– We’re getting a lot of buffering early.
EVOLVE Tag Team Title Match: Champions Drew Galloway and Johnny Gargano w/Kota Ibushi vs. Anthony Nese & Caleb Konley w/SoCal Val and Andrea: The gimmick here is that if Nese and Konley lose, they can never team again. Nese and Konley attacked before the bell, which led to all four men brawling and the action going to the floor and there were dives. I will do the best I can here, because the stream is jacked for everyone it seems. The champs got some shine, and then Nese and Konley took the heat and worked on Gargano. This is really unfortunate that they are having the problems on this weekend, because the live streams have been perfectly reliable for a long time. The stream then dies at about 9-minutes into the match. They are working on the issue and reportedly killing time. Champions Drew Galloway and Johnny Gargano defeated Anthony Nese & Caleb Konley to retain.
EVOLVE Championship Match: Champion Timothy Thatcher vs. Matt Riddle: They went straight up grappling early, working back and forth. They then moved to mock striking for a bit at around the five-minute mark, and then back to the grappling. It was… fine. I tend to enjoy Thatcher matches as well as Riddle’s recent run, but this feels flat so far. Thatcher worked an ankle lock, really pulling on the leg and allowing Riddle to sell, which he’s gotten really good at. Naylor needs to stop trying to get “Bro-Mission” over in regards to Riddle’s submission work. They finally started to pick up the intensity, with Thatcher slapping the piss out of Riddle and landing knee strikes to the top of the head. They tried to so something by the ropes, but Riddle didn’t kick off the ropes enough and Thatcher opted to basically drop him on his head. Riddle, not selling the ankle at all, fought back and hit a fisherman’s buster for a near fall. Thatcher then hit rolling gut wrench suplexes, and then got the arm bar. Riddle teased escaping, failed and Thatcher got the arm bar again but Riddle countered into the arm bar of his own, we got some counters and reversals out of this. Both guys are yelling back and forth for the other to tap, but this is not connecting with the crowd. They then did counters of cross arm breakers, Riddle pulled Thatcher back center ring and Thatcher got the ropes on two occasions. Riddle did not break clean, and they teased that Thatcher was hurt on the floor and the ref called for help with the X-sign. Riddle celebrated with the title, but the ref took it from him. The ref rules this a no contest, which is some bullshit. Thatcher tried to attack post match and Catch Point came out to pull Riddle out of harms way.
Marty Scurll vs. Fred Yehi: Good and energetic back and forth from both guys, it felt fresh and fun unlike the earlier stuff. Yehi took control, working chops, head butts and a fisherman’s suplex for a near fall. Scurll then attacked the arm and shoulder of Yehi, which is being done to set up Scurll’s chicken wing for later. Scurll was a proper dick here, working uppercuts and then slapping around Yehi as he talked smack and then hit more uppercuts. They did some really nice things, playing off of each other’s signature stuff and either countering or coming up with fun ways to work around those spots. Scurll then attacked the hands of Yehi, did the faux finger break spot and then hit a sweet falcon arrow into the chicken wing and Yehi had to tap.
Sami Callihan vs. Ethan Page: Callihan attacked at the bell, and they brawled right away and to the floor. Page slammed Callihan on the apron, which be promptly no sold hit a kick and then a big dive. Callihan tossed Page around, hit chops and spit on his hand because he’s a disgusting person, and chopped Page more. Page fought back and actually got back into the ring and told the ref to count, trying to show his good side. After Page go to shine, Callihan took over and hit face washes until Page fought back, leading to a back and forth striking exchange, which resulted in a double down. I am not feeling this at all, Callihan is a dick in Evolve and is working a face role, while Page is on a redemption tour of goodness, but is playing the heel role. Is this like one of those meta deconstructed meals restaurants are selling and if you don’t get it you’re not cool? Callihan hit a Liger bomb and then the stretch muffler, but page got the ropes. Callihan yelled at Pager to quit, he told him to fuck off and then ran wild and hit the spinning Dwayne and that got a near fall. Callihan countered the package piledriver, landed kicks to the face of Page and then hit a sliding forearm for the win.
