Evolve
Date: July 29, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Robert Stone

As tends to be the case, there are multiple people wanting to get their hands on the Evolve Title. That is the case at the moment, as Aaron Rourke wants his rematch with Harlem Lewis, but Tristan Angels and Max Abrams are out there as well. Nikkita Lyons needs a new challenger as well and we might start finding that person this week. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Thea Hail, Skylar Raye and Wren Sinclair need a fourth partner since Laynie Luck isn’t here. Zena Sterling offers her services and she’s in.

Harley Riggins vs. Tate Wilder

Wilder grabs a headlock takeover to start before switching over to an armbar. Riggins sends him throat first into the rope but Riggins gets clotheslined out to the floor. Instead of diving, Wilder knocks him onto the apron for a splash and we take a break. We come back with Riggins running Wilder over and whipping him hard into the corner.

The chinlock goes on and it works so well that Riggins grabs the same thing again. Then it’s off to a reverse chinlock as Riggins gets to mix things up a bit. Back up and they collide for a double down, followed by Wilder grabbing a Sling Blade into an Orton backbreaker for two. The Wilde Ride gets two but Riggins blocks a second attempt with the raised knees. A lifted knee to the face finishes Wilde at 9:07.

Rating: B-. Good match here, with the ending being a bit of a surprise. I like that Riggins is getting a chance to show what he can do on his own and beating someone like Wilder, who has already moved up to the next level, should help him a bit. Riggins is a good choice for the big midcard monster and he’s doing well in that role thus far so let’s see what he can do around here.

Sloane Jacobs is proud of PJ Vasa for her recent acts of violence and offers her a spot on the Nikkita Lyons team. Vasa isn’t interested and wants the Women’s Title.

The Unknown talks about various issues going on around here lately, ala Elijah Holyfield vs. Brooks Jensen and Laynie Luck vs. Nikkita Lyons. She’s coming, and her name might be Vanta.

Sam Holloway isn’t sure what is going on with his friends as of late but it reminds him of his football days. Sometimes his teammates needed to step outside and settle it and that led to success. For now though, he wants CJ Valor.

Kale Dixon vs. It’s Gal

Dixon’s still unnamed female friend is with him. They fight over a lockup to start with Dixon backing him into the corner for some shelling. Gal slams him down and does some pushups on Dixon’s back and a running headscissors takes Dixon down again. The woman gets on the apron for a distraction so gal poses a lot, allowing Dixon to go after the leg. A reverse suplex lets Dixon hammer away but Gal is right back with the hard chops.

Dixon pulls him right back down for the chinlock but Gal reverses into a Codebreaker of all things. A rake to the eyes cuts Gal off again though and a superkick connects for Dixon. The spinning middle rope splash misses though and Gal scores with a discus clothesline. Gal’s fireman’s carry gutbuster finishes at 6:45.

Rating: B-. I was surprised by the result here as Gal has been on a downward trend in recent months while Dixon has felt like he was on the way up. At the same time, Gal needed a win to get him back on track, as those losses have piled up. The match went back and forth as well, making for a good effort from both.

Viktor Zanov and Shido Ash talk about their success in judo and how they are training the same here in Evolve to smash through everyone.

Brooks Jensen is asked about cheating both times to beat Elijah Holyfield. Jensen doesn’t see it that way because he’s 2-0. Cue Holyfield and Jensen runs for his life.

Timothy Thatcher makes a four way for the Evolve Title next week, with Harlem Lewis defending against Aaron Rourke, Tristan Angels and Max Abrams.

Zena Sterling/Skylar Raye/Thea Hail/Wren Sinclair vs. Nikkita Lyons/Sloane Jacobs/PJ Vasa/Giana Capri

Jacobs gives Lyons a rather enthusiastic entrance. It’s a big brawl to start with Jacobs and Sinclair starting things off. That’s quickly shifted off to Raye vs. Capri, with Raye knocking her down so Sterling can slam Raye onto her for two. Sterling is backed into the corner so Vasa can come in and hammer away. Hail gets the same treatment and it’s off to Lyons, who gets caught in a quick Kimura. Everything breaks down and Raye hits the big dive onto the pile at ringside.

We take a break and come back with Raye in trouble but she flips out of a belly to back suplex. Raye fights back but gets chopped down by Vasa, who hits a swinging Boss Man Slam for two. Capri takes Raye down for the same and it’s back to Jacobs for an armbar. Back up and Jacobs misses a boot in the corner and it’s back to Sterling to clean house. Everything breaks down and Capri gives Hail an X Factor but she’s able to grab a double DDT.

Vasa comes back in but gets taken down by a high crossbody. Hail headbutts Lyons down and Sinclair dropkicks Jacobs under the bottom rope. The two of them brawl to the back but Capri grabs the belt. Cue Anya Rune to offer a distraction, leaving Hail to Kimura Lyons for the tap at 10:51.

Rating: B-. This got going near the end though the heat segment on Raye went on for a long time. The good thing here was this felt like another unique main event style, as they did something other than the same old regular stuff. It had me wondering where this was going, though Hail getting the next title shot is only so interesting as she doesn’t have the best win/loss record in title situations. Either way, nice match here and a good change of pace.

A lot of yelling ends the show.

Overall Rating: B. I liked this one rather well and it felt more like the old style of this show. What matters the most is that they kept things moving and it was interesting throughout. This show had me a bit surprised more than once and I’ll take that rather than the same old stuff week after week. Good show here and it was a bit of a return to form around here.

