Evolve 131 10th Anniversary Special Results: Paul Heyman surprises Evolve during title match, Akira Tozawa goes toe-to-toe with Adam Cole

The Stamina Monster vs the Panama City Playboy

NXT Championship: Akira Tozawa vs Adam Cole (c)

Cole and Tozawa locked up, leading to the champion bringing his challenger into the corner. He backed out to pop the crowd, taking several bows. Tozawa went after Cole's arm, but the wrist lock was countered. Tozawa did manage to take Cole to the mat first with a side headlock.

Cole tried to escape with a headscissors, but Tozawa regained his control, getting back to his feet. Cole shoved him off and took Tozawa down with a shoulder tackle. However, the Iron Octopus was locked in by the former Cruiserweight Champion.

An enziguri near the apron rocked Cole, but as Tozawa went up for a dropkick, Cole took his feet out from under him. Tozawa came crashing down, with the back of his head bouncing off the turnbuckle. Cole followed up with a neckbreaker and sent Tozawa bouncing off the corner.

Tozawa found himself in a side headlock, and worked his way towards the ropes. Cole pulled him back to the middle of the ring. Tozawa fought out with a series of elbows, standing up. Coming off the ropes, though, he was met by an elbow from the champion. Cole said that he was going to be NXT Champion forever, but was met with a slap across the face after he said the Stamina Monster sucked.

.@AdamColePro: I'm going to be #NXTChampion forever. You suck! #EVOLVE131@TozawaAkira: pic.twitter.com/vZtx3il7Xd

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) July 14, 2019

Cole was dropped by a fireman's carry facebuster, and Tozawa followed up, driving Cole into the barricade after a suicide dive. A second one was stopped short when Cole walked away. Still, he was met with a dive, as Tozawa rolled onto him from the apron with a rolling senton. The challenger's foot was caught in the guard rail, giving Cole some time to recuperate. As he finally freed himself, Tozawa sent Cole inside and took him down with a missile dropkick.

Tozawa was rocked by an enziguri, and Cole followed that up with a backstabber. He escaped an ushigoroshi neckbreaker spot, only to be hit with a boot and dropped following a second attempt. Cole pelted Tozawa with a series of forearm strikes. Champion and challenger stood up, trading strikes until Tozawa took over, pummeling him with a series of elbows. The two traded running boots, and Tozawa hit his patented fake-out right jab. Cole followed up with a superkick, leaving both men on their backs.

As he looked for the Senton Splash, Cole followed Tozawa up top. Tozawa finally knocked him off the apron, attempting another missile dropkick. Cole caught him with a superkick and another neckbreaker. Tozawa kicked out, leading to Cole going outside for the belt. He looked to end the match via DQ, but was distracted by his rival Johnny Gargano.

.@TozawaAkira looks to take advantage of the moment against the #NXTChampion @AdamColePro as @JohnnyGargano makes his way to ringside! #EVOLVE131 pic.twitter.com/XdrouePswO

— WWE (@WWE) July 14, 2019

Cole kicked out of a roll-up, but was met with a snap German suplex and a rolling 360 kick. The Senton Splash didn't connect, as Cole put his knees up at the last second. The NXT Champion connected with the Panama Sunrise and the Last Shot, retaining his title.

Results: Adam Cole defeated Akira Tozawa via pinfall.

Folowing the match, Gargano challenged Cole to a fight right there. Cole rolled outside, saying that he's the champion, and everyone else follows his schedule. As he left, Johnny Gargano checked on Tozawa.

Gargano asked for a mic, saying that he appreciated the Johnny Wrestling chants, but felt Tozawa deserved praise following his efforts. He looked back to the first Evolve show back in 2009, talking about how far, not only Evolve, but wrestling as a whole has come in the past ten years. He thanked the fans for making 2019 one of the greatest years for pro wrestling.

Before signing off, Gargano asked the fans to support the Evolve roster as much as they supported the old guard in the past.