Thanks Chris GST & Internet reports | American Legion in Reseda, CA, Saturday night
– Trevor Lee defeated Cody Rhodes (aka Cody R) with a fisherman buster. Apparently, Lee said “F**k Dusty” in an in-character moment and Rhodes wasn’t happy, but explained the situation on Twitter.
– Trent? defeated Rey Fénix with the reverse cradle piledriver
– The Chosen Bros (Jeff Cobb & Matt Riddle) defeated Unbreakable F’n Machines (Michael Elgin & Brian Cage) with Cobb hitting the Tour of the Islands on Cage.
– Ricochet defeated Lio Rush with the twisting reverse brainbuster.
– Marty Scurll defeated Jay White with the Chicken Wing.
– Super Clique (Young Bucks & Adam Cole) defeated OI4K (Sami Callihan, Dave Crist & Jake Crist) with about 50 superkicks in a row on all three guys.
– PWG World Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Chuck Taylor to retain after Chuck passed out in the triangle choke. Post-match, ZSJ went heel and beat down Taylor with the help of Scurll. That brought out Trent for the save.
Show starts with a highlights package narrated by Triple H looking at the final four participants.
Mauro and Bryan open the show, putting over the likes of Tiger Mask and Dynamite Kid, saying that again the cruiserweight are putting it all out there tonight. Bryan also mentions the New Japan Super J Cup tournaments of the 1990s. They go over the two semifinal matches tonight. They show another video package where the four semifinalists talk about the significance of the tournament. Highlights are shown of all four men. All say they’re here to win.
Gran Metalik defeated Zack Sabre Jr. in the first semifinal
Very good match. Metalik is explosive but also showed off some great mat skills as well. Sabre did really well even though you’d think there would be a styles clash, but there wasn’t. The last few minutes were really great.
Gran Metalik wastes no time with a giant flying senton to the floor. Sabre catches him jumping off the apron with a kick, then kicks his arm. He focuses on Metalik’s neck, twisting his head with his feet and employing his mat-based grappling.
Metalik comes back with some fierce offense but Sabre catches him in a springboard and tries to go for a submission, but Metalik gets to the ropes. Metalik mounts his own offense, superkicking Sabre, hitting a standing shooting star press.
Sabre manages to get back in here with a guillotine choke but Metalik is able to transition to a Boston crab. Sabre cuts him off and hits a penalty kick for a near fall. Fans are getting into Sabre and not so much into Metalik at this point in the match.
Sabre Jr. locks in the octopus stretch. Metalik gets off his knees and gets to the ropes. Metalik cuts off Sabre, who gets crotched, then gives him a big hurricanrana off the top rope.
Metalik went for a dive but Sabre caught him in a triangle. Metalik escaped. Sabre charged out of the corner but walked right into the Metalik driver as Gran Metalik gets the win, advancing to the finals. Metalik is awarded a medal by William Regal as he is interviewed, being asked about how he is preparing for the finals since he doesn’t know who his opponent is. Metalik gives a response in Spanish, but also thanks the fans.
Both TJ Perkins and Kota Ibushi are shown preparing for their match. Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano are interviewed. When asked about his knee injury, Gargano says he’s 100% cleared and ready to rock and roll. Ciampa says no disrespect to Noam Dar or Cedric Alexander, but they only have one thing in mind – the Revival. They’re scared, that’s why they play the numbers game but they’re coming for the NXT tag team titles.
TJ Perkins defeated Kota Ibushi in the second semifinal match
Excellent match, about on par with the Alexander/Ibushi match from a few weeks ago. Just tremendous mat work and back and forth striking and wrestling. The last few minutes were insane.
They start off with some mat work early. TJP tries for a kneebar but Ibushi quickly escapes. Ibushi targets TJ Perkins with a dropkicks that sends him to the floor. Kota tries for the Golden triangle moonsault, but TJ kicks him and sends him reeling back to the floor.
After teasing a count out loss, Kota gets back in and soon after wipes out TJP with the Golden triangle moonsault. Ibushi went for a moonsault, but TJP manages to get the knees up and works on a leg submission, but not for long as Ibushi escapes.
