Evolve 77
January 28th, 2017 | Woodlawn Park Gym in San Antonio, Texas
Evolve 76 saw some solid action in the ring, but had other nightmarish problems. The ring ropes broke three different times, causing several issues. Today, in an afternoon show, we see the Evolve sendoff for Chris Hero as he faces his top rival, Zack Sabre Jr.
The daytime setup looks much better by the way.
It’s supposed to be Barrett Brown vs. Darby Allin to open. Allin is coming off an upset win over Chris Dickinson yesterday. Brown competed at a seminar this weekend. Before things got started, Ethan Page’s music hit and he walked out. The Gatekeepers jump him behind and they put the boots to him while Page talks smack. Page also leveled Brown and shouted to Darby that he’ll never be anything. He was gonna give Darby a match but didn’t want to share the spotlight. Instead, he offered a tag challenge. Allin said Page was scared of him and we got a handicap match.
Barrett Brown, Darby Allin and Zack Sabre Jr. def. Ethan Page and The Gatekeepers in 11:57
Allin started hot and nearly ended up against Page alone but the Gatekeepers returned. Allin took a big back body drop bump to the outside. Blaster did an effortless somersault dive outside but it might have been too easy. He mostly missed his opponents by overshooting them. Allin took heat for a bit and always kept his focus on Page. Even when the bigger opponents were kicking his ass. Zack Sabre Jr. showed up to make this an impromptu six man tag. ARE THERE NO RULES ANYMORE? Sabre cleaned house for a bit. Page launched Brown with a border toss onto everyone else outside. They brawled there, where Allin climbed a support beam and nailed a coffin drop on everyone. It was nuts. The pace didn’t slow inside and Sabre made Blaster submit to a Kimura. An absolutely chaotic opener that was way more fun than expected. It reminded me of ECW in a good way. They did a good job continuing Page’s feuds with Sabre and Allin, while giving us a wild tag match. ***¼
Tracy Williams def. The Laredo Kid in 7:58
The Laredo Kid looks just like Kalisto. Mask, attire and everything. Kid flew all over the place, including a somersault off the ring post. Most of the match saw Kid use his aerial skills, while Williams tried to ground him. It’s a basic formula, but usually works. Kid started putting together offense and went for a Phoenix splash. He crashed and burned when Williams rolled out of the way. Williams hit a vicious forearm and instantly made Kid tap in the crossface. Standard match here. I continue to be impressed by Williams’ skills between the ropes, while Laredo Kid is a fine luchador. There are a lot of guys with similar skills though, so I feel he would have been better served to stand out a bit more. **½
Chris Dickinson and Jaka def. Jason Kincaid and Sammy Guevara in 13:45
Guevara is from Texas and got a hearty pop in his Evolve debut. Kincaid scored an upset over DUSTIN yesterday. They continued to play the “Dickinson is a wild card” angle. He had to be held back and is a loose cannon. Kincaid and Jaka had a fun opening before both men tagged out. Guevara showed some impressive athleticism. I liked what I saw from him during the Style Battle show earlier this month. Sammy’s overconfidence cost him as the Catch Point guys took turns wearing him down. Guevara impressed with a fantastic shooting star press to the outside. Kincaid also killed it with a rope walk coast to cast. Guevara also busted out a 630 but they both missed other high risk moves, allowing Catch Point to win with a doomsday chokeslam. Good tag match and I came away wanting to see more Guevara and Kincaid for sure. ***
Larry Dallas came out and tried to build tension between Catch Point, saying Jaka and Dickinson should get a Tag Title shot. Jason Kincaid interrupted to say some odd stuff that went over the crowd’s heads.
ACH def. Fred Yehi in 14:06
Outside of the main event, this was what I wanted to see most on the card. Yehi was intense from the start and didn’t seem amused when ACH stole his “YOU’RE IN TROUBLE” stuff. There were some great exchanges in the first portion of the match, with both men having the other scouted. Ach avoided Yehi’s trademark stomps but eventually got caught with them. I was particularly amused at Yehi using a stump puller and telling ACH to “kiss his knee.” On the mat, Yehi would typically have the advantage but Ach more than held his own, similar to the Riddle match. The pace picked up and they got into a huge battle of slaps and chops. Also like last night’s match, this was a big more aggressive at points than I expected. Just as things were possibly reaching the next level, ACH scored with a small package drive of sorts to win from out of nowhere. Not quite as good as ACH/Riddle, but still my favorite match so far. Good, hard hitting match between two of the better guys around WWN. ACH could be poised for a Cedric Alexander like string of performances after departing ROH, while Yehi is consistently awesome. ***½
No Disqualifications: Matt Riddle def. DUSTIN in 10:39
Riddle started with the clear upper hand until things moved outside. There, DUSTIN tossed him into rows of chairs several times. Riddle turned it around on him before having fans hold a chair in DUSTIN’s face, which he proceeded to big boot. They fought all around the building and brought chairs and tables into play. At one point, Riddle missed a senton and landed on two chairs. DUSTIN destroyed Riddle INSERT SPOT but Riddle powered up and kicked out at one. DUSTIN set up about ten chairs, open and on top of each other in the ring. He went up top but got stopped by Riddle. Riddle then superplexed him through all the hairs in an insane spot! Riddle then pummeled him with punches and kicks before pinning to get the three. The strikes at the end were odd. If the was gonna do that, it should have ended via ref stoppage. If it was a pin, he should’ve just pinned him. My favorite DUSTIN match so far because the stipulation allowed us to avoid his dull stuff. They tried some badass things and it fit the No DQ bill. Riddle can do it all. ***¾
At the upcoming WWN tailgate party during Mania weekend, Matt Hardy will be there!
