EVOLVE 58 Review

EVOLVE 58
April 1st 2016

-From Dallas, TX. Lenny Leonard and Rob Naylor do an in-ring introduction announcing that this is the highest attended EVOLVE show in history. Ah, the wonders of getting into business with WWE.

EVOLVE Tag Team Championship:
Johnny Gargano and Drew Galloway (c) vs. The Premier Athlete Brand (Anthony Nese and Caleb Konley, with So Cal Val and Andrea)
Drew Galloway rallies the troops with a promo putting over EVOLVE for his life after WWE. Gargano surprises Drew and the fans by bringing out Kota Ibushi for their corner. Apparently, if Nese and Conley lose, they can never team up again. The PAB kick things off with a good old fashioned cheap shot from behind. Galloway catches Konley in a dive and slams him on the apron. Nese cartwheels over Drew but gets caught by Johnny's tope. Gargano goes on a chopping spree and nearly finishes Nese with an Ace Cutter. Gargano gets isolated and plays a nice face in peril. Drew gets a hot tag and gets to play a big man role, plowing through Nese and Konley. The match breaks down, and Konley blocks Gargano's spear, leaving him in a draping position for Nese's flying crossbody! Konley gets caught with stereo enziguris on the top rope and sets Drew in a tree of woe. Drew sits up and powerbombs Konley off the top! DDT by a sneaky Johnny earns a 2 count and "This is awesome" chant. All four men trade super kicks and near falls for a standing ovation. The PAB hit a nasty neckbreaker combo but Gargano implausibly kicks out. Nese prepares to use string, but Ethan Page runs in to neutralize him. Konley powerbombs Galloway into the buckles and drops Gargano onto him. Galloway uses a wheelbarrow suplex to set Konley up for the GargaNo Escape for the apparent submission, but the ref isn't calling for the bell at 13:01. The fans chant "this ref sucks" while the match is award to Gargano and Galloway after all. That confusing finish hurt what had been a tight spot-fest, ***.
Winners and still EVOLVE Tag Team Champions: Drew Galloway and Johnny Gargano

WWE Wrestlemania 32 Review

WWE Wrestlemania Star (32)

April 3rd 2016

-From Dallas, TX. Mauro Ranallo and Jerry Lawler hosted the pre-show, while Michael Cole, JBL, and Byron Saxton hosted the main card.

Intercontinental Championship (Ladder Match):

Kevin Owens (c) vs. Sami Zayn vs. Dolph Ziggler vs. Sin Cara vs. Stardust vs. The Miz vs. Zack Ryder

As per usual, it's hard to screw up multi-man stunt shows in the opening slot, and this one delivered some cool moments. It's still surreal to see Owens and Zayn rekindle their feud in the WWE, especially now in a main roster, Wrestlemania setting, though they weren't really the focus. A lot of time was spent on the riff-raff, as Stardust, Ryder, and Sin Cara should all be thanking whatever deity they worship for being included. I marveled when Ryder nailed a flying elbow off the top of a ladder, as it seemed amusing that a jobber would get the chance to outshine similar spots from 'Mania's ladder match past. Stardust got a nice moment when he fetched a black and yellow polka dot ladder from under the ring in a novel tribute to his late father. Sin Cara shined too, getting tipped off a ladder into a springboard onto the masses at ringside. It came down to Sami Zayn suplexing Owens onto a resting ladder in a scary spot that might have legitimately knocked Owens unconscious. It seemed like there was a bit of a "Oh crap, what do we do now?" scramble, before Zack Ryder knocked Miz off to retrieve the title at 15:23. Ryder's emotional post-match celebration, coming to tears while his father joined him, felt really improvised and I wouldn't be surprised if word comes out that an audible was called. Either way, the treatment of Zack Ryder over the past four years has been a constant irritant to me, so I was glad to see him look awesome in this match AND emerge as champion, random as it might be. Good spot-fest that set the right tone for an iffy card, ***3/4.

Winner and new Intercontinental Champion: Zack Ryder

NXT Takeover: Dallas Review

WWE NXT Takeover: Dallas
April 1st 2016

-From Dallas, TX. Wrestlemania weekend kicks off in a big way with a stacked NXT card that is top-to-bottom more appealing than the Wrestlemania 32 line-up. Our hosts are Corey Graves and Tom Phillips.

NXT Tag Team Championship:
The Revival (c) (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder) vs. American Alpha (Jason Jordan and Chad Gable)
Putting Gable and Jordan over would be an easy way to please the crowd early and set an exciting tone for the event. Dawson backs Gable into the corner and patronizingly slaps his face. The fans came to get themselves over and chant "Which one's Dawson, which one's Dash." Gable returns the mocking slap to the face, almost sparking a brawl. Gable surprisingly sprints into a hip toss but manages to set Dawson up for a perfect Jordan drop-kick. Jordan gets a crowd chant that would make Roman Reigns envious. Dawson rakes the eyes but America Alpha avoid isolation with stereo backdrops. Gable goes off with a series of arm drag, Jordan saves him from a double team and American Alpha pop the crowd with stereo German suplexes! Gable blocks several spots that normally lead to a babyface isolation before finally succumbing to a clothesline ambush at ringside. The fans chant "Save the Gable" in New Day rhythm, aren't they adorable? Gable counters with a double DDT and as smarky as the fans are, I'll be damned if they aren't legitimately into the story of this match. Wilder crawls under the ring to stop a Gable tag, but the Revival botch a double team move and get a Botchamania chant. The building explodes for a Jordan hot tag. Jordan is apparently a resident of Suplex City. Dash grabs Dawson's leg to prevent Jordan's superplex and holds Jordan down to almost steal a pinfall. The a series of believable false finishes comes at rapid fashion. Jordan makes a blind tag setting up the Grand Amplitude for the win at 15:06! Fantastic opener that gave the fans exactly what they wanted. That one really ugly botch drags this down from the four stars zone, but this was a major league effort from everyone involved, ***3/4.
Winners and new NXT Tag Team Champions: American Alpha