Ibushi catches TJP on the apron with a series of kicks to the chest. He tries for the deadlift German suplex but Ibushi but TJP escapes. TJP went for something off the top rope but Kota cut him off with a big pele kick. Ibushi went for the last ride powerbomb, but TJP countered with a DDT and the dodon.
Ibushi again went for the pele kick but TJP sunk in the kneebar again.Ibushi escaped and they had a strikefest. Ibushi hit the last ride powerbomb but TJP kicked out in a big spot, since that’s been his finisher the entire time he’s been here. Fans started to chant “this is awesome”.
Ibushi went for the Phoenix splash but TJP dodged at the last minute. Ibushi came back with a ganso bomb but TJP still kicked out. Ibushi drilled him with a kick and went for the last ride powerbomb but TJP transitioned into the kneebar again. He added a crossface and after struggling, Ibushi tapped. TJP gets the other medal. It’s he and Gran Metalik in the finals. His goal has always been to win one, then win one more. Now he just has to win one more.
Noam Dar and Cedric Alexander talk about their match against DIY (the new tag name for Gargano and Ciampa). Dar says they just need to be on the same page for the 1-2-3. Cedric says they know they’re the best two cruisers around, and tonight they’re going to show that they are the best in the world. Sasha Banks, Kalisto, Rich Swann, Jack Gallagher and Bayley were all shown in the crowd.
Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa defeat Cedric Alexander & Noam Dar
Crowd chanted “All these guys” as the match started. Both teams started out strong, with the highlight being Cedric wiping out Ciampa with a running senton to the floor. He looks like he’s lost even more weight since this tournament has started.
Dar is caught in the electric chair position as he’s wiped out by a Gargano superkick. When Cedric enters the right, Gargano gives him a spear through the middle rope. Cedric springs back with a giant Michinoku driver for a near fall. Great series of moves that wipes everyone out.
Action gets crazy as everyone goes 90 miles an hour. Alexander nearly got a near fall but a replay showed Ciampa just barely got his shoulder up. DIY isolate Dar and get the win with stereo superkicks DIY motion they want the NXT tag titles after the match.
Mauro and Bryan bring in William Regal as he talks about his involvement in this tournament. He said Triple H picked him to find the best, and he exceeded their expectations. He mentions how he was trained by the likes of Rollerball Rocco and Marty Jones and saw Tiger Mask before he was Tiger Mask. He puts over the cruiserweights of the new millennium, saying they’re strikers, submission artists, grapplers and more. They bring in Corey Graves, who talks for a moment about Kota Ibushi and Brian Kendrick.
Before the main event starts, Triple H comes out and says tonight history will be made. Right now you see two of the best in the world. But we’re not looking for two – we’re looking for one, THE one. We are looking for the one will be known as the best in the world. We are looking for the one who will win the Cruiserweight Classic. But even more importantly than that, we are looking for the one who will be the new cruiserweight champion. Triple H reveals the new title and shakes both men’s hands as the match will now not only be for the trophy, but for the revitalized Cruiserweight championship…
TJ Perkins defeated Gran Metalik to become CWC Champion and the new WWE Cruiserweight Champion
Great match. Not as good as TJP/Ibushi but a really fun final match in a tournament full of fun matches. Dorada did some of his craziest stuff he has been known for in the past and TJP is probably the best all around guy that’s been signed for this division.
Fans are totally into Metalik early. The two do some good back and forth until TJP sinks in a Muta lock. Metalik gets to the ropes. TJP went to go for a springboard but Metalik dropkicks him face first on the apron then wipes him out with a tope suicida.
More fast paced back and forth until Dorada did a crazy flying hurricanrana, jumping off the ring, catching TJP on the apron and sending him out to the floor. Metalik followed with a crazy step up senton and landed flat on the floor as TJP really didn’t grab him. Ouch.
Metalik missed the standing shooting star press and TJP countered by sinking in a kneebar. Lots of back and forth action. TJP hit the dodon and sunk in the kneebar again. Dorada tried to get to the ropes but TJP dragged him back in. As Metalik tried to get to the ropes again, TJP tried to drag him back in but Metalik countered with a roll up for the near fall.
