NWA: Evolution
Hollywood, California
August 7, 2015
In-Ring Announcement: David Marquez
The chief of
NWA: Evolution came out to the ring to open the show, addressing the actions of the House of Truth and their attack on Roderick Strong.
MARQUEZ: “I’m not sure how, but something seems to remain unclear. I told everyone previously that we wouldn’t tolerate the sort of behavior we saw last week from Truth Martini and his new House of Truth.”
He turned his attention to the Jumbotron, where footage from the attack was replayed:
Truth Martini and Roderick Strong argued with Brad Maddox, while Joey Ryan celebrated his upset victory. All at once, the crowd began booing loudly as Johnny Yuma, Johnny Goodtime, and Ryan Taylor made their way down the aisle. The three men surrounded the ring, promising to unleash some violence on the men in “their” ring. Faced with a common enemy, Strong, Ryan, and even Truth Martini put their backs together and prepared to fend off the attack as Taylor, Yuma, and Goodtime climbed onto the ring apron. Suddenly, Ryan and Martini turned and attacked Roderick Strong! The two men quickly took him down to the mat and began laying into him with stomps as the other three men climbed into the ring to join the mugging. Ryan and Martini hauled Strong to his feet, and the five men went on the attack. FINAL CIRCLE. EXPLOSIVE AMNESIA. MUSTACHE RIDE. Strong was left crumpled in the ring as Martini’s new House of Truth stood over him, victorious and ducking the garbage thrown into the ring by the fans.
MARQUEZ: “Apparently the message wasn’t clear when I suspended Larry Dallas and The Scene for five weeks. That’s fine. Maybe everyone will get the message now. Effective immediately, for their reprehensible attack on Roderick Strong, Truth Martini and his bunch of thugs are suspended for forty-five days!”
The crowd cheered the announcement, but Marquez wasn’t finished.
MARQUEZ: “I’m also pleased to announce that we’ve signed a great grudge match for our main event tonight, as Justin Gabriel takes on his nemesis, Cedric the Hitman…in a Falls Count Anywhere Match!”
The fans cheered even more loudly as this match was announced. Marquez waved to the rabid crowd as he made his way to the back, giving center stage to his wrestlers.
Biff Busick vs. The Hobo
A great opener that saw lots of back-and-forth action to start the match, with neither man gaining a clear advantage. Busick finally managed to wear his homeless opponent down and whipped him into the ropes for a clothesline. The Hobo ducked under the move and countered with a belly-to-back suplex. Busick was tossed into the corner and hit with a running avalanche, then the Hobo went up to the top rope, only to get cut off and superplexed to the mat. The Hobo rolled out to the floor, but and Busick followed, the match devolved into a brawl. Referee Brad Maddox warned both competitors, then started his count. By the time he had reached ten, the Hobo had Busick down and was laying into him with punches. At fifteen, Busick was hoisted up and planted with a STREET PREACHER through the timekeeper’s table. The Hobo returned to the ring as Maddox reached twenty, and called for the bell.
WINNER: The Hobo via count out (7:41)
The Bravado Brothers vs. The Best Friends
Despite an early, high-flying flurry by Trent Barreta, the Bravados dominated the early part of this match, wearing Barreta down with slams, suplexes, and a Tiger Driver by Harlem Bravado. A quick tag saw Lancelot plant Barreta with a DEADLIFT GERMAN SUPLEX for a two-count, then toss Barreta out of the ring. With Chuck Taylor pounding on the turnbuckle for support, Barreta slowly made his way back into the ring, where he was distracted by Lancelot so Harlem could hit him with a blindside clothesline and roll him up for two. Harlem went to the top rope as his opponent staggered to his feet, but Barreta stumbled into the ropes, tripping Harlem up and sending him crashing to the mat. Barreta dove into his corner to tag in Taylor, who hit a quick AWFUL WAFFLE and put Harlem Bravado away.
WINNERS: The Best Friends via pinfall (8:28)
Backstage Interview: Su Yung
Backstage, Grant Baciocco caught up with new arrival Su Yung, who promised a big surprise for later in the night.
Roderick Strong vs. Shane Strickland
Lucky to avoid serious injury at the hands of the House of Truth, Strong nevertheless was off a step, as he started the match by missing a dropkick and eating an enzuigiri from Strickland. The blow to the head seemed to fire Strong up instead of knocking him out, and he went on a tear, hitting a backbreaker (of course), a knee strike, and finally a piledriver to pin Strickland.
WINNER: Roderick Strong via pinfall (2:02)
NWA World Television Championship Match: Michael Elgin (c) vs. Caleb Konley
Su Yung revealed her “big surprise,” as she came out to the ring with Konley for his championship match. Her presence did little good, as the champion utterly dominated Konley, who never got in a single blow. Shoulder tackle. Piledriver. Deadlift power bomb. Another piledriver, and Konley was out—Elgin pinned him with one foot.
WINNER and still NWA World Television Champion: Michael Elgin via pinfall (2:54)
Post-Match Drama
After the match was over, Elgin scraped Koney off the canvas, setting him up for a third piledriver that might well have broken his neck. Before Elgin could hit the move, Anthony Nese came rushing out from the back, sliding into the ring and taking Elgin done with a thunderous clothesline. Elgin grabbed his belt and returned to the back, shouting threats at the ring while Nese and Yung checked on the fallen Konley.
Falls Count Anywhere Match: Justin Gabriel vs. Cedric the Hitman (with Stu Stone)
What the previous two matches lacked in longevity, this one made up for in brutality. It took less than thirty seconds for the action to spill out of the ring, where Cedric took a distinct advantage after smashing his opponent with his Halliburton briefcase and going for the cover, though Gabriel managed to kick out. A clothesline sent Gabriel over the barricade and into the seats, where the fans scattered for cover as Cedric went for a piledriver, only to get back body dropped onto a pair of folding chairs! Gabriel climbed onto another chair and hit a flying leg drop across Cedric’s throat for two, then the brawl spilled all the way to the back of the arena.
Gabriel made his way to the balcony, where he launched himself into a huge 450 SPLASH onto Cedric, laying on the floor below. 1…2…no! Cedric managed to get a shoulder up! Gabriel went in for the kill, but Stu Stone jumped onto his back, prompting referee Brian Hebner to pry the manager off and eject him from the match! While Gabriel mocked Stone, Cedric took him down from behind with a low blow, rolling him up for a long two-count.
The wrestlers fought their way into the aisle, where Cedric hit a piledriver onto the floor for another two, then—frustrated—dragged Gabriel to ringside, where he unloaded on the South African with the timekeeper’s bell, busting him open. Cedric didn’t even go for the cover, picking Gabriel up for a HAIR TRIGGER onto the floor for the 1-2-no! Gabriel managed to kick out! Frustrated, Cedric took the bell and climbed up to the top rope, but Gabriel struggled to his feet and dropkicked Cedric out of the air after he had jumped. Gabriel opened up a cut above Cedric’s eye with a falling DDT onto the floor, then he dumped the Hitman back into the ring and climbed to the top rope. One 450 SPLASH later, Gabriel finally managed to secure the three-count.
WINNER: Justin Gabriel via pinfall (13:29)
Match of the Night: Justin Gabriel d. Cedric the Hitman
Wrestling Observer Rating: 5 stars
