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Bryan Idol was made the special guest ring announcer for the WWN/Evolve Title Unification match. He coughed into the microphone several times, having a difficult time getting words to come out. However, the lights went out, and when they came back up he was replaced by Paul Heyman. The crowd broke out in ECW chants as Heyman thanked them all.
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Heyman said it was happy to be back home and happy to be a part of a promotion that's the future of the industry. When fans look back on this night five years from now, they'll know that this was when the industry truly evolved. And, like many WWE fans and competitors, Heyman was jealous of Evolve's pyro.
Unification Match: Evolve Champion Austin Theory vs WWN Champion JD Drake
Theory responded to a shove from Drake with a slap across the jaw. Both men looked for their finishers, and they were both blocked. Theory connected with a picture perfect standing dropkick. As he ran off the ropes, Drake hit one of his own, sending Theory to the outside.
As he ran in for a suicide dive, Theory rocked him with an elbow. On the outside, Theory attempted to elbow Drake again, but met steel instead, hammering the ring post. Drake chopped Theory several times across the chest, turning it beet red.
Drake followed a retreating Theory up the ramp, looking for a powerbomb. Theory turned it into a backbody drop, landing the big man on the hard surface. Back inside the ring, Drake broke out of a pinfall at one, though Theory believed it was five. In the corner, Theory delivered a pair of chops, which didn't faze Drake a bit. The Bluecollar chopped Theory, hitting him so hard he left his feet.
Theory got back on top, however, sending him into the ropes and taking him down with a suplex. A straightjacket choke hold was broken up with some massive open palm strikes to Theory's face. The Evolve Champion didn't give him time to breathe, hitting the standing moonsault.
Drake kicked out of another pinfall, and was placed in the corner, where he pelted the big man with hard right punches. Drake demanded he hit him harder, claiming he can't hit him harder than life has. Drake responded with a chop, but Theory took him down to one knee with a series of short arm clotheslines.
Drake responded by catching Theory's last shot, turning him inside out with a clothesline. As Theory ran in, Drake turned him over with a body slam, crashing his 300+ pound frame on top of his opponent. Theory made it out to the apron, knocking Drake away and connecting with a rolling leaping dropkick. Drake was shot into the corner, but rolled to the outside, where he turned out Theory's lights with a massive right hand.
Theory rolled to the other side of the ring and was met by a suicide dive. Back inside, a body slam allowed Drake to hit the Vader Bomb. Theory kicked out at two. Drake went to the well for a second time, and was followed up by Theory, who was sent crashing down to the mat. A leaping leg lariat from the second rope left Theory coughing, as it looked like he was bleeding from the nose.
The Unproven One avoided a canonball senton into the corner, hitting a rolling Blockbuster. Drake managed to power out, and avoided Ataxia, driving Theory into the corner. Placed up top, Theory was hit by several open hand chops.As Drake ascended the ropes, Theory slid out from under him, bringing him out for a torture rack spin-out powerbomb.
Drake broke out, leading to a third attempt of Ataxia. Drake sent him over with a back body drop, and ran into the corner. Theory put his boot up, but following another rolling attack was caught by a stunner. The cannonball in the corner led to the Drillbit from Drake. Miraculously, Theory kicked out.
Drake went up top, and hit a massive moonsault. Theory still kicked out. Both men rose to their knees where they traded punches. Making it to their feet, they swapped chops, superkicks, and clotheslines. Drake landed on his feet after another Ataxia attempt. Another moonsault from Drake was dodged by Theory. A trio of superkicks allowed Theory to finally hit Ataxia for the win.
Results: Austin Theory defeated JD Drake to unify the WWN and Evolve Championships.
Following the match, Theory dropped the WWN Championship to the ground, stepping on it. The Real Superstar claimed that he was the measuring stick that all must go through in Evolve. The lights went out, and when they came back up, Josh Briggs stood behind Theory. A high-angle chokeslam spiked the champion, bouncing him nearly out of the ring.
