EVOLVE has revealed Matt Sydal’s first two opponents for his return to wrestling as Evan Bourne.
At EVOLVE 139, Bourne will face Leon Ruff. Bourne will then take on AR Fox at EVOLVE 140 the next night. Ruff and Fox are the EVOLVE Tag Team Champions.
Fox finished first in a Twitter fan vote to decide Bourne’s opponents and Ruff finished third. Anthony Greene finished second, with EVOLVE writing that they “have discovered that Greene and Brandi Lauren set up countless fake Twitter accounts to ruin the integrity of the voting.”
La Boom in Queens, New York is hosting EVOLVE 139 on Saturday, November 9. EVOLVE 140 is taking place at the Saint Finbar Catholic Church Gym in Brooklyn on Sunday, November 10.
It was announced last week that Sydal would be returning to using his WWE name in EVOLVE. He was also confirmed for EVOLVE 141 in Livonia, Michigan on Friday, December 6 and EVOLVE 142 in Chicago, Illinois on Saturday, December 7.
“We have so many unique opportunities with the EVOLVE connection to WWE,” EVOLVE’s Gabe Sapolsky said in a statement. “We can put on matches with talent that no one else on the independent wrestling level can. One of these unique opportunities is being able to revive Evan Bourne. I know he is very hungry and looks at this as a comeback opportunity. I’ve know him since 2004 and I’m very excited to be working with him again.”
Here are the updated lineups for next month’s EVOLVE shows:
EVOLVE 139 (November 9) —
EVOLVE Champion Austin Theory defending against Josh Briggs (if anyone interferes, they’ll be banned from EVOLVE)
JD Drake vs. Anthony Henry in a no holds barred match
Babatunde vs. Eddie Kingston in a grudge match with relaxed rules
Evan Bourne vs. Leon Ruff
Arturo Ruas & Anthony Gutierrez vs. Joe Gacy & Sean Maluta
Curt Stallion & Brandon Taggart vs. Harlem Bravado & Anthony Greene (w/ Brandi Lauren)
AR Fox vs. Colby Corino
Shotzi Blackheart’s final match at La Boom
More with Adrian Alanis, Liam Gray, and others
EVOLVE 140 (November 10) —
Evan Bourne vs. AR Fox
EVOLVE Champion Austin Theory vs. Curt Stallion in a non-title match
JD Drake vs. Babatunde in a match where there must be a winner
Arturo Ruas vs. Eddie Kingston
Anthony Gutierrez vs. a member of The Unwanted
Josh Briggs vs. Anthony Henry vs. Joe Gacy vs. Brandon Taggart
Harlem Bravado & Anthony Greene (w/ Brandi Lauren) vs. Adrian Alanis & Liam Gray
Shotzi Blackheart’s final match in EVOLVE
More with Mike Verna, Mike Donovan, Alame, and others
NXT’s Adam Cole, Tommaso Ciampa, and Johnny Gargano will be available for meet-and-greets at both shows, along with Theory, Blackheart, Ruas, and Babatunde.