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EVOLVE: The WWE AA Franchise


RIPPA

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Time to start a new thread - since everything has changed. (And once PROGRESS officially starts doing the same thing - I will have to rethink everything)

Hopefully this might cut down on everything being posted in the NXT AND Evolve thread

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Per the new WON

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The 10/28 Evolve show in Ybor City, FL, kicked off a new era of an Evolve/WWE relationship where Evolve will use more and more NXT talent and be able to put them on its streaming service. Gabe Sapolsky already works in NXT. The idea is some of the NXT guys will be working regularly on Evolve shows and put over to give them more ring time against non-NXT talent and working a different style than WWE favors. This is really encouraging in the long run because the more styles you get exposed to, the better off you are. So working a so it’ll be a different experience for them, plus with Aichner and the Street Profits, who are really talented but are caught with the overabundance of NXT talent these days, it puts a spotlight on them and gives them work in higher profile matches. The idea is it’ll build more street cred for them in title matches and working with good people than working prelims on the Florida loop will. Evolve will also get more guest appearances from the bigger name NXT show like Kassius Ohno.

The hope is that the NXT talent will get experience working with different people and in front of a different type of crowd. The hope is that they will help build gates for Evolve, which will also have events promoted on the WWE web site, as also build their streaming service, which would lead to better production of shows and with those improvements the shows will have a better look and can be ready for if and when the network adds Evolve when they launch the more expensive tier. Plus, at that point, having talent like The Street Profits as champion with a company on the network would also build their credibility as stars in NXT.

 

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I don't see much reason to worry.  WWE has done a pretty good job of keeping stuff like the Mae Young Classic, 205 Live and NXT in separate rice bowls, so EVOLVE should be okay so long as they replenish the talent pool as they raid it and send guys up to NXT, 205, or RAW / Smackdown.

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Gabe was at the NXT tapings in Orlando the day before the Tampa event and has been touring with NXT and working backstage for a while now. If he was a true Heyman disciple, he would deny he was working with NXT even though he was getting paid by them and would have told the EVOLVE roster the NXT guys were invading the EVOLVE shows just to rile them.

I hope they continue to work together and I hope we can get EVOLVE back in Orlando regularly now with the NXT participation.

I'm sure after Lee and Riddle get a little more adjusted to the WWE style, they'll be sent back to work some shows.

Also, hoping we get to see Darby and Dickinson show on NXT TV.

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I would love to see Jason Kincaid get a shot for nxt. 

I wonder what happens with Shane Strickland now. Is he on HHH's radar for nxt? I know Strickland also works MLW. If Strickland isn't someone in line to be signed, I'd perhaps look to signing with Impact. Strickland would definitely help freshen things up for them.

My main concern is what already happened, nxt wrestlers coming in and winning titles right away. That seems extremely short-sighted. 

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I think we won't know for sure until the next set of tapings - but it definitely seems to be more of a one way thing in that NXT folks will work EVOLVE but not say the Street Profits defending the EVOLVE tag titles on NXT TV.

As Gabe is describing it - the NXT guys are on the EVOLVE roster so the ones with belts will be on all the shows and then you get random special one-offs who are clearly there to sell tickets.

It pretty much is what every fed is doing now.

Plus if you look at it more as an "invasion" angle - the invading fed almost always wins the first matches

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3 minutes ago, Edwin said:

Doesn't Swerve have a contract with Lucha Underground?

I believe most of the LU contracts ended when the last episode of the season aired. Hence why Strickland can work the Nov dates.

Like Chelsea Green was on the most current season as is already working for NXT

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11 hours ago, Six String Orchestra said:

If it's true that Evolve will be on the network next year with the new tier system then this makes sense. 

Haven't watched Evolve 114 yet but is this really even a invasion type angle or just putting new options to work?

It's putting new options to work but regular EVOLVE watchers seem to have a hard time accepting new options so my thought is to maybe look at it as an invasion angle

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Alright, given NXT's involvement in EVOLVE and thus new fans maybe wanting to venture into EVOLVE -- these matches from this year would be a good starting point:

