights back but Dickinson got his knees up on a springboard 450 attempt. Banks gets tossed outside and they set up Cooper for the Death Trap but Banks is able to make the save and Jaka is hit with the Magic Killer as that gets two with Dickinson making the save. Cooper picks up Jaka and the SPPT hit a double stomp/Dudebuster combo for two. The SPPT now pepper Jaka with super kicks but Jaka powers up until his legs are taken out. Jaka then comes back with a double chokeslam. Dickinson runs in as JAka powerbombs Banks but Cooper backdrops him outside. Dickinson cuts off Cooper and sets up for a powerbomb but Black gets up on the apron. Cooper gets shoved into Black then Dickinson hits a enziguiri. Jaka is in and Cooper is with the Total Elimination then the Death Trap gets the win (13:36) ***3/4.
Thoughts: Another excellent match between the two teams, who showed that they just have great chemistry together. The crowd loved the SPPT and Dickinson & Jaka got the win as they remain pissed off over losing the Tag Team Titles and will probably get another shot at the belts.
WWN Title Match: “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams w/ Stokely Hathaway vs. Keith Lee vs. WALTER vs. Matt Riddle (c)
Lee and WALTER stare down each other to start but get attacked by the others. Williams and Riddle get tossed down then Lee and WALTER get in each other’s faces again but are once again attacked. WALTER starts chopping everyone down until double-teamed by Riddle & Williams. Lee beats on Riddle now then Riddle and Williams go at it until WALTER destroys them. Lee is back up then stares down WALTER again and tells him to bask in his glory but WALTER kicks him in the gut. The two then try to knock each other over but are both put in chokeholds on the apron. They shake off the men then WALTER puts on a choke and hits a German suplex. Lee pops up and hits a belly-to-belly as WALTER pops up then the two take each other down wit a double clothesline. Riddle starts kicking the crap out of Williams in the corner until he is booted down in midair. Williams then DDT’s Riddle on the turnbuckle but Riddle is able to come back with the fisherman’s buster as everyone is down. Riddle puts WALTER in a triangle choke then Williams puts Lee in a crossface. WALTER powers up and powerbombs Riddle on top of the others to break up the submission. Everyone is up now and starts brawling. Williams gets knocked down as the others all chop each other. WALTER tries to German Riddle but Lee comes from behind and suplexes then all. Williams sneaks in to hit Riddle with a brainbuster for a nearfall. Lee chokeslams Williams then hits him with the Pounce as Williams rolls outside. WALTER puts Lee in the sleeper until Riddle breaks that up with a top rope senton. Williams comes in to put Riddle in a crossface but WALTER breaks that up. Riddle avoids a powerbomb but WALTER puts him a sleeper. Riddle counters and elbows WALTER down until Lee stops him. Riddle then knocks Lee down with elbows. Williams sneaks back in to piledrive Riddle for a nearfall then puts on the crossface but Riddle rolls through and locks on the Bromission and gets the win (15:49) ****.
Thoughts: An awesome main event. The last few minutes were tremendous and the finish was the right call as Williams was the one who could most afford a pin as they are building towards Lee vs. Riddle and WALTER was a special attraction that should not get pinned in a match like this.
After the match, Riddle goes to give Lee a fist bump. Lee does not seem to be in the mood though and gives him a weak one before leaving. WALTER refuses a handshake and walks away as the show ends.
Final Thoughts: This clocked in at just under two hours, making it shorter than most EVOLVE shows, but it was a good day of wrestling. The guys all worked hard and some of them also had to work the PROGRESS show this same night that unfortunately saw TK Cooper get injured. Its clear that Lee vs. Riddle is the plan for the WWN Title and EVOLVE Champion Zack Sabre Jr. will be able to compete next month as he was in NJPW for the G1Tournament.