Evolve Wrestling is the mysterious new wrestling company headed up by Gabe Sapolsky, Davey Richards and Sal Hamoui. They are slowly releasing details about the company. Here’s what we know so far:
1. Davey, Gabe and Sal have ties through both Full Impact Pro Wrestling. Davey Richards is the FIP Champion, while Sal owned that company and Gabe booked it.
- FIP with these three was not only great, but constantly improving. This is certainly a good sign.
2. Davey, Gabe, and Sal all have had falling outs with Ring of Honor. Davey is still prominent in ROH, but has taken heat for doing too much in matches and honoring both KENTA and Bryan Danielson for great matches with him, while remaining a heel. Gabe booked the first seven years of ROH before being fired, and Sal had his DVD distribution for FIP done by the company but since Gabe left, almost nothing has come out.
- With sources revealing ROH has lost almost 80% of its DVD sales since Sapolsky was terminated, there’s a hole in the market that Evolve can fill. I’m sure hurting ROH in the process is incidental.
3. Evolve will be a mostly northeastern promotion. The only date on their site is 1/16/10 in Rahway, NJ and Hamoui is known to have applied for a New York promoter’s liscence.
- The northeast has the most press, which means the most press for their promotions; certainly a smart idea.
4. Rules will play an important role in Evolve Wrestling. They cite Evander Holyfield having his ear bitten by Mike Tyson, Gilbert Yvel knocking out a referee, the Ron Artest melee into the stands, and the Atlanta Falcons sideline scuffle as things unacceptable in Evolve.
- Much like Bill Watts banning flying, one would assume these will be in Evolve, merely limited and done only by heels for heat. This is a major tenet of early ROH.
5. Wins and Losses will play a large part in Evolve, as seen by the record being posted on the company home-page.
- This is another tenet of early ROH, though it was never publically kept track of. Tracking wins and losses takes careful planning, but can add legitimacy to help the company thrive.
6. There are three divisions in Evolve:
A. Singles Division
B. Tag Division (with no makeshift teams, though trios may register)
C. Qualifying matches in which wrestlers attempt to gain admission into a Division
- These divisions make sense, though we still must learn if singles wrestlers can be in regular tag teams. If so, this is similar to Japan, where all singles wrestlers have regular partners. Match variety is limited, but feuds are really given center stage here.
7. Davey Richards turned down the WWE, at least in part, to be in this promotion.
- For an ownership position, this would make sense. If not, it might come back to bite him.
8. Someone whose name begins with Bobb has been invited into one of these divisions.
- Here are the wrestling Bobb’s:
A. Bobby Lashley – TNA and MMA powerhouse
B. Bobby Sanford – 490 on the current PWI 500
C. Bobby Fish – Young indy worker, occasionally in ROH
D. Bobby Eaton – Former Midnight Express member, still active
E. Bob Orton – Retired father of Randy Orton, technical wrestler extraordinaire
F. Bob Holly – former WWE stiff wrestler
G. Bob Sapp – MMA star who dabbled in wrestling in Japan
H. Bob Backlund – Former WWF Champion, great pure wrestler
I. Bob Armstrong – patriarch of the Armstrong wrestling family, including Road Dogg and Scott Armstrong.
J. Robert “Bobby” Roode – Top young TNA wrestler, member of Beer Money, Inc.
K. Bobby Dempsey – Fat ROH trainee.
More updates on all of this as it breaks.
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