[2001-03-14-UPW-When Worlds Collide] Evolution (Frankie Kazarian & Nova) vs Hardcore Inc. (Adam Pearce & Hardkore Kidd)

[GSR]

Hardkore Kidd I believe is Aaron Aguilera who would go on to have a cup of coffee in the WWE as Jesus.  Both teams have managers in this UPW tag team title tournament semi-final match-up, Hardcore Inc. managed by El Jefe, Evolution by Looney Lane.  Things quickly heat up, Kaz ducking a Kidd clothesline and connecting on a springboard back elbow.  Double hiptoss followed by a pair of springboards, Kaz with the legdrop and Nova the somersault senton.  Pearce rushes into the ring, double Mexican arm drag for him, Evolution holding on and transitioning to a double Russian legsweep.  Kidd nails Nova from behind but he can’t really follow up, Nova sliding between his legs and nailing him with a step up enzuigiri.  The whip to the corner is reversed and as the official has his back turned to the action while talking to Kaz, Pearce is down the apron throwing a clothesline at Nova.  Combination belly to back suplex/clothesline by Hardcore Inc.  Pearce distracts the ref so that Jefe can get a few shots in from the floor.  Nice spinning heel kick.  He misses the big splash as Nova rolls out the way but Kidd with the double axe handle before he is able to make the tag.  Turns out Kidd is already signed to the WWF; he’s on loan to UPW for the night and could be called up at any time.  Nova reverses the Irish whip, Kidd leaps to the top turnbuckle and springs backwards with a flying elbow.  Kidd sits Nova upstairs for a back suplex but he fires off some elbows, stunning Kidd who falls to the mat.  As he climbs to the top Pearce swipes out his legs and he ends up hung upside down in the Tree of Woe.  Tag to ‘Scrap Iron’.  Pearce comes running at Nova, for a spear, however Nova lifts himself up, grabs Pearce around the necks and kicks himself off the turnbuckle with an inverted cutter.  There are several people who have been given the ‘Innovator’ tag, Nova really is one.  Hot tag to Kazarian who is all over Hardcore Inc.  He’s an innovator of his own to be fair, hitting what starts out looking like it’s going to be a reverse DDT but he spins Pearce around into a Diamond Cutter.  Kidd breaks up the cover and they start to double team Kaz.  After whipping him into the corner they get hold of his partner and whip Nova into him, Nova though ends up monkey flipping Kaz who wipes out both with a double clothesline.  Double hiptoss into a combination neckbreaker/sit-out powerbomb.  O’Connor roll on Kidd, he kicks out and in doing so sends Nova head first into a chair held by Pearce, the official oblivious to what’s going on as he’s dealing with the two managers.  Great near fall off that as Nova gets a shoulder up.  Pearce with a Rack bomb (spinning Torture Rack slam) on Kazarian.  Kidd brings the chair into the ring but a Nova missile dropkick send it clattering into his own face.  Pearce is all alone and Evolution bust out another innovative double team move finishing with a tornado DDT that gets them the win.  There does appear to be some confusion over whether this was for the titles, it wasn’t though.

I was seriously impressed by the Evolution team who you could easily plug into the tag team ranks of one of the major promotions and they wouldn’t look out of place or overawed.  Considering the WWF had such strong ties with UPW I’m kinda shocked that they never got a looksy with them, the only thing possible being with the WWF already having the Hardy Boyz maybe they didn’t want another team of a similar ilk.  Really good and something that caught me completely off guard to the point I'd say it's a hidden gem of a match.  Evolution deserved to go somewhere.