Top 5 Greatest EVOLVE Wrestling Shows
WWE Network better start adding these great shows.
WWE purchasing EVOLVE Wrestling wasn’t surprising. Since 2016, the companies have worked together to develop a healthy relationship of churning out talent for the big leagues while gaining maximum exposure via the WWE Network. And now from this purchase, WWE has gained yet another video library.
I have followed EVOLVE Wrestling since its inception in 2010. There were times of greatness, frustration and even bewilderment. Nevertheless, EVOLVE Wrestling produced not only some of the best wrestlers and matches of the past decade, but some of the best independent wrestling shows in the history of North America.
So, this article is a mini whistle stop tour of which five shows you need to see when the full EVOLVE Wrestling video archive is available on the WWE Network. Just to note as well, there are over 100 shows to check out from, so whittling this list down to five was not easy.
EVOLVE 5: Danielson vs. Sawa
The early EVOLVE shows were very similar to Ring of Honor’s early shows. Lots of fresh faces in quick matches, which varied in terms of quality and crowd response. Plus, from the inception of the company, EVOLVE took on a more MMA-esque approach, with no titles being defended. Instead, wins and losses were what earnt you bragging rights towards getting higher on the card. It was a good idea, but sadly, never really took off.
Nevertheless, from those early shows, one always stands out; EVOLVE 5: Danielson vs. Sawa. Bryan Danielson was having a tour of the indies after he was unfairly dismissed by the WWE after choking Justin Roberts with his tie. Therefore, it only made sense for Bryan to wrestle as part of this new venture by ROH founder Gabe Sapolsky. Those of you who have read Danielson’s book know also that he had a lot of input into EVOLVE before joining WWE.
Bryan’s opponent was BattlArts mainstay and puro shoot-fighter extraordinaire Munenori Sawa. A true dream match between two of the world’s greatest technical wrestlers, this match delivered in spades! But that’s not all – when you add in a great women’s match between Mercedes Martinez and Amazing Kong, a frantic six-way featuring top prospects such as Johnny Gargano and Jon Moxley, along with a hybrid battle of the ages from Ricochet and Kyle O’Reilly, you have a show to remember!
EVOLVE 13: Gargano vs. Fox
Two years after EVOLVE 5, the company continued to bring interesting and fresh talent to a wider independent wrestling audience. There was still no exclusive singles title in EVOLVE, but thanks to a partnership with sister promotion Dragon Gate USA, the Open the Freedom Gate Championship was frequently defended at EVOLVE shows, including EVOLVE 13: Gargano vs. Fox.
Starting with a hot opener, continuing with a fun mid-card and finishing with a classic main event, EVOLVE 13 is a show which a lot of people slept on back in the day. But it is a show you need to go out of your way to see to appreciate just how good the “teen years” of EVOLVE actually were.
EVOLVE 35
Notice anything? Well after just over four years, the competitors’ names were dropped from EVOLVE show titles, while keeping the chronological number sequences, similar to UFC. But that wasn’t the only change. EVOLVE now had its own main singles title, the aptly named EVOLVE Championship, which while appearing on this show, was not the main event.
That was dual Dragon Gate and DGUSA champion Ricochet defending his Open the Freedom Gate Championship as he took on Uhaa Nation. We also got a great tag team three-way elimination match for the Open the United Gate Tag Team Championships, a technical dream match between the U.K.’s own Zack Sabre Jr. and Biff Busick, and an all-out war between EVOLVE Champion Drew Galloway and “Mr. ROH” Roderick Strong.
EVOLVE 45
People are often asked “Where were you?” only to be followed by an event or moment of certain historical significance. The same question is often applied to independent wrestling fans: “Where were you when you saw Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Roderick Strong at EVOLVE 45?” Arguably the greatest match in EVOLVE Wrestling history, ZSJ vs. Roderick Strong cannot be done justice in an article alone. If you are wondering why you need to watch EVOLVE, this is the reason why!
What is often overlooked though is that EVOLVE 45 also features several other standout contests such as Anthony Nese vs. Andrew Everett, Chris Hero battling Trevor Lee and Drew Galloway defending his EVOLVE and Open the Freedom Gate Championships against Timothy Thatcher in a double title match.
EVOLVE 69: Farewell to an Icon Finale
When you think of EVOLVE Wrestling, one person immediately comes to mind…Johnny Gargano. Having seen his first match in EVOLVE to then watching his last match (at this point) take place at EVOLVE 69 was a very emotional experience. Wrestling send-offs are always moving, but something about this show in particular really touched me, mostly due to Johnny’s relatability and his loyalty to the promotion.
It is a company-defining show for lots of reasons, perfectly demonstrating EVOLVE at its creative peak. At the time, you couldn’t find a better independent promotion in the world than EVOLVE Wrestling, and this show is a small taste as to why!
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