Evolve 131: Card preview & predictions for WWE Network special

Adam Cole (c) vs. Akira Tozawa – NXT Championship

Long before he stepped foot in NXT, Adam Cole wrestled at some of Evolve’s very first shows; Evolve 3, 4, 5 and 6. Almost ironically, it was at Evolve 4 where Cole defeated Johnny Gargano, the very man he beat for the NXT Championship almost a decade later. Meanwhile, he lost a match to Ricochet at Evolve 6 years before he lost the NXT North American Championship to the same man.

Cole made his long awaited return to Evolve last summer and has made sporadic appearances ever since. Since coming back, the leader of the Undisputed Era has been undefeated on the Evolve stage racking up wins against NXT newbies WALTER and Isaiah “Swerve” Scott (fka Shane Strickland) as well as Evolve mainstays AR Fox, Austin Theory and Darby Allin. This Saturday, he takes on 205 Live’s Akira Tozawa.

Before he joined the purple brand to put on show stealing classics on WWE PPV Kickoff Shows, Akira Tozawa only had one match in Evolve – a losing effort against Chuck Taylor, but he frequently competed in Dragon Gate USA, a now defunct brand under the WWN umbrella. Most notably leading the KAMIKAZE USA stable with Jon Moxley, as well as winning several titles under the promotion.

Since the 10th Anniversary Show will also serve as the anniversary of Dragon Gate’s founding, it makes sense for Tozawa to return by wrestling arguably the biggest star to come from Evolve.

Nonetheless, I expect Cole to retain his title, perhaps with help from his fellow Evolve originals in the Undisputed Era.

Prediction: Adam Cole [Bay Bay]