Results
Harley Riggins b. Tate Wilder – Lifting knee to the face
It’s Gal b. Kale Dixon – Fireman’s carry gutbuster
Skylar Raye/Zena Sterling/Wren Sinclair/Thea Hail b. Nikkita Lyons/Giana Capri/PJ Vasa/Sloane Jacobs – Kimura to Lyons

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Evolve
Date: July 8, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Robert Stone

We’re on the way towards….I have no idea actually, but the Mog Squad is cleaning house at the moment and ran over a group of ID Program stars last week. That almost has to go well for them and I could go for seeing where the whole thing goes. Other than that, Aaron Rourke seems ready to face Harlem Lewis for the Evolve Title so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Sloane Jacobs wants Nikkita Lyons’ celebration to be the best and it better work out. WWE and NXT stars and celebrities are invited so you better be watching.

Opening sequence.

Robert Stone is back on commentary for some reason. Ok then.

Here is the Mog Squad, in mostly matching gold trunks, for a chat. They’re rather pleased with how well last week’s main event went and they all brag about their individual skills. On top of that, they have the fastest rising team around. The reality is they are unstoppable so who is next. Cue Timothy Thatcher, who has a special guest.

CJ Valor vs. Cutler James

James throws him down to start and grinds away on a headlock. Valor pulls him into a mostly blocked cross armbreaker before going with a regular armbar. Back up and Valor dropkicks him into the corner but misses a charge of his own. That lets James fire off shoulders to the ribs in various corner, followed by a pop up uppercut not in the corner. Back up and James misses a charge into the post as we take a break.

We come back with Valor knocking him into the corner again, followed by James’ shoulder being sent into the buckle. A spinebuster gives Valor two and we hit the chinlock. Valor’s top rope headbutt misses and James starts firing off the uppercuts. A gutwrench gutbuster sets up the Dark Matter to end Valor at 6:57.

Rating: C+. James is getting to do something around here and that’s a good thing, as it’s not like there is anything positive going on with Darkstate. Valor losing a singles match to a star higher up on the food chain isn’t a bad thing so hopefully he is able to find something else to do. For now though, this was a nice way to shut the Squad up a bit, as Thatcher doesn’t care for them running their mouths.

Post match Thatcher says that it’s time for Ball and Rivera to prove themselves.

Noam Dar/Romeo Moreno vs. Mog Squad

Moreno and Ball start things off with Moreno rolling a neckbreaker early on. With that not working it’s off to Rivera, who gets wristlocked by Dar. That’s switched into a chinlock to keep Rivera in trouble for a bit, followed by a left hand to put him right back down. Dar works on the arm only to get taken into the corner so Ball can work on Dar’s arm for a change. That’s shrugged off as well and it’s Dar sending Ball into the corner for a backdrop from Moreno. A cheap shot from the apron slows Moreno down though and Ball kicks him to the floor as we take a break.

We come back with…Sloane Jacobs trying to get some women to come to Nikkita Lyons’ party with Zena Sterling turning it down. I’d be more worried about someone secretly filming in the women’s locker room. Anyway we come back to the arena with Moreno still in trouble, including some running kicks in the corner. Ball hits a nice dropkick for two but Moreno fights out of the corner and brings Dar in for the running forearms.

Ball kicks Rivera by mistake and gets sent into a kick in the corner. A dropkick/Tower Of London combination gets two on Ball as everything breaks down. Moreno misses a springboard moonsault and an assisted German suplex gets two as Moreno’s foot is in the rope. The Squad seems to think it’s over so Moreno is back up with a big running flip dive. Back in and a double slam finishes Ball at 10:07.

Rating: B-. This was a long match for Evolve and while it was technically fine, it still wasn’t the most thrilling match. Moreno and Dar still don’t do much for me with what they’re doing in the ring but at least they’re getting the chance to do something. There is nothing wrong with throwing a team together so maybe they can get it rolling sooner or later.

Hold on though as Thatcher has one more match to announce, but it can wait until next week. That would be Max Abrams vs. Chazz Hall.

Aaron Rourke and Harlem Lewis meet up in the back, with Lewis saying he’s ready for his title shot next week. Rourke doesn’t need to hear Lewis’ backstory because he knows what kind of man Lewis can be. Lewis respects what Rourke has been through to get here (Rourke appreciates that) but every story comes to an end.

They both want to fight for people who are like them and Lewis is directing all of his suppressed anger at Rourke. That’s fine with Rourke, who knows what it’s like to be called all kinds of things. He’s ready to show that he’s glamour and grit. Nice job here of finding a way for two guys to respect each other but want to fight anyway.

Kale Dixon and his still unnamed blonde cohort have a photo shoot with the blonde praising Dixon’s looks, both in and out of his shirt.

Harley Riggins vs. Ulka Sasaki

Sasaki has been in both Pro Wrestling Noah and the UFC. His offer of a handshake is kicked away so Sasaki tries some unsuccessful running shoulders. Sasaki pulls him down into a Fujiwara armbar but Riggins powers out and grabs a tilt-a-whirl powerslam. Back up and Sasaki’s small package is reversed into a suplex for another near fall. Sasaki is able to send him into the middle buckle as the fans actually get behind Sasaki for a change. A kick to the head puts Riggins down for two but Riggins knees him in the face for the pin at 3:24.

Rating: C. They were in a tough spot here as Sasaki was coming in brand new and the fans only had so much of a reason to care about what he was doing. He’s fine with a background that should show what he can do rather easily but he didn’t have a chance to show that here. Riggins is good enough as a monster, but he feels like he would be better as a team, as he has been thus far.