Evolve Championship: Timothy Thatcher (c) w/ Stokely Hathaway def. Jeff Cobb in 16:10
Cobb dedicated the match to their trainer and made sure to note that it wasn’t Hathaway. Cobb used his power and amateur skills for an early upper hand. Thatcher worked the arm, looking to set things up for his finish and to take away Cobb’s power. Cobb did well to sell the arm, even when hitting bigger spots. The crowd was dead for this. The Thatcher experiment should have ended a long time ago. Each time Cobb tried to take over, his arm would cause him troubles. Like most Thatcher matches post-2015, the work made sense but it was so dry and boring. It killed the crowd. He ended up winning with the armbar. I can’t understand why Gabe keeps the title on Thatcher. He’s been champ for over 550 days and most of that has just been terrible. This is coming from someone who thought Thatcher was great in 2015. This match was a drag and the worst thing on the weekend. *¾
Zack Sabre Jr. def. Chris Hero in 22:59
Their last three matches for WWN have gotten ****¼, **** and ****½. Hero won all three and Sabre is dying to finally beat him. I loved how this began. Hero offered a handshake but the desperate Sabre charged in and applied a submission, trying to win quickly. Sabre went for another hold outside but would get stopped by Hero’s size and strength. For Sabre to knock Hero down, he had to run halfway around the ring on an uppercut. Hero took over and abused Sabre. Strikes, a BIG BOY senton outside and just brutal offense. Any hope spot for Sabre came in the form of submissions and flash pins. Hero kept kicking Sabre off the apron, telling him to stay down. Sabre blocked a top rope piledriver and kicked out Hero’s legs, but that didn’t stop Hero’s vicious elbows. Sabre fought off the tombstone, picking up a near fall, before taking a sick looking one. He sells piledrivers better than anyone. On his way to NXT, Hero went all Triple H with a Pedigree and Sabre kicked out at one. That was awesome. Hero connected on two sick piledrivers and looked to win with a third. Sabre countered and rolled into a sick submission to finally get the win. Their chemistry shined once again here. Sabre was always close to winning and they played into that story again. You could feel his desperation and Hero dominated at times like he should have. ****¼
Chris Hero got on the microphone and put over Zack Sabre Jr. at length. He discussed their time in NOAH and hinted at a future match in NXT with Hideo Itami. Hero said Sabre should get an Evolve Title shot. ACH came out and also put over both guys before reminding everyone that he beat Fred Yehi and wants a title shot. That brought out Stokely Hathaway, who said he makes the decisions regarding the title. Thatcher walked to the ring and pointed at Sabre before turning and leaving. Sabre told ACH that he can have the first title shot when he wins the title. ACH left Sabre to say some words to Hero. He said the last three years of Hero beating his ass defined him and made him better. They embraced and Hero had some final words. He spoke about the support he got when he was released and that there are a lot of people who dislike him but way more who want to see him. He thanked the fans and fellow wrestlers, because without them he wouldn’t have gotten the second chance with WWE. He went around the ring thanking fans and the locker room lined the aisle, all congratulating him and saying goodbye.
Overall: 8/10. An improvement on Evolve 76. The main event was exactly what it needed to be and sent off Chris Hero in grand fashion. The post-match stuff was good too. The entire card delivered, outside of Thatcher and Cobb. Thatcher continues to be the worst thing about Evolve, yet has been champion for almost two years. Yehi/ACH and Riddle/DUSTIN are both worth going out of your way to check out, while the undercard guys performed well. They give hope for the future of Evolve.
The opening video package starts by focusing on Nakamura and Roode. Roode wants to change NXT but Nakamura resists. Change makes Tye Dillinger question his place. It can breed chaos (women’s match hype), and it can be painful (Tag Title hype).
Eric Young w/ SAnitY vs. Tye Dillinger
Tye get a massive pop. If he isn’t number ten in the Rumble, people will be disappointed. No Nikki Cross with SAnitY. Eric Young actually trained Tye Dillinger. EY gives Tye one more chance to join SAnitY by throwing the jacket at him. Tye picks it up, tosses it at Eric and lights him up with strikes. He hits a big clothesline that causes Young to regroup outside. Inside, Tye hits more chops but Young kicks him and dumps him outside. SAnitY tries to sandwich Tye but he slides back in and takes down Young. More chops into the corner and an Irish whip that would eliminate Young if this was a Royal Rumble. Tye goes for ten corner punches but Young rakes the eyes and Tye falls outside. Killian Dane murders Tye with a running cross body. EY slides Tye inside and nails a big elbow to the back. He clubs away at Tye and does the hanging choke in the corner. Young stays in control and tries the choke again. Tye is prepared and fights him off. They trade shots up top where an EY headbutt sends Tye to the mat. Young leaps into a dropkick from Tye. They trade blows in the center of the ring to alternating TEN/BOO chants. Young hits a huge right that drops Tye. Tye grabs the beard and delivers a big headbutt. He hits a flying forearm and back body drop. He runs in with a chop and sends Young to the corner. Young hops over and climbs the opposite turnbuckle, but Tye climbs up and hits a huge belly to belly suplex for a near fall. “Ten” stomps in the corner and the KNEE PAD IS DOWN! Wolfe gets on the apron and eats a Tye Breaker. Young charges in and almost gets hit with one. Dane runs in but eats a superkick. Young hits him from behind. He tries the wheelbarrow finish but Tye counters into a pin for two. Tye Breaker connects but but Wolfe puts Young’s foot on the bottom rope. Way to sell that finisher. Tye takes out Wolfe and Dane with a plancha. Inside, Tye comes off the top with a cross body but Eric rolls through into a pin for two. Tye basbeall slides Dane and tries to skin the cat back in. Young catches him on the way back in with the wheelbarrow neckbreaker, which is enough to send Tye to 0-5 on TakeOvers.
Winner: Eric Young in 10:51
Solid opener that teased Tye finally winning at TakeOver the right amount of times. They didn’t overdo anything and had a hot crowd, which is all I want from an opener. (***)
Samoa Joe is shown sitting in the crowd. He gets loud “Joe” chants.