Ricochet vs. TJ Perkins: Ricochet was fucking around early, avoiding TJP and then said, “It’s like I’m a Puma” and then played it off as TJP laughed. They then did a ton of fast, back and forth counters leading to a teased dive and the biggest pop of the night so far. It was great to see them really alive. Ricochet was having fun, with some homages to Austin with the boots in the corner and the Rock with the People’s moonsault. That was all well and good, but TJP was not amused and started to attack the knees of Ricochet. That is TJP’s wheelhouse, and also makes sense to ground the highflier. TJP put Ricochet in the tree of WHOA and then promptly stepped on his balls; yes sir, you are the heel. Really, really nice work from both guys, as they made everything come off as clean and effortless. Ricochet mounted a comeback, working a series of kicks. TJP countered the benadryller, and then countered a Regal-Plex into a knee bar. Ricochet escaped, after counters he hit the blue thunder driver, into a northern lights suplex and then into the deadlift suplex for a near fall. Ricochet went for the splash, TJP moved and Ricochet landed on his feet and the knee buckled; TJP attacked with the dropkick and grapevied heel hook and Ricochet tapped clean.
– Stokley Hathaway then appeared, and TJP signed with him as part as the Dream Team. He then sent a message to Triple H, and told him to sign TJP for the Cruiserweight series. TJP is now done with Catch Point.
Best In The World Challenge Series – The Flyer: Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Will Ospreay: The opening minutes was a display of fast paced, clean and very fun grappling. This was world of sport on crack, and was so well done. After the back and forth, Ospreay took control with strikes and kicks, leading to a near fall. ZSJ then came back with some great counters, and hit a bridging dragon suplex for a near fall. ZSJ then worked a series of holds, working the neck, the knees and then the arms to ground the flyer. ZSJ’s work is so crisp and clean, and Ospreay’s selling was really good here. Ospreay started to make a comeback, running wild with kicks and then a Sasuke special to a huge reaction. They are working a great pace here, slowly escalating the action and getting the crowd invested big time. Ospreay rolled through the 630, and then ZSJ hit the tiger suplex and then locked in a sick dragon suplex variation into a roll up but Ospreay rolled out into the shooting star and then a phoenix splash for a near fall. Sweet baby Jesus that was awesome. Ospreay went for a Rainmaker, but ZSJ countered and we got a series of near falls. Ospreay went for a shooting star press (standing) and got caught in the triangle! The ref checked the arm, but Ospreay survived. He then did a single arm left and powerbombed ZSJ to the corner. Ospreay dead jumped to the top and got his legs kicked out from underneath him, and he fell into the tree of WHOA. They then worked up top, Ospreay countered out and then hit the Spanish fly as ZSJ charged him for a near fall. Ospreay up top, left off and ate knees. Soccer kick by ZSJ into the Liger bomb and then a sick double armed submission and Ospreay had to submit.
Chris Hero & Tommy End vs. Drew Gulak & Tracy Williams: Interestingly enough, TJP is out at ringside with Catch Point. Williams worked to ground End early, trying to avoid End’s striking advantage. After some back and forth, Gulak and Hero tagged in. Gulak had the grappling advantage early, but Hero battled back with chops and then a lucha-esque arm drag off the ropes. Some really nice back and forth here from the two veteran performers, Williams tagged in and Hero and End took control of things. Solid heat from Hero and End, smartly worked and clean overall but the crowd is burnt out after the last two matches. Williams did a big fire up spot and ate a ton of strikes, but Hero tagged in and kept control. They kept Williams isolated, and kept Gulak from tagging in repeatedly. Williams would again fire up, absorbing chops and finally coming back with the belly to back suplex. Gulak eventually got the hot tag, ran wild and got some near falls on End but the crowd was just burnt out and gave little reaction. Gulak and Williams worked over End, Hero recovered and cheered him on. The work from Gulak and Williams was strong, the crowd started to get into it a bit, mostly because of Hero, but it was nice to see them sound as if they cared. In between the grappling and striking is a strong, traditional tag team formula that is being well worked. End slowly made a comeback and finally got to really se his striking game, which leveled both Gulak and Williams. Hero then got the tag, forearms and chops for all. Hero then hit the cyclone kill on Williams, but only got the near fall. Gulak tried to save Williams, End then returned and it broke down with all four in. Hero and End worked over Williams with kicks and strikes, Williams was the ever resilient fighter and kept coming back, and that was really the story of the match. Williams would get the rear naked choke, Gulak tried to stop Hero, but failed as Hero suplexed him onto End and Williams. It’s just going too long at this point and feels as if they are losing steam and doing things to do things. Everyone back in to hit each other to next to no reaction, there was some, but they struggled to get the reactions. End and Hero hit piledrivers and brain busters in tandem, but Catch Point kicked out. Gulak and Williams then got tandem crossfaces, they then switches opponents and it just kept going. Hero and End hit a double stomp piledriver combo on Williams, and then they went after Gulak, but Gulak fought back and got a dragon sleeper out of nowhere on End to win.
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