For the first time since 2013, Evan Bourne is back. Not to say he hasn’t been wrestling these past six years, but it’s always been as Matt Sydal. He will be appearing at four Evolve Wrestling shows, Evolve 139 on November 9th in Queens, NY, Evolve 140 on November 10th in Brooklyn, NY, Evolve 141 on December 6th in Livonia, MI, and finally Evolve 142 on December 7th in Chicago, IL.
The Evolve NXT Connection
What makes this news truly exciting for wrestling fans is that in recent years, Evolve has acted as a feeder promotion of sorts for NXT, with Evolve talents like Matt Riddle, Shane Strickland, & Austin Theory transitioning to NXT. WWE has sent talent like Fabian Achiner, Street Profits, Kassius Ohno, Mustafa Ali, The Velveteen Dream, Kushida and more.
The biggest connection is when WWE aired Evolves tenth anniversary show on the Network, which was headlined by Adam Cole defending the NXT Championship against Akira Tozawa.
That show is potentially a sign of things to come. WWE has built up partnerships with promotions like Evolve, Progress, and Insane Championship Wrestling. A very real possibility is those brands coming to the Network in the future.
Could Evan Be Re-Bourne On NXT?
Evan Bourne, while not the biggest name in wrestling is recognizable for a generation of wrestling fans, being a former WWE Tag Team Champion with Kofi Kingston, and taking one of the most famous RKO’s out of nowhere.
Outside of WWE over the last six years, he wrestled for various promotions around the world, most notably NJPW where he competed in The Best Of The Super Juniors and as a tag team with Ricochet. He also appeared in Impact Wrestling, and is a former X-Division Champion.
Having more recognizable names could be boost for NXT in their ratings war against AEW, and with Bourne they would be picking up a wrestler with name recognition who can still perform at a very high level. Considering him returning to his old ring name, and the connection between Evolve & NXT, it isn’t a stretch to say we might see Bourne back in WWE before long.
Regardless if we see him in NXT, or just at these four Evolve shows, it’ll be nice seeing the master of the Shooting Star Press in action. If you’re in the area for any of these dates, check out WWNLive.com for ticket information, Evolve always delivers a great show.
