In this edition of The Wrestling Artisan presents EVOLVE I have chosen to watch and review the first event: Richards vs Ibushi from 2010. I grade the matches on Storytelling, Action and Quickness, as well as an overall score. This will then be compared to the latest EVOLVE show.
The show begins with Kyle O’reilly training with Tony Kozina. A camera crew has been tasked with documenting the backstage area of the show. This is of course in an attempt to give some realism to the event, something quite uncommon in indy promotions. EVOLVE would eventually drop this aspect and wrestler would instead communicate through social media instead. This was a welcome change at the time, even though they did not take it all the way. Davey Richards appears and throws out the crew.
Kota Ibushi talks to, what appears to be his coach, but they speak in Japanese so it is unclear what their relationship is.
The next segment consists of several wrestlers talking about why they wrestle. It also gives an added dimension to the show. We see many familiar faces. This portion is brought back in EVOVLE 3, where they comment on previous matches.
Leonard F Chikarason & Lenny Leonard are the commentators for this event. Leonard becomes a main stay at the commentary desk. For me his mix of enthusiasm, gravity and knowledge of moves makes him one of the premier commentators. Chikarason, the commentator for Chikara is also good and shows that he can do more than being a straight man at the commentation station in Chikara. It is clear from the outset that Chikara is a big part of the show as several wrestlers come from the Wrestle Factory and Bryce Remsberg is reffing.
Kyle O’Reilly vs Bobby Fish
It is quite interesting that this is the opening show. Together with Adam Cole Fish and O’Reilly have been one of the premier groups on the indy scene. Their time in Ring of Honor and New Japan truly cemented them as real players. It is fun to think of where they are at the moment when seeing this match. One understands why they have come so far though and get worried that they will underutilized in the fed.
There are a lot of, what one later realizes, signature moves from both wrestlers. Stiff kicks from the get go and intensity. Unfortunately the match is a bit short and it makes one want to see more. This sees a storyline of Fish being the perennial loser of EVOLVE coming out on the losing end against Bryan Danielson, Chris Hero and Claudio Castagnoli.
Kyle O’Reilly wins
Storytelling 3
Action 4
Quickness 3
Overall 3.5
Chuck Taylor vs Cheech
This is billed as a qualifying match. The wrestlers need to earn their way onto the roster. A win does not count towards the record. Both of them are there due to a poll on the company website. Cheech is a consument showboat in this match and Chuck Taylor has yet to become the comedic heel he is known as today. Both are great at getting the crowd going and both are good wrestlers. Cheech ends up losing, but returns in a tag team capacity at EVOLVE 2.
Taylor wins w/ Awful waffle
Storytelling 3
Action 3
Quickness 3.5
Overall 3.5
Interview with Taylor; he says it’s unfair that guys like Ricochet and O’Reilly get invited he has to qualify. Suspects someone doesn’t like him. This will later be part of his storyline in the company.
Ricochet vs Arik Cannon
It is interesting to see the development of these two wrestlers. Cannon is bigger and Ricochet is scrawnier. Both play to their strengths. Ricochet is so quick and many of things that have made him a formidable wrestler today is utilized during this match.. Cannon hits both a regular brainbuster and a Total Anarchy brainbuster, but Ricochet kicks out.
Ricochet wins w/ 630
Storytelling 2
Actions 3
Quickness 4
Overall 3.5
Taylor comes out and challenges Ricochet. Taylor says he doesn’t believe in evolution and that he has come to EVOLVE to create.
Jimmy Jacobs & Silas Young discuss serious things in the back when Adam Cole comes in to tell Jacobs to get ready. Jacobs blows him off and this starts a storyline between the two of them.
Brad Allen sits in the back and writes mom on his wrist tape
Dark City Fight Club vs Aeroform
Dark City Fight Club is a powerhouse of a team that unfortunately vanishes from the company in short order. Left is Jon Davis as a singles competitor, who becomes a major player. Many a storyline is centered around him. A lot of high impact double teams from DCFC. Good moves from Aeroform, but it is all a bit sloppy at times.
DCFC win w/ Project Mayhem
Storyline 1
Action 3
Quickness 3
Overall 3
Niya vs Mercedes Martinez
Quick match Martinez wins w/ Fisherman’s buster. Niya is a rookie and that might be the reason for the squash.
Martinez cuts a promo after. Says that EVOLVE is not only a man’s promotion. She can hit just as hard if not harder. This ends up not being the truth as the women are almost non existent in the promotion.
