EVOLVE issues statement on Impact pulling LAX from December shows

After Impact Wrestling Tag Team Champions LAX (Santana & Ortiz) were pulled from EVOLVE’s December shows earlier this week, EVOLVE issued a statement about the situation today.

LAX were scheduled to face NXT’s Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) at both shows, though one match was a triple threat and the other was a six-man tag. The Street Profits defending their EVOLVE Tag Team titles against LAX and AR Fox & Leon Ruff had been announced for EVOLVE 117 in Queens, New York. The Street Profits & Darby Allin vs. LAX & Austin Theory had been announced for EVOLVE 118 in Deer Park, New York.

In their statement, EVOLVE noted that the matches were made to avoid any political issues with LAX unable to lose to The Street Profits. EVOLVE also stated that they won’t consider booking wrestlers contracted to Impact Wrestling moving forward.

EVOLVE’s full statement is available below:

“We are sorry to inform you that Impact Wrestling has pulled LAX off the upcoming EVOLVE dates. EVOLVE officials were contacted by LAX and informed that they were needed for something else that weekend. No other explanation was given. Impact Wrestling didn’t contact EVOLVE officials and left it up to LAX. There is no heat on LAX as WWN understands the situation they were put in.

“EVOLVE officials had told LAX that the plan was to have matches with EVOLVE Tag Team Champions The Street Profits of Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins that weekend. EVOLVE was informed that LAX would not be able to lose in those matches. In order to avoid any political issues, EVOLVE made one night a triple threat match and the other night a six man tag. This would give the fans the LAX vs. Street Profits matches they wanted, while protecting all parties politically.

“Unfortunately, Impact Wrestling waited until the matches were announced and then pulled the talent the next day. This all could have easily been avoided by not allowing LAX to take the dates in the first place. EVOLVE will no longer consider booking Impact Wrestling contracted talent moving forward. EVOLVE officials are currently working on a replacement and will have news early next week. We apologize for the lineup change, but assure you that EVOLVE will produce something special on for EVOLVE 117 December 15th in Queens, NY and EVOLVE 118 on December 16th in Deer Park, NY. Thank you for your support.”

Dave Meltzer reported in this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Impact didn’t want their Tag Team Champions “working on a streaming show, that could end up on the WWE Network, losing to guys who are developmental talents (The Street Profits) that WWE isn’t using as one of its top tag teams. Also, Impact sees EVOLVE in its current form as a part of WWE.”