Post match Riggins talks to new ringside reporter Adrianna Rizzo (hey she’s back) and says he’s riding alone from now on. He still wants to take out Tate Wilder.

Earlier this week, Elijah Holyfield was training with Noam Dar, who explained that Holyfield lost because he got too emotional. Dar explained some counters and techniques (with Holyfield getting the ideas) but Brooks Jensen was watching from the shadows.

Viktor Zanov and Shido Ash used to be security guards but they were also former judo stars. Now they’re kicking the door in and it’s time to come for everyone.

We look at Kendal Grey winning the NXT Women’s Title at the Great American Bash.

And now, Nikkita Lyons’ championship celebration, with Sloane Jacobs, Veronica Haven and Gianna Capri in the ring. They introduce Lyons, who is nice enough to sing her own theme song. Jacobs praises Lyons and invites out the rest of the guests…and no one comes. Lyons gets out some tarot cards to find her first challenger as Jacobs mocks Wendy Choo and Laynie Luck.

Instead here is Wren Sinclair to say she wants to add the title to the Wren QCC collection. This brings out Skylar Raye and Layla Diggs to say they want title shots. Diggs gets laid out and the brawl is on, with Lyons being left alone in the ring. Luck sneaks in to AA Lyons through the table. Humiliating a bragging champion is always a good thing and this worked out well enough, especially with a bunch of new women ready to come after the title.

Overall Rating: C+. I liked the ending segment well enough and the Rourke/Lewis segment was good but there was only so much to get into about this show. The problem here is that a bunch of the show was built around the Mog Squad stuff and that was a bit dry. That being said, next week is looking rather stacked with the title match alone feeling big enough to make it work.

Results
Cutler James b. CJ Valor – Dark Matter
Noam Dar/Romeo Moreno b. Mog Squad – Double slam to Ball
Harley Riggins b. Ulka Sasaki – Knee to the head

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Evolve
Date: July 1, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Blake Howard

We’re done with Succession III and the big story coming out of the show seems to be Timothy Thatcher’s security going into business for themselves. It’s going to be a little while before we find out about that though as Thatcher is gone this week, with KevOnStage in his place. We also have a six person elimination tag so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

KevOnStage recaps Succession III and previews tonight’s show.

Opening sequence.

Layla Diggs vs. Gianna Capri

Masyn Holiday is with Diggs. Capri misses an early pump kick so Diggs grabs a headlock. Diggs’ sitout gordbuster and a Shining Wizard combine for two but Capri is back with some knees to the ribs. A belly to back suplex gets two but Diggs avoids another pump kick. Diggs kicks her into the corner for a running knee so Capri hits her in the back again. Hold on though as Anya Rune offers a distraction from the VIP section and shoves her hands at Capri, which she calls punishment (I believe it’s a Dragon Ball Z thing). Diggs knocks Capri down and drops a moonsault (that thing looks great) for the pin at 4:38.

Rating: C-. So was that the nerd version of Danhausen’s curse? Other than that, the match felt like it was in slow motion with both of them looking like they were trying to remember their next step. Diggs is quite the athlete and she’s already doing more on NXT, though this wasn’t the best work from either of them.

Post match Diggs and Holiday dance but Braxton Cole pops up with the NXT Rule Book, saying that there is nothing that can make him have a No DQ match with Harlem Lewis. Cue Lewis to jump him from behind and sends him into the steps as we take a break.

Braxton Cole vs. Harlem Lewis

No DQ. We come back with the opening bell and Lewis hitting him in the back with a cookie sheet. Said sheet is put into the corner so Cole can whip Lewis into it for the big crash. Cole finds a cane in the VIP area and hammers Lewis down as they go outside again. Somehow Cole finds a belt in the crowd for some whipping before Lewis punches him in the face. That lets Lewis get the belt for some whipping of his own but Cole gets in a sheet to the throat.

A hanging neckbreaker to the floor drops Lewis again and Cole whips out a pool cue of all things. Some more shots to the ribs have Lewis in even more trouble and Cole uses the stick to tie Lewis to the post. That just gets the stick broken but Cole is back with a Crash Landing onto the sheet for two. Cole busts out a trashcan full of more weapons, including a large mop. Said mop is broken over Lewis’ back but another mop is used to hit Cole low. That makes Cole beg off so Lewis puts the mop into Cole’s face. The Boom Slang finishes for Lewis at 7:11.

Rating: B-. I liked this well enough, with Lewis desperately wanting to prove himself and then doing just that, as he absorbed everything Cole threw at him and then won. That’s the story that they set up and then paid it off here, which is always appreciated. Cole got in some nice shots of his own, but this was all about Lewis and that’s how it wound up going.

Post match here is Aaron Rourke to congratulate Lewis on his win. Rourke thanks him for helping him against the Mog Squad, which Rourke never even asked him to do. He thinks they’ve developed some respect for each other so he wants to give Lewis a proper thank you. The fans get ahead of Rourke by asking for a title shot and Rourke is going to try to get it made, but at least for now, he offers a sincere thank you. They shake hands and part in peace, with Lewis staring at the title. That was the logical way to go and it’s nice to see them taking the simple path.

Sloane Jacobs praises Nikkita Lyons for her title win last week. It was Lyons in “her full luminosity.” She wants to thank Lyons so next week it’s going to be a huge championship celebration.

Here is Kale Dixon for a chat. Dixon talks about how he left his ego at the door during his first time in NXT and that got him nowhere. He came from college baseball and turned down MLB contracts to be here. Now he knows that everyone in the back is scared because he is going straight to superstardom. Everyone is jealous of him because they don’t possess the athleticism and abilities that he has.