Andrade “Cien” Almas vs. Roderick Strong
Almas has new attire. They go to the mat quickly and Almas has to scramble to the ropes. Strong shoves him into the ropes, where Almas latches on. TRANQUILO! In the corner, Almas hits a knee, Strong leaps over him and nails a jumping kick for one. Strong nails a big strike but Almas comes back with a boot and chop in the corner. Strong hits a chop of his own but gets downed in the corner before hitting a big kick. They fight by the apron where Almas applies a rope assisted armbar. He points to his head to remind us that he’s smart. He sends Roddy into the corner but has a back elbow caught. Roddy tries a move but Almas elbows out and hits a kick for two. He goes to an armbar but Strong rolls free. Almas hits a body slam with Strong’s arm taking the brunt of the fall. Almas tries the moonsault knees but Roddy rolls away to avoid it and hits a backbreaker. Chops and forearms from Strong lead to a kick and clothesline. Gordbuster connects, as does a high knee in the corner. Strong nails a pretty dropkick and continues to sell the arm. Almas gets a boot up on a charging Strong. His next kick is caught and Strong pulls him into a great backbreaker for two. Almas slips free of Strong’s grasp and hits a straightjacket suplex for two. Almas does the school boy powerbomb lift spot for another near fall. They trade chops nad forearms and some of them look brutal. Almas hits a stiff kick and calls for the double knees. Strong pops up and catches him with a leaping knee. Both men are up and trading strikes again. Almas fires up but almost gets caught in a backbreaker. He blocks it with a knee and rolls Strong into a sick looking rings of Saturn like submission. Strong reaches the ropes with his feet. Elbow strikes on the downed Strong. Almas goes up but gets shoved and crotched. Strong follows up and drops Almas with a backbreaker onto the top turnbuckle for a close near fall. Strong fights out of the hammerlock DDT but charges into a hip toss into the turnbuckles. Almas misses the double knees but turns Roddy inside out with a clothesline. Double knees connect in the corner. Hammerlock DDT is countred and Strong hits a knee and facebuster of sorts. Sick Kick hits and that’s all.
Winner: Roderick Strong in 11:43
I suspected this had potential to steal the show despite the lackluster build. They worked a great match that got better as time went on. Pleasant surprise. (***3/4)
They recap Shawn Michaels winning the Royal Rumble in 1995.
Michael Hayes is shown in the audience.
NXT Tag Team Championship: #DIY (c) vs. The Authors of Pain w/ Paul Ellering
Big ovation for the champions. Razar and Ciampa start. Razar goes after Gargano instead before taking Ciampa to the corner. He talks trash while clubbing away. Ciampa gets in a back elbow and tries a suplex but fails. He tries getting Razar to the mat for an armbar but can’t. Razar tries a powerbomb but Ciampa blocks only to get clubbed hard to the mat. He gets Ciampa up but Ciampa slips free and tags out. Gargano tries the slingshot spear but Razar had it scouted and avoids it. Gargano desperately fights him off but ends in the challenger’s corner. He rolls away but the tag is made. Ciampa comes in to help and they get beat up in the corner. Gargano manages a superkick and Ciampa gets in a high knee, sending the challengers to regroup. Ciampa greets one with tope suicida and Gargano does the same on the other side. Ciampa isn’t done, coming off the apron with a knee strike as well. Gargano hits an enziguri and kicks the other member but gets knocked off the apron into the guardrail. Akam gets tagged and carries Gargano up the steps and tosses him in the ring. Gargano takes a beating in the Authors’ corner. They take turns with quick tags to wear him down. Razar uses a backbreaker rack for a while. Gargano finally gets an opening when Akam goes shoulder first into the guardrail. Gargano crawls across the ring but Akam tries to cut off the pin. Ciampa ducks his shot and Gargano rolls away from him. Hot tag and Ciampa comes off the top with a clothesline. He hits Razar as well. A knee for Akam and an elbow for Razar. Ciampa ipresses with German suplexes for each opponent! The crowd loves it Maggle. He delivers a big sliding knee for a near fall. Ciampa chops Akam a bunch but the big man fires up and screams. He does so again after two boots. Ciampa decides to just slap the taste out of his mouth multiple times. He runs into a clothesline for two though. It looks like we might get heat on Ciampa but he wriggles free and knocks Razar outside. Tag to Gargano and they do a double slingshot spear on Akam for two. Gargano lights up Akam in the corner before tagging out. They try a double team move but Gargano is knocked off the apron and Ciampa is taken down. Tag to Razar and they hit a powerbomb/neckbreaker for the closest near fall of the night. Ellering is fuming. They go for the Last Chapter but Gargano cuts it off with a superkick. Ciampa folls up Akam for two and goes right into the arm bar. Razar slides in for the save but Gargano stops him with the Gargano Escape! It’s a callback to Toronto! Razar powers out and slams Gargano onto Ciampa! Commentary sells that as DIY’s best shot. The teams trade shots in the middle of the ring. For every three or four DIY shots, one from AOP send them back. DIY duck clotheslines and hit hihg knees. AOP are down in the middle of the ring and DIY go for their finish. AOP catches them with stereo powerbombs instead. Tag to Razar and it’s Last Chapter time! New champs.
Winners: The Authors of Pain in 14:26
#DIY just nail tag team wrestling. This was, far and away, the best AOP performance ever. It started hot and stayed that way, while having the crowd completely engaged. I loved the touches of playing back to when DIY won the titles and the close calls down the stretch. (****)
Commentary gets interrupted by the sound of someone on a microphone. SETH ROLLINS IS HERE! He’s in the ring and demanding that Triple H come out. He isn’t leaving the ring until Triple H makes him leave. Triple H steps out to the stage and Seth takes off his shirt. HHH stops and sends security out instead. He leaves to the back and Seth beats up security. He follows backstage but is finally taken down by more security. The fans chant “bullshit” as he’s taken away.