Metalik hit the Metalik Driver, but Metalik hurt the knee and took time to cover TJP, who kicked out. He made a comeback and tried to go to the top rope but Metalik cut him off and tried for the Metalik driver but TJP countered with the kneebar again. Metalik struggled and eventually submitted, making TJ Perkins the CWC champion and the new Cruiserweight champion.
Triple H put the new belt around Perkins as he went and shook hands with Metalik.
TJ says he wears a key around his keychain back to a place he couldn’t go back to, but now he is no longer is wearing it as it is a place he never has to go back to. During that time he searched for something like this, and means the world for him to inspire someone else. This is bigger than me, this is not one person. This is 32 people, all of them. Tonight, at the end of this, all of them are his heroes. This is for everyone.
Final Thoughts:
This was a great show, filled with crazy back and forth wrestling with some terrific spots and moments up and down the card. It capped off a great tournament, showcasing athletes who can go with a presentation designed to get them over to the best of their ability. This is probably the best special WWE has put on in ages, and one can only hope that next year they do it all over again.
Before heading to WWE/NXT on a full-time basis, Johnny Gargano began his final weekend in EVOLVE on Saturday night with his final singles match in the company.
With genuine likability and charisma, Gargano has become the face of EVOLVE and one of the best babyfaces in the world. And even with an excellent roster full of talented performers, it will be almost impossible for someone to singularly replace what Gargano has meant to the promotion.
In the main event of EVOLVE 68, Gargano faced off against someone who will attempt to become the new ace of the company in Zack Sabre Jr. The two had a very good match, though there were spots where it didn’t quite work and their matches earlier in the year at EVOLVE 56 and in AAW were better.
With Joey Styles on commentary, the two did a lot of grappling as Sabre worked over the knee that Gargano has been selling as injured since teaming with Tommaso Ciampa against The Revival at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II. Gargano was eventually forced to tap out after Sabre applied a unique submission that pressured Gargano’s leg and arm while stomping on his head.
Sabre cut a promo after the match, saying that he was going to carry the torch after Gargano leaves. Sabre vowed to beat Timothy Thatcher for the EVOLVE Championship. Ricochet then joined Sabre and Gargano in the ring. He put Gargano over and said that he would be missed, but noted that there is so much talent in the EVOLVE locker room that they’ll get by without him. After Ricochet hyped his match with Sabre at EVOLVE 69 on Sunday night, the three men hugged to close the show.
In what was comfortably the best match of the night, Ricochet appeared earlier in a three-way match against Matthew Riddle and Tony Nese. Riddle hit a jumping tombstone and locked in the Bromission on Ricochet, but Nese came off the top rope for a 450 on Riddle for the pin.
All three guys looked great in the match, and Nese especially feels like a different performer after competing in the Cruiserweight Classic. Nese likely had as much to gain as anyone else in the tournament, whether it got him signed to WWE or increased his profile on the indies. He’s felt like a bigger deal since competing in WWE, and he’s gotten a chance to face better quality opponents in singles matches than he usually would.
Nese’s athleticism has always made him feel like someone with almost limitless potential in the ring, and I hope he gets a chance to stay on the indies and further develop into a complete performer.
Riddle and Ricochet were as great as they usually are, and EVOLVE would be smart to book a singles match between the two of them. Gargano also came out before this match started and put over all three participants as candidates to take his spot.
After the match, Drew Galloway attempted to recruit Riddle to his crusade against EVOLVE. He said that wherever Riddle has gone, whether it be in the UFC or EVOLVE, he’s faced injustice. There has been considerable tension between Riddle and his Catch Point stablemates, and Galloway said that Riddle needs people to watch out for him. Galloway called Riddle the uncrowned EVOLVE Champion.
That led to Drew Gulak coming out and starting the next match, but not before sharing an extended glance with Riddle.
Galloway defeated Gulak in a good hard-hitting match after hitting a tombstone and holding on into a transition to a Future Shock DDT. Gulak kept applying submissions on Galloway, including a dragon sleeper in the ropes, but Galloway was always able to use his large frame to force the break.