Chuey Martinez goes to end the interview but Dixon isn’t done, saying it’s not over until he says it’s done. Martinez asks about the woman who was with him last week and she pops up next to them, saying Evolve is about to change forever. Cue Darkstate’s Cutler James, who doesn’t seem to be on the same page as the two of them.

Cutler James vs. It’s Gal

Gal runs in to jump James from behind and we’re ready to go anyway. James sends him into the corner for an eye rake across the rope but Gal gets in an enziguri. Back up and James grabs a swinging backbreaker before cutting off a comeback attempt. A giant swing sends Gal swinging and a pop up uppercut gives James two. The abdominal stretch lets James rip at Gal’s sunburn (DUDE TOO FAR!) but Gal reverses into one of his own. Gal’s clotheslines get two but James buckle bombs him rather hard. Dark Matter finishes for James at 4:51.

Rating: C+. I’m trying to get over the pain of messing with the sunburn, which is just pure evil. James could use the rehab assignment after Darkstate crashed out so hard as there is definitely something for him to do. At the same time, I have no idea what Gal is supposed to do, as he’s little more than a quirky jobber at this point and that isn’t the brightest future.

Elijah Holyfield doesn’t think much of Brooks Jensen cheating to beat him and they’re far from done. In Holyfield’s family, if you don’t fight, you don’t eat, so he’s ready to knock Brooks silly on sight.

Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins come in to see Timothy Thatcher (Why is he here?) and want to get rid of Tate Wilder for good. Thatcher will talk to Robert Stone and figure something out. Viktor Zanov and Shida Ash come in to chase them off but Thatcher yells at Zanov and Ash for going too far last week. They’re fired as security and no they aren’t wrestling, as that would be a reward for their behavior. Zanov and Ash say they know how to do what they want.

Mog Squad vs. Sam Holloway/Cappuccino Jones/Marcus Mathers

Elimination tag and Max Abrams is here with the Squad. Holloway has very banged up ribs after last week so Mathers starts with Rivera. Mathers doesn’t like being backed into the corner to start so he headlocks Rivera down without much trouble. A headscissors doesn’t get Rivera very far as Mathers slams him down and drops a jumping elbow. Mathers’ jumping kick to a seated Rivera gets two and it’s off to Holloway for a springboard elbow

The ribs are banged up again though and Jones has to come in instead. Ball charges into a nice dropkick and Holloway crotches Valor against the post. Back in and Ball hits a dropkick of his own and it’s off to Valor for some quick shots to the throat. Naturally Abrams gets to play cheerleader on the floor but Jones gets over to Mathers for the springboard crossbody comeback. A cutter hits Ball and a superkick puts Valor down, allowing Mathers to moonsault outside onto all three of them. Back in and Ball kicks Mathers in the face, setting up Valor’s Sling Blade Hart Attack for the elimination at 5:24.

Holloway comes in for a heck of a big boot to Rivera and an atomic drop but the ribs are banged up again. Holloway fights out of trouble and makes the tag to Jones to pick up the pace. The Froggy Brew gets two with Valor making a diving save. Holloway distracts the referee like a goof and Rivera gets in a Codebreaker, meaning it’s another Sling Blade Hart Attack to pin Jones at 8:16.

We take a break and come back with Holloway down 3-1 and Valor’s Chaos Theory getting one. A chokeslam drops Valor but Rivera distracts the referee to prevent the count. Ball rolls some gutwrench suplexes for two but Holloway gets in a desperation chokeslam. Rivera cuts off the count AGAIN though and comes in with a sitout Slapjack for two of his own.

Back up and Holloway chokeslams Valor and Rivera at the same time but they both roll outside. Abrams offers a distraction so Holloway punches him down and hits a big flying dive to take out all four of them at once (that looked awesome). The trio gets back inside though and a pop up spear finishes Holloway at 13:05.

Rating: B-. The big thing here is that this match told a story. You had the ID guys trying as hard as they could but not really being a unit. That let the Squad take over and cut them down one at a time, with Holloway having to fight out of desperation. It made for a good ending and the Squad got a much needed win. Nice job here, though it’s frustrating to see Mathers lose so quickly again.

Overall Rating: B-. This show walked a pretty nice line between dealing with fallout from last week and doing a bunch of stuff this week. I liked the wrestling for the most part and there are things set up for the future. It was back to the normal nicely done Evolve and as usual the time went by and they had a good mixture of stuff to keep the show interesting. In other words, it’s the kind of show that makes Evolve one of the better watches of the week. Oh and what was the point of KevOnStage?  I don’t think he was ever around after the opening segment and Thatcher was there anyway!

Results
Layla Diggs b. Gianna Capri – Moonsault
Harlem Lewis b. Braxton Cole – Boom Slang
Cutler James b. It’s Gal – Dark Matter
Mog Squad b. Sam Holloway/Cappuccino Jones/Marcus Mathers last eliminating Holloway

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

Evolve
Date: June 17, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Peter Rosenberg

It’s the week before Succession III and at least the biggest matches on the card are put together. That should make for an interesting week here as we have the final push towards the event. If nothing else we should be getting some of the hard sell for the title matches, which often works well. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Timothy Thatcher is excited for Succession and runs down tonight’s card. Wendy Choo (Thatcher: “Come on in champ two!”) comes in and signs the card to face Nikkita Lyons at Succession but she’ll be watching tonight to see who might be her next contender.

Opening sequence.

