Drew Gulak And TJP Qualify For WWE Cruiserweight Classic
Independent stars are victorious at EVOLVE 61
At Saturday's EVOLVE 61 event in Queens, NY, independent wrestling veterans Drew Gulak and TJP both qualified for WWE's upcoming Cruiserweight Classic tournament. Both matches aired on iPPV, but were also taped for use on WWE's media streams.
TJP, who competed in TNA as Suicide and Manik, defeated fellow Catch Point stable member Fred Yehi to claim a spot in the tournament. Yehi used his unique stomp-based offense to soften TJP up before switching to suplexes, but the high-flying former X Division champion was able to counter with some flashy maneuvers and reversals. In the end, a 450 Splash from TJP sealed victory for him.
In the other qualifying match, Gulak and Tracy Williams (also both members of Catch Point), fought tooth and nail in a hard-hitting bout that combined strikes, submissions, and suplexes. Williams looked to have the match won when he repeatedly applied a crossface to Gulak, but eventually, the 11-year pro was able to trap Williams in his Gu-Lock (a dragon sleeper with a bodyscissors) to draw the submission.
As it stands now, Rich Swann, Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Akira Tozawa, Ho Ho Lun, Lince Dorado, Zack Sabre Jr., Jack Gallagher, Noam Dar, Gulak, and TJP are confirmed for the 32-man tournament.