NXT Women’s Championship: Asuka (c) vs. Billie Kay vs. Nikki Cross vs. Peyton Royce
Peyton and Billie came out together holding hands. They stick together and run to avoid their tougher opponents. Asuka rolls to avoid Nikki twice and the Aussies slide in with cheap shots. Asuka turns it around on them with kicks and a bulldog/clothesline combo. Now Nikki is left alone with her. They pull each other’s hair before the Aussies return. Asuka tries to German Peyton but she holds the ropes. Billie gets behind Asuka, who swings around and German suplexes both. Nikki and Asuka finally go at it with forearm strikes. Asuka wins out until Nikki headbutts her. Asuka hits a sick snap German for two. The Aussies try to get back in but Asuka hip attacks them out. Nikki ducks a spin kick and hits a straightjacket neckbreaker. It looked awesome. She follows with a reverse DDT for two. Nikki slides outside and hangs Asuka on the apron, hitting a spinning suplex. Nikki sees Billie and Peyton and climbs up top. She leaps off with a cross body to take them both out. Billie nad Peyton throw Nikki into the guardrail a few times. They kick her all the way up the aisle, which is not where I expected this match to go. Nikki fights them off and climbs to the commentary section. She hops on the table for a dive but gets tripped up by Billie. They get on the table with Nikki and double suplex her through a nearby table. Back to the ring, the Aussies have Asuka alone. They hit a double team move and both pin for two. They can’t believe it. They go for their signature double team but Asuka kicks Billie. Peyton ducks a kick from Asuka nad hits a pin kick of her own. She busts out Victoria’s old Widow’s Peak for a very close near fall. Peyton talks smack and hits her but takes a huge kick. Billie returns to get kicked too. Asuka delivers one final kick to Peyton to end it.
Winner: Asuka in 9:50
A fun sprint. They teased Nikki/Asuka and gave us just enough of that to want more. Billie and Peyton knew they were outmatched, so they worked together. The suplex spot was cool and protected Nikki. (***1/2)
Tyler Bate is shown in the crowd. I’m pretty sure I saw Matt Riddle behind him.
NXT Championship: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Bobby Roode
Roode had a bunch of women escort him to the ring, while Nakamura came out of a moving platform. Dueling chants to start. They take a while to actually lock up. Nakamura starts with a kick to the inside of Bobby’s leg. Nakamura works a wristlock but Roode take shim down to a headlock. Head scissors but Shins blocks him from escaping. They go to the ropes where Nakamura gives his version of a clean break and gets shoved. He demands Bobby bring it but Roode does his glorious taunt.. Nakamura shrugs it off. We get another break on the ropes but Roode elbows him. Roode works the arm and Nakamura gets free but gets put right into a head scissors. Nakamura gets slips out and tries a kick but Roode ducks it. Roode goes to taunt again but Nakamura levels him and hits a knee drop. Nakamura has a kick caught but succeeds with an enziguri. Roode takes a breather outside. Inside, Nakamura hits knees in the corner but charges in only to get caught. Roode puts him up top and catches another kick attempt, before flipping Nakamura over and outside. It’s a nasty spill. Roode beats him up outside. Back inside, Roode hits a double axe handle and works on Nakamura’s neck. He stomps on Shins and delivers some knee drops for two. He continues to pound away and taunts to a big pop. Shins turns it around and hits a pair off knee strikes on the apron. We get a combination of strikes and kicks inside by Nakamura, capped with an enziguri. Good vibrations by Shinsuke. He misses the knee in the corner and hits the turnbuckle. Bobby misses something off the top and lands on his feet. He fights off the inverted exploder and has the champion well scouted. He charges into a knee to the gut and Nakamura hits the high knee in the corner this time. Inverted exploder connects and he’s feeling Kinshasa. Roode is not moving though, so Shinsuke gets impatient. Roode was playing possum and rolls up the angry Nakamura for two. He ducks a kick and gets two on a backstabber. Nakamura hits another knee but runs into a spinebuster for two. The crowd is behind Bobby. He sets Nakamura up top and goes for a superplex. Shinsuke fights him off and sends him to the mat. He comes off the middle rope with a knee and goes for Kinshasa. Roode gets his feet up to stop it and nearly wins with his feet on the ropes for leverage. Eyebrows ref catches him in the act though. Nakamura plays some mind games and smiles at Bobby’s offense. He tells him to “COME ON” and lights him up with kicks. He hits a sick sounding knee and Roode goes to the ropes for safety but it doesn’t help. Nakamura catches a charging Roode with his an armbar but Roode hods his hands to block it. It becomes a triangle choke and Roode powers out with a powerbomb attempt. Nakamura rolls into a pin but is quickly up and hits Kinshasa. Roode gets the shoulder up. Nakamura goes for a middle rope knee again but Roode rolls to the apron. HHe gets up but is met with a leaping knee anyway. Nakamura holds his leg in pain as it did damage to him too. He rolls Roode inside and hits Kinshasa. he can’t cover though because his knee is hurt. Roode is out but Shinsuke can’t capitalize. A doctor comes in to check on Nakamura and Roode gets up. Nakamura wants to keep fighting and enters but Roode greets him with the implant DDT. Nakamura somehow kicks out and Roode is in shock. Roode slaps on a half crab with torque. Nakamura is in agony and NXT trainer Jason Albert is out here. Nakamura manages to counter but his triangle choke fails. Roode hits another implant DDT and takes the title.