Elijah Holyfield vs. Brooks Jensen

Jensen backs him up against the ropes and gets punched in the ribs for his efforts. Back up and Jensen fires off some forearms before sending him throat first into the middle rope. Things slow down, with Jensen kicking him to the mat and grabbing the chinlock. That’s broken up and Holyfield hits a heck of a shoulder, followed by the clothesline comeback. A whip out of the corner is blocked but Jensen pulls the turnbuckle pad off. The spinebuster drops Jensen and Holyfield hammers away in the corner, only to get dropped onto the turnbuckle. Jensen’s rollup gets the pin at 4:25.

Rating: C. This was very basic and you could see Jensen walking Holyfield through the match. That’s how you need to treat someone like Holyfield at this point, as he’s still so brand new and has no idea what he’s doing. The only thing that is going to make that better is experience and this kind of match, plus house shows, is the way he gets better.

Chazz Hall vs. Tristan Angels

Hall takes him down to start and Angels is frustrated, causing him to walk into an armdrag. Hall sticks the landing on a monkey flip but gets caught up top with a step up enziguri. Back in and Hall is sent into the buckle, setting up the chinlock. That’s broken up and Hall hits a middle rope clothesline, setting up a standing Sliced Bread.

The standing corkscrew moonsault gives Hall two and he hurricanranas Angels outside. A Lionsault connects on Angels, who catches Hall back inside with an apron superplex for two of his own. Angels’ powerbomb is countered into a DDT but the shooting star press misses as well. The Shire’s Kiss finishes for Angels at 7:13.

Rating: C+. Angels is someone that WWE clearly wants to have around in whatever way they can and that’s an interesting way to go for him. He’s getting time both in Evolve and on NXT, which isn’t surprising given how easy it is to dis like him in general. Hall losing is a bit of a surprise but Angels feels like the bigger priority, as he should be.

Post match Angels brags about his success and calls himself the definition of elegance, excellence and class.

Zena Sterling is glad to be back after everything that she has been through.

Zena Sterling vs. Anya Rune

Rune gets an insert interview, saying she wants people to get to notice her. Rune’s wristlock doesn’t work early on as Sterling takes her down into an armbar. That’s broken up and Rune flips her over by the wrist for a nasty crash. Rune goes up top and has to break up a superplex, only to fall off with no one touching her. She was shouting about flying so I’m assuming she was supposed to slip?

Either way, with that weird deal covered, Rune gets two off a small package and kicks her into the corner. Rune goes up top and slips again, then slips a third time (with the turnbuckle pad falling off) before going to the mat and hitting a running crossbody. Back up and Sterling sends her into the exposed buckle and a spinning side slam (ala Victoria, but nowhere near as smooth) finishes Rune at 3:56.

Rating: D. I’m not sure what in the world they were going for here but it didn’t work. The slipping off the top thing didn’t make me want to see Rune more. It just made me think that she wasn’t very good, which is hardly how you want to present anyone. Sterling being back is a good thing, but this really didn’t make me want to see her again, as she almost lucked into a win over someone in over her head. This was a big miss, and that’s a rarity in WWE these days.

Post match Gianna Capri comes out to yell at Rune, saying she doesn’t belong here. Masyn Holiday and Layla Diggs comes in to scare Capri off.

Earlier today, Harlem Lewis was training in the gym and is asked about his injured arm. Apparently Lewis is medically cleared but he was scared that he was going to be done with wrestling after his injury. He can’t stand Cole being all smug and rich when Lewis is trying so hard to make it to the next level to make his family financially secure. Therefore, he wants Cole in a No DQ match. Lewis and Howard talk about boxing as we wrap this up.

Nikkita Lyons, with Sloane Jacobs, signs for the Succession title match as well. It’s written in the stars for her to be the best champion ever. KevOnStage, an actor from a Tubi series, comes in to praise Timothy Thatcher, while Lyons says the it’s Kev’s honor to meet them. Kev tries to give Lyons some advice on going viral and the women leave in a huff. Thatcher says that he’ll be on a scouting trip in two weeks and invites Kev to run the show in two weeks. That works for Kev, who makes Harlem Lewis vs. Braxton Cole in the No DQ match.

Succession rundown.

Noam Dar/Romeo Moreno vs. Harley Riggins/Kam Hendrix

For some reason commentary seems surprised that Dar and Moreno are teaming, even though the match was mentioned earlier in the night. Riggins requests and receives Moreno to start, with a big boot putting Moreno down rather quickly. Moreno flips up with a headscissors before it’s off to Hendrix, who can’t keep up with Dar’s speed. Dar gets two off a left hand but gets taken into the wrong corner.

That’s broken up and it’s back to Moreno as the good guys clear the ring. Moreno hits a big dive but gets taken down by the ankle to slow him down. We take a break and come back with Moreno still in trouble as Hendrix grabs an ankle lock. With that broken up, Riggins comes in but gets knocked away, allowing Dar to get the tag.

Dar quickly takes over and locks Hendrix’s ankle, with Hendrix making a quick save. Everything breaks down and Riggins knocks Moreno down for two, followed by a spear for the same. We settle down to Moreno in trouble with his leg messed up so Riggins grabs a trashcan. Cue Tate Wilder to cut him off and Moreno gets two off a small package. Back in and Dar’s spinning backfist finishes Riggins at 8:56.

Rating: C+. Moreno continues to do nothing for me but I can see what they’re going for with Dar as a bit of an NXT/indy legend. The match was good enough and Dar gets a win to help establish the new team. At least Hendrix didn’t lose here, as that has been happening too much as of late.