  • Ringkampf vs. Catch Point from EVOLVE 98: Excellent evenly worked match and we get some nice gritty grappling exchange tease of what Thatcher/Garrini could do in a single match.
  • Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Darby Allin for the EVOLVE title from EVOLVE 98: I'm not a massive fan of ZSJ, but he does a great job at torturing the semi contortionist and nutty Darby.
  • WALTER vs. Zack Sabre Jr. from EVOLVE 99: Not as great as some of their matches in other organizations, but still a quality match between these two with WALTER putting on his typical beatdown on ZSJ.
  • Matt Riddle vs. James Drake from EVOLVE 100: A very underrated, no rope break brutal battle. Breakout performance from Drake as he holds his own against one of EVOLVE's top guys.
  • Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Chris Dickinson from EVOLVE 101: Not an all-time classic by any chance, but a really entertaining match from these two despite the silent Joppa crowd. ZSJ bring some brutal limb work and Dickinson brings some brutal strikes which makes for quite the clash of styles.
  • Ringkampf vs. Daisuke Sekimoto & Munenori Sawa from EVOLVE 102: Do I really need to explain why you should watch this? WALTER/Sekimoto, Thatcher/Sawa.
  • Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Matt Riddle for the EVOLVE title from EVOLVE 102: Not as great as the ZSJ torture fest on Darby, but still a neat match with some neat grappling exchanges and a nice sendoff for ZSJ who was heading to New Japan and Riddle finally gets his coronation.
  • Timothy Thatcher vs. Dominic Garrini from EVOLVE 103: Not the MOTY candidate we hoped for and this is kept relatively short as Thatcher gets injured, but the grappling exchanges we get here with Garrini's BJJ purple belt and Thatcher's CACC is quite neat.
  • WALTER vs. Tracy Williams from EVOLVE 103: Another awesome WALTER WM weekend beatdown and a neat Hot Sauce comeback.
  • Munenori Sawa vs. Jaka from EVOLVE 103: Again, not a MOTY candidate or anything, but a solid display of what Jaka can do against the visiting Sawa.
  • Matt Riddle vs. Daisuke Sekmoto for the EVOLVE title from EVOLVE 103: Riddle's first title defense in EVOLVE and again a no rope break match which is pretty underwhelming given the sides involved, but still well worth watching.
  • Matt Riddle vs. Shane Strickland from EVOLVE 104: These guys had a better match with a hotter crowd previous to this in MLW, but this was quite awesome with some awesome armwork from Strickland.
  • Darby Allin vs. WALTER from EVOLVE 106: From what I've seen, this is EVOLVE's MOTY. Unbelievable David vs. Goliath type match as WALTER dishes out a brutal beating and Darby puts on a great babyface comeback performance. If you only watch one match from this list, make it this one.
  • Matt Riddle vs. AR Fox for the EVOLVE title from EVOLVE 107: Interesting clash of styles between these two which provides us with an entertaining match.
  • Matt Riddle vs. Shane Strickland for the EVOLVE title in a hardcore match from EVOLVE 108: Brutal match that goes into overboard territory, but makes sense given it's the start of Riddle's move to NXT and Strickland's crowning moment.
  • Darby Allin vs. Matt Riddle from EVOLVE 110: Underdog Darby finally pulls off the big win he's been looking forward to keep him on the top of the card while Riddle winds down his EVOLVE run.
  • WALTER vs. Anthony Henry from EVOLVE 111: I'm not that big of a fan of Henry, but this is easily the best performance of his career from what I've seen. Again, the typical brutal WALTER beatdown with the big high flyer babyface comeback that is always fun.
  • Tracy Williams vs. Chris Dickinson and Stokely Hathaway career vs. career handicap i quit match from EVOLVE 111: Pretty nasty, uncooperative brawl with Hot Sauce finally avenging Catch Point betrayal with somewhat of a callback to Magnum TA/Tully Blanchard i quit steel cage match.

As I mentioned previously, if you only watch one match from this list, make it the match in bold which is Darby Allin vs. WALTER from EVOLVE 106.

I still haven't watched EVOLVE 112, 113 or 114, but will hopefully get them this week, so I'll update this once I watch them and if there's any noteworthy matches on them.

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On 11/1/2018 at 12:07 PM, RIPPA said:

I believe most of the LU contracts ended when the last episode of the season aired. Hence why Strickland can work the Nov dates.

Like Chelsea Green was on the most current season as is already working for NXT

So LU is fully a sinking/sunken ship right? Even if not this doesn't make it look good for them.

(Paging Casey, I guess)

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Just got back from the show. I'd say motn was Fox/Theory or Street Profits/Workhorsemen. Fabian Aichner looked okay, he was the one tonight I was unsure of. Some people were giving him crap solely because he's "a NXT invader". Really fun overall.

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On 11/10/2018 at 4:41 AM, ComingToAmerica said:

Good for EVOLVE, but one doesn't know whether to laugh or cry at WWE having nothing better to do with Mustafa Ali at weekends than send him there.

I'm very torn on this but if there's ever a show in Joppa he goes to I'd be beyond thrilled to meet him.  If that ever happens then I'll never say a bad thing about WWE stars in Evolve.

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On 11/1/2018 at 3:10 PM, West Newbury Bad Boy said:

Did Meltzer really imply that the Profits need to build more "street cred"? 

They're just lucky Lil' B the BasedGod didn't curse them for stealing his cooking dance and not giving credit where credit is due.

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Who from the current EVOLVE roster would you all like to see in NXT?

For me, Darby Allin, Shane Strickland and Chris Dickinson. There's rumors Strickland is already going to be reporting to NXT in January and I don't see how they don't give Darby a chance given he's the guy who they've used to face most of the NXT guys whenever they are booked in EVOLVE. Dickinson is doesn't strike me as NXT material exactly however, but he's great regardless.

I'm not a fan of Austin Theory, but he's really young and has a crazy physique and has already had a tryout at the Performance Center, so I'm sure they will want to give him a call soon.

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