Winner: Bobby Roode in 27:04
This one is hard to rate. The early portions were largely very dull and a lot of this match wasn’t clicking for me. However, the storytelling was on point. Roode had everything scouted perfectly and Nakamura had to try something to new to beat him. That knee to the apron hurt him and not being able to win with the Kinshasa due to the injury was great. The false finishes in the end were fantastic. They could have told the same story in 15-20 minutes and it would have been better in my opinion. (***1/4)
WWE Royal Rumble
January 29th, 2017 | Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas | Attendance: 52,020
Becky Lynch, Naomi and Nikki Bella def. Alexa Bliss, Mickie James and Natalya in 9:31
They started this in the first hour of the pre-show, with the crowd still filing in. Bad decision. They should have made a bigger deal about Mickie’s first main roster match back. The teams did back and forth work, with each girl getting some shine. We got the big multi-person suplex spot that a lot of matches like this pull out. Lynch took some of the heat for her team, which is good since she’s easily the most sympathetic and likable on her team. Surprisingly, it was Naomi who got the hot tag and did her thing. She pinned Alexa after a split legged moonsault. I hate that the champions get booked so poorly. Naomi pinning Natalya would have been a fine way to give her momentum, though I would have had the heels win with Mickie getting the pin. The match itself was fine and the girls worked hard. **
WWE Raw Tag Team Championship: Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows def. Cesaro and Sheamus (c) in 10:29
This had the two referees gimmick due to recent controversies. Cesaro ran wild in this match. He is one of the best tag team wrestlers I have ever seen. It just works for him in these matches. I rather enjoyed his interactions with Anderson. Cesaro took some heat and sold his bad shoulder. Sheamus’ hot tag was solid, though he isn’t the better guy at it in his team. There was a great close call where Cesaro locked in the sharpshooter. One of the refs ate a Brogue Kick, negating some of the gimmick. They teased another ref bump but Sheamus stopped himself. Anderson rolled up Cesaro with a handful of tights to win the titles. On one hand, I’m glad they finally got the titles, but doing a dirty finish in a match where you put two refs to prevent that sort of thing was dumb. Also, the rollup was weak. Other than that, it was solid tag team wrestling. **¾
Nia Jax def. Sasha Banks in 5:08
I think they booked this match well overall. Nia Jax has been a monster, only losing at Survivor Series to a Becky Lynch armbar. Sasha Banks is miscast as a babyface and though I like her, she isn’t very sympathetic. Nia dominated from start to finish. Sasha got in some horrible looking slaps in her desperate attempts to make a comeback. It took forever before Nia worked on Sasha’s bad knee. Nia won with a popup Samoan in what was mostly a squash. Like I said, the booking was right because Nia needed a credible win and dominating Sasha was wise. It just wasn’t very interesting and some things (Sasha using offense that hurt her already injured knee and Nia not going after it from the start) hurt it. *½
WWE Raw Women’s Championship: Charlotte (c) def. Bayley in 13:00
Man, they’re getting the women out of the way early huh? This started the main show. I find it hard to get into any Raw women’s matches. Bayley was way over though. They worked a technically sound match. Nothing came off as sloppy and the crowd was invested, but something was off for me. It might have been the fact that I didn’t believe Bayley was winning at any point. Some fans bought into her near falls but underdog Bayley wasn’t winning in her first shot, especially against the unbeatable Charlotte. My favorite spots saw Bayley hit a cross body to the outside and Charlotte have to resort to Natural Selection on the apron to win. It felt like she knew she had to do something extra to get past Bayley and I liked that. Originally, I had this ranked lower but bumped it up a bit. **½
WWE Universal Championship No Disqualification Match: Kevin Owens (c) def. Roman Reigns in 23:35
Chris Jericho was suspended above the ring in a shark cage. The Owens/Reigns series has produced plenty of disappointing matches, like Owens/Rollins. However, it was Falls Count Anywhere and Hell in a Cell stipulations that finally turned the Seth series around. Here, Owens and Reigns had their best match. I loved that they used the No DQ stipulation to their advantage. The brawling around the arena, frog splash through the table and bump where Owens went through a stack of chairs were all great. They used the tired shark cage spot where Jericho dropped a weapon to Owens. He used the brass knuckles to mock Reigns’ superman punch in a great spot. They didn’t overdo the typical Reigns kickout or power up spots, which was good. Reigns got near victory when Braun Strowman ran in. He put Roman through the announce table and then through another table inside with a powerslam, giving Owens the win. I figured it would have a lot of smoke and mirrors and that’s fine in this kind of match. They kept me engaged and busted out some big spots. ***½
WWE Cruiserweight Championship: Neville def. Rich Swann (c) in 13:29
I want to enjoy the cruiserweights more but it just hasn’t clicked. Neville has been a breath of fresh air and his heel persona has come off well. I like that he gets to use his power in the division and they played that against Swann’s quickness in the early goings. Neville came across like a beast at times. The main issue with this match was that the crowd was dead. They don’t care about the cruiserweights. The work done was mostly strong but the lack of care by the crowd hurt it. I’m waiting for the division to have a blow away match like some of what we got in the CWC. Neville won with the superplex followed by his butterfly submission. I liked that he didn’t kick out of Swann’s kick, instead getting his foot on the ropes and that he’s established new finishes to avoid the pop he got from the Red Arrow. Perkins, Kendrick and now Swann have all quickly lost the title and though this match was good, the division is still floundering. ***
WWE World Championship: John Cena def. AJ Styles (c) in 24:08
There was a big fight feel to this one. The fans knew their first two matches were great and wanted the third to deliver as well. It did. In their past matches, Styles outwrestled Cena early, so the challenger adjusted his strategy this time around. He went for heavier shots early. That set the tone for a match filled with two guys throwing their biggest bombs at one another. The Styles Clash, Calf Crusher, STF, Attitude Adjustment and everything else in between. I usually don’t love matches that are filled with a lot of kickouts but I don’t think this relied on it. They played off past matches and it felt like two guys emptying the tank and trying everything in their arsenal to beat the other. Styles survived several AAs including the super AA, like he did at SummerSlam. AJ hit the Styles Clash and went for the Phenomenal Forearm but Cena stopped him. He hit the AA and, knowing how tough AJ is, held on and rolled into another AA to win his 16th World Title. An excellent match that was better than their MITB encounter but slightly below the SummerSlam one. AJ looked fantastic and it took everything Cena had to finally beat him. Their chemistry is top notch and Cena continued to be the best big match performer I can recall, while Styles reminded everyone why he’s the absolute best on this planet. The pacing was great, they played off past matches, kept the crowd invested and had many on the edge of their seats. Main roster MOTY so far. ****½
Randy Orton won the Royal Rumble in 62:07
I’m not going to recap each and every entrant. It was, interesting to say the least. Most of the early entrants did nothing of note until Braun Strowman arrived. He cleaned house and had some solid interactions with Sami Zayn, calling back to their feud. Baron Corbin eliminating him was a shock and the thing I popped for the most in the match. Tye Dillinger came in at #10, which was perfect. No clue if he’ll be on the main roster for good now, but he didn’t do much in this match. Luke Harper had another highlight by turning on the Wyatts and viciously hitting Bray with a discus lariat. He almost hit him with Sister Abigail too but Orton stopped him with the RKO. They saved Brock, Goldberg and Taker for the end. Brock cleaned house until Goldberg came out. He bitched out Brock with a spear and eliminated him instantly. I’m not looking forward to their eventual Mania match. Undertaker was #29 and people wanted a big surprise at #30, since Tye and Jack Gallagher (who was fun in a short stint) were the only surprises so far. Instead of someone cool like Samoa Joe of Finn Balor, we got Roman Reigns to massive heat. He had a staredown with Undertaker and eliminated him from behind like a cowardly heel. He eliminated Bray before Orton countered his spear into an RKO and dumped him out to win. Most guys who lasted long (Jericho, Corbin, Zayn) ultimately didn’t do much to impress. The only stories advanced were Brock/Goldberg and the Wyatts, while they teased Reign/Undertaker. It ultimately felt like a lackluster Rumble with only a few interesting moments. An Orton win means something goes down at Elimination Chamber because there’s no way they do Cena/Orton at Mania. **¼
Overall: 6/10. This show had some highs and lows. I found most of the pre-show stuff to be very average, with Sasha/Nia being the worst match on the show. Charlotte/Bayley was a good choice for the opener, but like a lot of Charlotte stuff, it didn’t wow me. Kudos to Owens and Reigns for having their best match together. Neville/Swann was solid but unspectacular, while the Royal Rumble itself lacked heavily. Styles/Cena was the easy MOTN and makes the show worth checking out on its own. Some of the booking was questionable too. I’m not against Orton winning the Rumble, but it does feel like the WWE is just sticking with one of their status quo guys.