We get the official faceoff between Evolve Champion Aaron Rourke and Max Abrams. Rourke talks about how great the ID Program has been and how much they have helped him get better. Then you have Abrams knocking the title out of Rourke’s hands, with Abrams going all the way back to Sean Legacy’s farewell. Legacy ignored him and that didn’t work for Abrams, because everyone around here is useless. Outside of the Vanity Project, who are now in NXT, no one here means anything.

Abrams says that Rourke’s family knows he’s a joke, which gets Rourke out of his chair. Security comes in to hold him back and Abrams gets in a slap to the top of the head to end the show. Abrams getting underneath Rourke’s skin there was a bit of a surprise as Rourke tends to keep his cool. That’s a good way to go for the title match and this did make it feel better.

Overall Rating: C-. This was the big preview for Succession and outside of the main event promo off, which lasted about three minutes, I wasn’t overly interested in a bunch of this show. The Sterling vs. Rune match was weird and the Holyfield match wasn’t going to be good due to his inexperience. This was a miss for the most part, but Succession is what matters the most and we’ll get to that soon enough.

Results
Brooks Jensen b. Elijah Holyfield – Rollup
Tristan Angels b. Chazz Hall – Shire’s Kiss
Zena Sterling b. Anya Rune – Spinning side slam
Noam Dar/Romeo Moreno b. Harley Riggins/Kam Hendrix – Spinning backfist to Riggins

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Evolve
Date: June 3, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Blake Howard

The road to Succession III is on and we’re going to need some challengers for the titles. That is probably what we’ll start finding out this week, as Evolve tends to run a pretty tight ship. What matters the most is that there is now a target in sight as it helps things get more focused. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a clip from after last week’s show, with the Mog Squad surrounding Aaron Rourke, only for Sam Holloway, Marcus Mathers and Cappuccino Jones running in for the save. Max Abrams managed to lay Rourke out before the villains left though.

Nikkita Lyons and Sloane Jacobs handle this week’s recap. I do like that this isn’t treated as a conversation, but rather just them recapping the show and talking as they would. It feels so much more natural.

Masyn Holiday vs. Gianna Capri

Layla Diggs is here with Holiday, who spins out of a wristlock and armdrags her down. A dropkick gives Holiday two and we hit the armbar. Back up and Capri is sent into the corner, where she gets annoyed at the dancing and knocks Holiday down. Holiday gets up and they trade the big strikes, with Capri being knocked back against the ropes. A running seated senton hits Capri again but she’s back with a chop block. Capri grabs a rollup and holds the rope for the pin at 3:28.

Rating: C-. That was a weird ending as it felt like they were starting to get going and then ran home as fast as they could. The chop block looked to be setting up whatever they were doing to do next and then it just wrapped up. The match was only so good in the first place and then it never got the chance to improve. Odd choice here.

Wendy Choo is better for Sloane Jacobs, even if Nikkita Lyons is there too.

It’s Gal is standing by some water and talks about how he’s been pulled into too many different directions in Evolve. That isn’t happening anymore because from now on, the only rock and hard place he’ll be between are his big arms. He’s on his own now and that means an open challenge next week. While I can’t stand open challenges, Gal saying his full name and posing every time made up for it.

Harley Riggins vs. Romeo Moreno

Kam Hendrix is here with Riggins and Moreno is ready to show that he can do his best when things are at their worst. Riggins starts fast by knocking him down and grabbing the chinlock. Moreno tries to get up and gets pulled right back down, with the fans staying being Moreno in a good sign.

Back up and Moreno hits an enziguri, leaving both of them down. Some more kicks in the corner have Riggins in trouble but he fights back on top. Moreno’s super Spanish Fly is blocked as Hendrix grabs the leg though, allowing Riggins to hit a knee to the face for the pin at 3:36.

Rating: C. The match was another strange one, with a good chunk of it being spent in a chinlock and Moreno losing again. Moreno is starting to feel like someone who is just a warm body around both Evolve and NXT and that’s only kind of surprising. There isn’t much about him that stands out and until that changes, I don’t quite seeing him having the most success.

Post match Hendrix grabs a chair and Riggins Pillmanizes Moreno’s ankle.

Timothy Thatcher yells at his security guards, who are finally named as Viktor Zanov and Shido Ash, for being too rough last week and injuring Harlem Lewis (I believe, as the audio wasn’t the clearest). With that out of the way, he wants them ready to secure things tonight as he has a big match. That leaves Thatcher with Succession III, which will feature new arrivals and the winner of tonight’s Women’s Title match against Nikkita Lyons. Let’s get to work.

Max Abrams vs. Cappuccino Jones

Abrams manages to pull off his entrance pants while jumping off the top. They start fast with Abrams catching him in a chase and stomping away. Jones is back up with a running elbow in the corner but Abrams sends him to the apron for a springboard kick to the head. Abrams hammers away in the corner, with Jones snapping off a hurricanrana to escape

That lets Jones go up but he dives into a dropkick. A running Blockbuster gives Abrams two but the top rope elbow misses. Jones hits a top rope ax handle for two and a sitout powerbomb gets the same. Back up and some running kicks to the head rock Abrams and they hit stereo crossbodies for another double down.

Cue some of the Mog Squad but security is waiting on them, only for Marcus Mathers and Sam Holloway to jump the Squad from behind. Security gets rid of Mathers and Holloway, leaving Abrams to go outside so Jones can take him out with a big dive. Cue CJ Valor to crotch Jones on top and the Main Objective finishes Jones at 6:27.