In addition to Gargano leaving EVOLVE, this is also TJ Perkins’ last weekend with the company. And before facing Riddle on Sunday, he defeated Darby Allin with a kneebar in a solid match at EVOLVE 68. Allin impressed in the match with his athleticism and willingness to do pretty much any high-risk move. And with spots on the card being vacated by wrestlers headed to WWE, it would be nice to see Allin given a chance to further shine in EVOLVE.
It was expected that TJP would get a good reaction given that it’s his last weekend in EVOLVE, but the CWC has seemed to make him more popular with the crowd than even I expected.
Joey Styles got involved earlier in the show after assuming his new role as an authority figure in the company. Galloway interfered on behalf of his tag partner DUSTIN, hitting “Hot Sauce” Tracy Williams with a chair for a quick DQ. Styles restarted the match under extreme rules and barred Galloway and Williams’ Catch Point friends from ringside. In a brawl that included chairs, ladders, and thumbtacks, Williams picked up the win over DUSTIN with a sleeper.
Also on the card, Ethan Page defeated Dan Barry with a package piledriver in a largely comedic match. There was a spot early in the match based on Barry’s appearances as a trainer on the WWE Network’s Holy Foley series where Page tried to get Barry to teach him how to wrestle, but Page eventually took control of the match.
And in a good opener, Fred Yehi continued to look impressive as he defeated Jigsaw with the Koji Clutch. Yehi has really broken out this year. He’s one of the talents on the indies that I always look forward to watching.
Final thoughts:
The matches at EVOLVE 68 didn’t reach the highs that last month’s SummerSlam weekend shows did, but the cards were better laid out and the shows felt better off for it. Everything on the show was worth watching, though the three-way match is the only thing that I would recommend going out of your way to see.
On what is sure to be an emotional show, Gargano bids farewell to EVOLVE on Sunday night at EVOLVE 69. Gargano will team with Cody Rhodes against Galloway and Chris Hero. And Ricochet will face off against Sabre. The show kicks off at 6:30 p.m. ET.
EVOLVE 68 results:
Zack Sabre Jr. defeated Johnny Gargano
Drew Galloway defeated Drew Gulak
Tony Nese defeated Matthew Riddle and Ricochet in a three-way match
Tracy Williams defeated DUSTIN in an extreme rules match
I’m live at Full Sail University in Florida for the opening round of the WWE Cruiserweight Classic. All matches are single elimination.
– Gran Metalik (the former Mascara Dorada) beat Alejandro Saez via Falcon Arrow. Metalik looked like a star in this one.
– Ho Ho Lun beat Daivari via bridging suplex
– Cedric Alexander beat Clement Petiot via sideways lungblower
– The Brian Kendrick beat Raul Mendoza via crossface submission. Great showing by Mendoza who hit a coast to coast dropkick to the tree of woe for a great nearfall
– Tajiri beat Damian Slater via buzzsaw kick
– TJP beat Da Mack via wheelbarrow roll through grapevine ankle lock. Good match by both guys.
– Lince Dorado beat Mustafa Ali via shooting star press. Great match that got the “This is awesome” chants.
– Akira Tozawa beat Kenneth Johnson via delayed bridging german suplex
– Zack Sabre Jr beat Tyson Dux via submission with a series of arm bending submissions
– Drew Gulak beat Harv Sihra via dragon sleeper
– Tony Nese beat Anthony Bennett via 450 splash
– Kota Ibushi beat Sean Manuda via sit out powerbomb. Amazing performance by Ibushi
– Rich Swann beat Jason Lee with a hopping 450. The most over guy of the night has been Swann, and the crowd even sang his brand new theme song lyrics “Can You Handle This” during the match. Star making crowd reaction.
– Noam Dar beat Gurv Sihra via leglock submission
– Jack Gallagher beat Fabian Aichner via running corner dropkick. Both men looked great here.
– Johnny Gargano beat Tommaso Ciampa via roll through crucifix pin after an incredible match. Violent chops and huge moves by Ciampa including a lungblower powerbomb and white noise on the apron. Match of the night.