Three women's matches on the Royal Rumble card? Times have indeed changed. This build has actually been solid. Nia as a monster destroying Sasha is a smart route. The main issue is that, as much as the crowd likes her, Sasha is miscast as a babyface. She's so much better as a heel, it isn't even funny. Nia needs the win here and Sasha wouldn't be hurt by it. I think the best route is for Nia to win and Sasha to look resilient, trying to fight through the pain of past injuries. Sasha should turn heel before Mania and I'd do Sasha/Bayley there, though I'm sure we're getting a four way.
Winner: Nia Jax
Cesaro is the king of the makeshift tag team isn't he? The dude just gets it. He and Sheamus have become a pleasant surprise and one of the better things on Raw. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows seem to be going through the motions in the WWE thus far, having only a handful of matches I'd call good. The one with Cesaro and Sheamus a few weeks ago on Raw was one of those, despite the dusty finish. I could see them finally capturing the Tag Team Titles, but I also don't see Cesaro and Sheamus dropping the titles yet. With Mania looking more crowded than ever, I sense they enter as champions to guarantee their spot.
Winners: Sheamus and Cesaro
The Smackdown women's division continues to excel where the Raw division fails. I care about most of the women in this match (sans Nattie and Naomi). This could really go either way. I could see the babyface team winning for a feel good moment since I see the other two women's matches ending with heel wins. However, I could also see the heels winning so Mickie James wins in her return. That's what I'm going with. Mickie pins Naomi most likely, solidifying her return. I get the feeling these six might do the first women's Elimination Chamber in a few weeks (I miss Carmella). Also, I think the best choice for a Mania match would be Becky/Mickie but I doubt that happens.
Winners: Alexa Bliss, Mickie James and Natalya
I think the right decision here is to put the title on Neville. He has breathed new life into the division and his own career. Neville has been another of the few highlights on Raw. The problem is that the Cruiserweight Title has changed hands quite a bit in its short history. Not NEVER Openweight Six Man Title levels but still. TJ Perkins held it for just over a month and the same goes for The Brian Kendrick. Rich Swann is right around the sam mark for days as champion. I'm going with Swann retaining, sending Neville further into his anger. Maybe he'll grow his beard more and his theme will get even slower.
Winner: Rich Swann
Oh my god, I don't care. Raw has done a phenomenal job of taking people I like (Sasha Banks, Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins, Bayley, etc.) and making me apathetic when they show up. Bayley comes out and I'm not overjoyed or even smiling. She's just there. Charlotte is a charisma vacuum and is probably the main reason I couldn't care less about the women of Raw. Charlotte is gonna retain here so she can move to 106-0 on Pay-Per-View. Everything points to her dropping the title at Mania, but the same thing could be said last year and she inexplicably walked out as champion. There are three people I refuse to bet against in these things and Charlotte is one of them. She is gonna set all sorts of records, win so many titles, be the focal point of the division and cut putrid promos. Life goes on.
Winner: Charlotte
As I said, Raw has made me not care about certain people. I love Kevin Owens but I'm so beyond sick of seeing Roman Reigns, Owens, Chris Jericho and Seth Rollins compete in some combination. I think the best route would be for Owens to retain here and lose to a returning Finn Balor at WrestleMania. The first Universal Champion comes back for the title he never lost. I don't think that happens. Reports seem to indicate a Jericho/Owens match at Mania, which I don't want because they're so good as allies. I've learned not to pick against the big dog and that isn't changing here.
Winner: Big Dog gotta eat
On the flip side of what Raw does, Smackdown makes me interested in people. I've more interested in this incarnation of John Cena than I have been in years. "I'm John Cena. Recognize." It's just heelish enough to wink at the fans booing him while staying face enough for the kids to love it. AJ Styles has been doing spectacular work as champion and I'd love to see him enter Mania as champion. I hope he doesn't end up working Shane McMahon or even Samoa Joe at Mania. Let him enter as champion and do Undertaker vs. Cena in a straight up match. This is John Cena though. I saw he gets sixteen here because I can't fathom a world where WWE has Styles beat Cena three straight times in singles matches (and a triple threat).
Winner: John Cena
This is the most excited and scared i've been going into a Rumble in years. I honestly have no idea who wins. I'm scared because Goldberg, Brock Lesnar and The Undertaker are viable options to win and I think none of them should. I'm excited at the outside prospect of a guy like Miz, Baron Corbin or even Sami Zayn winning. I'm most excited because Finn Balor could be returning. It would make for a great moment and I'm all for him winning. Brock and Goldberg will most likely cancel each other out, Sami will last long only to get eliminated and Baron and Miz will most likely not win. Despite my wishes that it doesn't happen, I predict the Undertaker wins this thing. I know reports have said they won't do the match, but I'm still going with Undertaker vs. Cena to close out Mania.