Rating: B-. They’re clearly setting Abrams up as the title challenger for Succession and that’s not a bad idea. He’s been positioned as the star member of the Squad and I could go for seeing what else he could do. At the same time, Jones and company are feeling less and less important every week and that’s a really bad sign going forward.

PJ Vasa is here to watch the Women’s Title match.

Elijah Holyfield vs. Kai Kavari

Holyfield powers him into the corner and hits a running shoulder, followed by some running splashes in the corner. A big spinebuster drops Kavari again and an uppercut gives Holyfield the pin at 1:15. This was designed to put Holyfield in the ring and show the very basic stuff he can do. That’s perfectly fine and did well, albeit in a tiny sample size.

Tristan Angels is mad about last week’s loss to Aaron Rourke and doesn’t like a bunch of the people around here. He’s not done coming after the title and isn’t stopping until he has it.

Women’s Title: Sloane Jacobs vs. Wendy Choo

Choo is defending and the winner defends against Nikkita Lyons (in Jacobs’ corner) at Succession in three weeks. Jacobs charges at her to start and gets caught in a running headscissors. A dropkick gives Choo an early near fall and she knocks Jacobs outside as we take a break.

We come back with Jacobs staying on her in the corner and hitting a suplex into a legdrop for two. Back up and Jacobs hits a running boot in the corner, followed by a hanging swinging suplex for two more. The figure four necklock is broken up and Choo gets to fire back for a change. Some clotheslines put Jacobs down and a Molly Go Round (close enough) gets two.

Jacobs is back with a facebuster for two of her own and sends Choo into the corner a few times. Back up and Choo snaps off a brainbuster for two more but the Dirt Nap is broken up. A top rope elbow gets two on Choo and the Muta Lock makes it even worse. With that broken up, Choo is sent into the corner but comes right back with the Dirt Nap to retain at 9:01.

Rating: C+. Jacobs was a completely acceptable challenger for the title, even if there was no reason to think she was going to face Lyons at Succession. At the same time, it is great to see Choo getting to showcase herself in such a better way after the whole sleep deal. It was sad to have Choo wasting away with that nonsense, as this version is quite a good bit better.

Choo and Lyons have a staredown…and PJ Vasa beats up Karmen Petrovic in the VIP section to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Now this show was more like the Evolve style, as it was all about setting things up for Succession. That included making some matches and getting a few stories out of the way. That is the kind of show you need to have and I had a nice time watching them get ready. Good stuff here, and the likely Abrams vs. Rourke title match should be good.

Results
Gianna Capri b. Masyn Holiday – Rollup while holding the rope
Harley Riggins b. Romeo Moreno – Knee to the face
Max Abrams b. Cappuccino Jones – Main Objective
Elijah Holyfield b. Kai Kavari – Uppercut
Wendy Choo b. Sloane Jacobs – Dirt Nap

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Evolve
Date: May 27, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Peter Rosenberg

Last week saw another new face show up as Elijah Holyfield made his debut. That’s quite the impressive looking start and now we get to see where it goes from here. Names have a tendency to start picking up in a hurry on this show and that could be the case again with Holyfield. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Aaron Rourke previews tonight’s show, including a big announcement from Timothy Thatcher and Harlem Lewis vs. Braxton Cole. Rourke is ready for Tristan Angels too.

Opening sequence.

Harlem Lewis vs. Braxton Cole

Lewis jumps him during his entrance to start fast and the bell rings. The beating doesn’t last long though as Lewis misses a charge into the corner and gets neckbreakered for two. Cole stomps him down in the corner, followed by a backbreaker for two more. It’s time to work on Lewis’ arm, including Cole sitting on it and grabbing something like a Fujiwara armbar. That’s broken up and Lewis strikes away, setting up a release German suplex. They fight to the floor and Cole hits him with a chair for the DQ at 4:54.

Rating: C+. This felt like a preview for a bigger match later, hopefully with Lewis getting to go nuts on Cole in a rather violent way. The match only had so much of a chance to get going, but it wasn’t supposed to be the final showdown, which is a fine way to go. Lewis getting angrier is a good thing for him and the rematch should be a step up.

Post match the beating continues but the security comes out to carry Lewis away.

Tate Wilder comes in to see Timothy Thatcher, who announces that Wilder is officially on NXT full time. Wilder talks about his time on Evolve and how happy he has been around here. What a wild ride. Thatcher still has a big announcement for later tonight.

Chazz Hall talks about how he plays the air guitar but becomes the Denim Dragon when the straps come down. He’s ready to be a star.

Sloane Jacobs/Nikkita Lyons vs. Laynie Luck/Wendy Choo

Lyons works on Luck’s arm to start so Luck flips up for a standoff. A slam puts Luck down and Jacobs comes in for a legdrop. The double elbow gets two on Luck, who rolls away for a kick to Lyons’ face. It’s off to Choo for a running boot in the corner before Luck comes back in to strike away. Lyons gets crotched in the corner and the villains are knocked down on the floor as we take a break.

We come back with Luck being catapulted throat first into the bottom rope. Jacobs plants Luck for two and pulls her out of the corner for two more. Luck hurricanranas and enziguris out of the corner and it’s back to Choo to clean house. A hammerlock lariat puts Jacobs down and a high crossbody gives Choo two. Back up and Jacobs sends her face first into the corner a few times, with a German suplex dropping Choo again. Luck is back in for the save but Jacobs kicks Choo down and dumps Luck, allowing her to pin Choo at 7:17.

Rating: C+. That’s a good way to set up the next title match and it is something that has worked for the better part of ever in wrestling. Jacobs is still relatively new around here so she’s off to a good start in getting into the title picture. Rather efficient match here and that’s a fine way to go.

