10 Live Observations From Attending EVOLVE Wrestling Over WrestleMania Weekend

1. Wrestling Is Key

I already discussed how EVOLVE and other independent promotions put a high focus on in-ring action, with matches following each other and angles only used when absolutely necessary.

What sets EVOLVE even further apart from WWE and the rest of the country's indy promotions is the in-ring style used.

Unlike Ring of Honor, which typically tends to use a more high-risk, high-impact version of WWE style, EVOLVE focuses strongly on actual grappling and submissions. It's not just Catch Point, either - Timothy Thatcher, Zack Sabre Jr., and others use an updated catch-as-catch-can style that's scientifically appealing to fans of true wrestling.

That's not to say that there are no strikes or suplexes - many bouts, primarily tag contests, feature a lot of hard-hitting action. Still, EVOLVE is largely built around what happens on the mat, and that, more than anything else, has given the company its own identity - one that, if this weekend is any indication, will carry it to new heights in the years to come.