Winner: The Undertaker
2017 Prediction Record: 0-0
2016 Prediction Record: 65-37
This is a strange TakeOver card. A lot of the show doesn’t have great build, and none more than this one. There was some interaction in a fatal four way match and then a few words exchanged. That’s it. Still, I’m a fan of both guys and this match has potential. Andrade Almas has looked rejuvenated since the heel turn and though Roderick Strong hasn’t impressed much in NXT yet, this could be the breakout match he needs. I was originally going with Almas, but I predict a fair amount of heel wins on this show, so I’m gonna say Roddy takes this.
Winner: Roderick Strong
Considering the story, I think this calls for a Tye Dillinger victory. He’s looking for his place in NXT and needs a win on a major show. He has never won on a TakeOver. However, I don’t see him staying with NXT much longer. Part of me believes he’ll be the tenth entrant in the Royal Rumble and carve out a niche in the lower midcard of Smackdown or Raw, similar to where Apollo Crews is (though both could do more). SAnitY is a cool group and though I’m not a big Eric Young fan, their leader should get his first major win here. Tye leaves NXT with a loss.
Winner: Eric Young
#DIY had a great 2016. Their matches with the Revival and even the one with Akira Tozawa and Tajiri were awesome. They started 2017 strong as well and could be the team to lead the division for a long time. I just don’t think they retain here. I really want them to, but the Authors of Pain have been built up as a big deal and I don’t see them losing their first title shot. It could happen on some sort of fluke, but I think Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa get the Sami Zayn run. They fought hard to win the titles and had great matches, but ultimately get a short run in favor of a monster champion.
Winners: The Authors of Pain
Call me crazy, but this is the match I’m looking forward to the most on this show. I’m a huge fan of both Peyton Royce and Billie Kay and have been dying to see them get TakeOver shine. They both deserve it. Check out their recent Performance Center videos posted on Twitter. They’re delightful. Nikki Cross has been great in her current role, which if you watched her on the indies, you wouldn’t have expected it to be a character she’d portray. Also, Asuka has been a dominant champion, but a multi-woman match isn’t a position we’ve seen her in before. Everything also feels fresh because none of these women have had a significant match with the other. Plus, the last women’s fatal four way on a TakeOver was awesome (****1/4 at Rival). I say Asuka retains and heads into Mania weekend nearing a year as champion for a clash with Ember Moon.
Winner: Asuka
Similar to Tye Dillinger, part of me senses that Shinsuke Nakamura is about done with NXT. He could enter Mania weekend as champion to help promote that show but I think he possibly makes the Mania card against the Miz or something. Bobby Roode is wildly over and is a good choice to help lead the brand moving forward. The one negative is that a lot of the best guys in NXT are also heels (Aries, Almas, Young, Joe, etc.) Still, Roode against a returning Hideo Itami, Roderick Strong or even singles runs for Gargano and Ciampa could be interesting. I’m gonna say Roode wins a good match, though I’m not expecting great.
Winner: Bobby Roode
Evolve 76
January 27th, 2017 | Woodlawn Park Gym in San Antonio, Texas
My Royal Rumble weekend of wrestling started with an NJPW show this morning but this was the first show I was truly looking forward to. With a new FloSlam account, I plan on catching as many Evolve events as I can. The final weekend of Chris Hero’s run with Evolve is upon us, along with a big Tag Team Title match and the debut of ACH.
Catch Point opened the show. Their new theme is lame. Matt Riddle had his PROGRESS Title. Tracy Williams said Catch Point is the standard around here and they are going to prove it tonight.
Jaka def. Peter Kaasa in 9:22
Jaka and Chris Dickinson are the newest members of Catch Point. Kaasa cut his hair and instead of looking like a shitty Scott Steiner, he now looks like a shitty Mason Ryan. He kept a rat tail though, so he looks absurd. There was more striking and fighting than mat wrestling here, which is different from the usual Catch Point stuff. Kaasa got most of the offense and did his typical flippy stuff. Jaka nailed a nice dive outside of his own too. Kaasa got two on a super Angle slam but the middle rope broke on his next spot attempt. Kaasa fell awkwardly and Jaka finished with a sitout powerbomb. Nothing special for the opener. I liked some of what I saw from but still can’t get into Kaasa. The finish was abrupt, most likely due to injury. **½
After the match, Jaka checked on Kaasa and hugged him before leaving. While they fixed the ring, they ran several video packages.
When the show resumed, Catch Point returned. Williams talked about them proving that they’re the best again. Dickinson took the microphone, which barely worked. He shouted about opportunity and called out his opponent.
Darby Allin def. Chris Dickinson in 6:14
Darby is part of Uncle John’s Friends in FIP. He’s also known for taking big bumps, so facing Dickinson could end badly for him. Allin avoided Dickinson’s grasp early on but once he got caught, he took a beating. Dickinson went for a Razor’s Edge off the apron but had it countered into a rana. Back inside, Dickinson took over again with Germans and a vicious clothesline. Just when things looked their bleakest for Allin, he pulled Dickinson into a victory roll for the upset. About what I expected here. Dickinson threw Allin around, who was more than willing to bump. They told a tried and true story that almost always works. The upset was a nice touch. **¾
Chris Dickinson jumped Darby Allin after the match but Catch Point broke it up. That’s not the Catch Point way.