Storytelling 1
Action 2
Quickness 1
Overall 1
Brad Allen vs Silas Young
Starts off hot. Intense match. Brad Allen looks to be a big part of EVOLVE over several shows, but his actions during a four corner match seems to have put him on the outs. He is mysteriously gone one day. He has a good look, albeit somewhat anonymous. Silas Young has an interesting career in Ring of Honor later. Allen goes for a moonsault to the floor but is dropkicked by Young. It is up in the air if Allen can continue. Allen gets in but is woozy, Young goes for his finisher twice but is caught the second time by Allen who hits him with his finisher, despite a broken nose.
Allen wins
Storytelling 4
Action 3
Quickness 2
Overall 3.5
Allen cuts a promo and thanks everyone for the opportunity. Then he challenges Chris Hero to a match at EVOLVE 2.
Jimmy Jacobs comes out to a loud pop. Says he feels love and hate. Says he will die in the ring for those who love him. The he calls out Kenn Doane and says he isn’t ready for him.
Jimmy Jacobs vs Kenn Doane
Doane is very crisp in the ring. Plays the crowd well and puts Jacobs in a headlock repeatedly. This infuriates the audience and he loves it. Doane wins w/leg drop but Doane’s foot is on the rope, this causes Tommy Dreamer to come out and talks to the ref who reverses the decision.
Jimmy Jacobs wins w/Guillotine choke.
Storytelling 4
Action 3
Quickness 4
Overall 4
Dreamer cuts a promo and talks about the importance of the fans. Jacobs asks Dreamer to stop. The fans chant for Dreamer. Jacobs thanks him as well. Says he doesn’t need help from Dreamer. Jacobs says Dreamer is a has-been and he doesn’t want to waste time with him. Dreamer attacks but Jacobs hits him with a low blow. Dreamer fights back and drops Jacobs.
Richards and Kozina & Ibushi are shown backstage training.
Doane is pissed off and talks shit about the company.
Chris Dickinson vs Johnny Gargano
Dickinson has a similar storyline to Fish and loses several matches. Later he disappears from the company, only to be back now, becoming the tag champ with Jaka. Gargano turns into the poster boy for EVOLVE, winning the DGUSA championship and becoming the longest reigning champ.
This is a real Intense match. Both competitors pull out all the stops. It is even and there are a lot of counter moves.
Gargano wins w/ Hurts Donut
Storytelling 4
Action 4
Quickness 3
Overall 4
Larry Dallas and some big guy come over to celebrate with Gargano, who tells them to wait. Dallas also becomes an important player in EVOLVE.
TJP vs Sawa
Sawa slaps TJP before the bell. Several holds traded. Very different match from what we’ve seen from TJP later. TJP, who already has a following here leaves the company after his debut. The match is hard-hitting and filled with technical attributes.
Sawa wins w/ Octopus 4.5 stars
Storytelling 4
Action 5
Quickness 4
Overall 4.5
Adam Cole talks about talking to Tommy Dreamer wanting advice. Says we will know the name Adam Cole.
Trios match: Akumas Army (Brodie Lee, Icarus, Gran Akuma) vs. Team Frightening ( Hallowicked, Frightmare, Mike Quackenbush)
Big pop for Mike Quackenbush as he comes out. It is fun to see so many mainstays from Chikara in a ring other than their own. It is also nice to Brodie Lee (Luke Harper in WWE) get some time in the ring to show his skills. Innovative moves and quick action. Crowd very vocal for this match. The tempo picks up and the wrestlers hit their finishers one by one. Hallowicked hits the Rydeen Bomb for the win.
Storytelling 5
Action 5
Quickness 5
Overall 5
Quackenbush cuts a promo saying he is 75% at best due to recently having back surgery. He claims that trios matches are his science and calls for four corner tag match next time.
The backstage interviewer is trying to console TJP and it almost seems as something is going to get started between them.
Kota Ibushi vs Davey Richards
Like many others Richards leaves EVOLVE after the first event. It seemed as if they were building the company around him. Especially after the departure of Danielson. The match starts off hot and continues with stiff kicks and hits. Ibushi performs many high flying moves. Richards works the arm of Ibushi. Richards injures his ribs and bleeds from the mouth as they keep at it. The match grows more and more intense with moves like the Phoenix Splash, double moonsault, DR Driver and Creeping Death. In the end Richards wins w/ Kimura
Storytelling 5
Action 5
Quikness 4
Overall 4.5
Brad Allen explains that his mother dies in a car accident when he was signed to the WWE. The big guy, Johnny Gargano, Jimmy Jacobs go out to party and they try to get Silas Young to go with them.
Overall EVOLVE 1 was a great show. With great action and interesting characters. We shall see what the latest one has in store for us.
C. Marry Hultman runs W.A.R.G- The Guild blog at stoughe.wordpress.com and also The Wrestling Guild podcast where he reviews Impact Wrestling with his co-host Nick Anderson. Listen to it here: [embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uyO1HI4eEA[/embedyt]
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