Jason Kincaid def. DUSTIN in 10:53
It’s future PWG Champion DUSTIN! Like Allin, Kincaid is a different kind of performer. He used that style to makes things fun in the early stages. DUSTIN’s serious heel offense just doesn’t fully click with me. He sent Kincaid into the steel steps at one point and it just looked so weak. Kincaid’s rally saw him bust out some more of his unique offense and I noticed the middle still doesn’t look strong. DUSTIN comes back and DID THE DEAL but only got two. Kincaid’s attempted tope suicida DDT saw DUSTIN catch him and hit a great walking, stalling vertical suplex outside. DUSTIN tried using a chair but the referee stopped him. That opened the door for Kincaid to go on a flurry, ending in a submission for the win. Another upset but not as good as the previous match. Kincaid was impressive but DUSTIN’s offense, outside of the suplex, just didn’t interest me. He controlled most of the match and when he did, it was dull. **
Grudge Match: Ethan Page w/ The Gatekeepers def. Zack Sabre Jr. via disqualification in 12:56
Zack Sabre Jr. attacked Ethan Page from behind during his entrance. He went wild and managed to take out both Gatekeepers, showing a more vicious, aggressive side. They continued the fight outside for a bit until going in and finally starting the match. They were back outside quickly, where Sabre nailed a tornado DDT. The things they do all look good and painful. Page took control for a while and Sabre turned it around with a brutal sounding strike. Page was too strong for a lot of Sabre’s typical submission offense. RK Ego only got a near fall shortly before Sabre worked a modified triangle choke to make Page submit. Sabre refused to let go of the hold, so the Gatekeepers ran in. Darby Allin entered and somehow that was enough to send them packing. Some bodyguards. Allin smiled at Page as he passed out. The referee reversed the decision and gave Page the win. Good match that did what it needed to. There was a heated intensity to this, which the match needed given the grudge match billing. ***¼
Matt Riddle def. ACH in 13:48
There are two matches on this card I was excited for and this was the first. They shook hands and went to the mat. ACH got the surprising upper hand first, but Matt made him go to the ropes on their next exchange. We got a standoff, showing how these two scouted one another. Riddle started in with some brutal chops and strikes, so ACH answered with a sick sounding soccer kick. They continued to trade vicious chops, kicks and even some snap Germans. Riddle laid in a string of chops and ACH hit a superkick. Riddle nailed a kick of his own, the Bro to Sleep and a fisherman buster for the 1-2-3. Easy match of the night thus far. ACH played to Riddle’s strengths and hung tough with him on the mat and with the strikes. Staying in the sub-15:00 minute range always works for Riddle. This was awesome and 2017 feels like it could be the year of Riddle. ****
They hugged after the match and Riddle cut a “bromo” saying he would hold some WWN gold by the end of the year. DUSTIN attacked from behind with a steel chair. He said that there were rules in the Octagon but there won’t be in their No DQ match tomorrow.
Evolve Tag Team Championship: Fred Yehi and Tracy Williams (c) def. Jeff Cobb and Evolve Champion Timothy Thatcher w/ Stokely Hathaway in 15:42
This was the other match I was pumped to see. Stokely Hathaway wore the Evolve Title to the ring. There’s a new (improved) remixed version of Thatcher’s theme. Both Yehi and Williams got a chance to take on the Evolve Champion in the first few minutes. Cobb came in and made a difference because he’s so thick. He threw Yehi around and Thatcher was more than happy to take advantage. Yehi took a small heat before finding an opening to tag Hot Sauce. Williams went nuts, suplexing Cobb and beating the champ up. The challengers turned it around and took turns working Williams over. Thatcher was a dick, booting Yehi off the apron. Yehi got the hot tag and did his thing, complete with “THIS GUY’S IN TROUBLE” yell towards Thatcher. He nearly won but Cobb broke things up with a suplex. Williams dealt with him outside, leaving Yehi and Thatcher alone. Yehi trapped him in the Koji Clutch and made the Evolve Champion tap out! A huge win for Yehi and I love all the shine he’s getting lately. A good tag match, mainly due to Yehi and Williams. Cobb was good but didn’t do too much, while Thatcher was kind of just there. ***½
Larry Dallas entered the ring in a Miami Vice style suit to interview Hathaway about Thatcher rebounding from the loss in time for his match tomorrow. Hathaway yelled at Cobb, calling him a fat slop and saying it’s his fault Thatcher tapped. Cobb responded by saying he’s taking the title tomorrow and wanted to know when Thatcher became Hathaway’s bitch.
Chris Hero def. Keith Lee in 21:43
There was a big deal made about Lee signing but I honestly have never seen him before. These are two big boys. This got off to a slow start with the guys trading headlocks. After about five minutes, the feeling out process ended and Lee sent Hero into the ropes, which broke again. Hero’s lucky he didn’t get hurt. They remove the top rope to do things with just two. My friend was there live and said Gave was livid at the ropes giving out again. Apparently, Riddle watched form the merchandise table and chanted “these ropes suck” with the crowd. Hero demanded they move outside, where Lee beat his ass with some brutal shots. Hero delivered some of his own as they just wailed on each other. He somersaulted off the apron onto Lee in a rather impressive spot. There was a funny moment where Hero shouted “NO COUNTOUTS, IT’S MY WEEKEND” but then thought countouts were okay when Lee was outside. As they seemed to near the finish, Lee went for a high risk move off the second rope and it broke again! Lee still hit a huge powerbomb for two. Hero was out of it but fired off a series of elbow strikes. Lee wouldn’t fall, even after one to the back of the head. He used a Gotch style piledriver to win it. It’s hard to rate this since they had to change things up due to the ring problems. They still managed to have a damn good performance despite it, which is a testament to their skills. Lee impressed me and I look forward to more from him in a better environment. I would love to see a rematch at some point, with a working ring. ***¼
Chris Hero got on the microphone and put over Keith Lee. He said Lee had everything but a killer instinct, which is something he developed over the past few years. In his mind, once Lee gets that, he’ll be unstoppable. Zack Sabre Jr. arrived to tell Hero that his sendoff doesn’t end until he beats him. He said Chris Hero can stay but Kassius Ohno can piss off to Florida and left. Hero said he’s gonna beat Zack’s ass tomorrow and shook hands with Lee to close things.
Overall: 7/10. A good show from Evolve. Matt Riddle and ACH had the match of the night, but there were other strong outings. I enjoyed Sabre/Page more than I expected to and the Tag Team Title match was fun. I also loved Yehi making Thatcher submit. The first two matches were decent and I wasn’t a fan of DUSTIN’s performance. The main event was strong, especially when you consider the ring. The ring messed up a few things on the show but they mostly worked well around it. A good start to 2017 for Evolve.