Post match Jacobs brags about the win and thanks Lyons as well. They hug, with Lyons rolling her eyes.

Elijah Holyfield is in Timothy Thatcher’s office, with Thatcher welcoming him to the roster. Thatcher says Holyfield has to put in the work, with Holyfield saying line them up and he’ll knock them down. Works for Thatcher, who says the first match is next week. With Holyfield gone, Thatcher makes Succession III for June 24. Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins come in to demand Romeo Moreno, with Thatcher making Moreno vs. Riggins for next week.

Video on PJ Vasa.

It’s Gal is in the VIP area.

Evolve Title: Aaron Rourke vs. Tristan Angels

Rourke is defending and, after the Big Match Intros, grinds away on a headlock. That’s broken up and Angels knocks him down into a chinlock. Rourke isn’t having that either and hits some running boots in the corner, followed by a missile dropkick for two. The flipping chop connects in the corner but Angels knocks him back down for two more.

Rourke is back with a quickly broken half crab as Angels knocks him into the corner. That’s shrugged off as Angels is sent outside for a Meteora from the apron so Gal starts the cheerleading. Rourke tells Gal to get out and gets dropkicked by Angels as we take a break. We come back with the two of them holding hands and trading some hard strikes.

Rourke gets the better of things with some clotheslines, including a cartwheel version. The Molly Go Round misses so Rourke goes after the leg again. A kick to the head sends Rourke to the apron, where Angels superplexes him back inside for another near fall. Back in and Rourke goes right back to the leg, this time with a Figure Four into a Figure Eight. Angels makes the rope so Rourke grabs a backslide and flips onto Angels to retain at 11:18.

Rating: B-. This was another nice title showcase from Rourke, but it never quite got to that next level. Rourke was on offense more than I would have expected as well, though Angels doesn’t have the longest track record around here anyway. It was a good enough main event though, especially with Succession in less than a month.

Post match the Mog Squad comes in to go after Rourke but the ID stars run in for the save to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. Another fine show here, even with the focus already shifting over to next month’s Succession III. You can probably guess a lot of the card from here and that’s not a bad thing this far out. Hopefully they build it up well, and they certainly have time to make that work. It’s not some all time must see show, but it was more about previewing things for later.

Results
Harlem Lewis b. Braxton Cole via DQ when Cole used a chair
Sloane Jacobs/Nikkita Lyons b. Wendy Choo/Laynie Luck – Spinning kick to Choo
Aaron Rourke b. Tristan Angels – Flipping backslide

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Evolve
Date: May 20, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Blake Howard

Things are staying interesting around here, even with another change of cast members likely taking place soon. The big story for this week is Tate Wilder getting to face Kam Hendrix in a battle of two people already on NXT. Other than that, we’re coming up on Tristan Angels getting his Evolve Title shot. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Hendrix talks about Wilder messing with the wrong people in recent weeks.

Wilder is ready to keep fighting no matter what.

Opening sequence.

Anya Rune vs. Layla Diggs

Masyn Holiday is here with Diggs. Rune grabs a headlock takeover to start before an armdrag sets up an armbar. Diggs is back up with a shot to the face and we hit a seated full nelson. That’s reversed into a backslide to give Rune two but Diggs kicks her in the head. A running shot in the corner gets two and we’re back to the full nelson. Back up and Rune avoids a running knee in the corner and forearms her down. Diggs backflips away from a shot to the face and keeps flipping to hit a Pele kick (that was sweet). A great looking moonsault finishes Rune at 4:20.

Rating: B-. That flip into the kick and moonsault looked awesome, with Diggs having one of her best performances in all of her time in WWE. She was able to make everything look smooth and that is quite the trick to pull off. Rune is still mainly just an idea rather than someone who has really gotten to show much skill thus far. That could easily be turned around, but this was much more about Diggs and it worked rather well.

Post match Gianna Capri comes in and mocks Rune, with Diggs and Holiday glaring her off.

Timothy Thatcher talks about everything he does around here, including still wrestling on the independent circuit. He lists off some independent promotions and says he might be showing up to both wrestle and scout. This was basically an ad for the promotions the WWE works with and that’s about it.

Chazz Hall vs. CJ Valor

Before the match, Valor and the Mog Squad are ready to take out Hall and hit the town. Hall grabs a headlock to start and is easily shouldered down. Valor’s gorilla press doesn’t work as Hall is back up with a jumping spin kick to the face. Sliced Bread is countered into Snake Eyes though and Valor turns him inside out with a running clothesline. A hip check gets two on Hall and Valor yells at him, with Hall’s right hands not getting him very far.

Valor mocks Hall’s guitar playing and the neck crank goes on. Hall gets up and hits a jawbreaker, followed by a springboard headscissors. The standing Sliced Bread sets up a standing corkscrew moonsault to give Hall two and he sends Valor outside. The flip dive connects on the floor but a high crossbody is pulled out of the air. Something that was either a tornado DDT or a sunset flip gives Hall two and he kicks Valor in the head. The shooting star press gives Hall the pin at 6:48.

Rating: B-. This was good enough as Hall continues to have some pretty nice success. I’m still not wild on him for the most part, but he’s certainly capable in the ring. Valor is a big guy, though being part of the four man team doesn’t exactly let him stand out much. Then again with so many people to run through the process so fast around here, stables are the most practical way to go.

Laynie Luck and Wendy Choo are in the back with Luck thanking her for the title shot. That being said, neither of them wanted it to end with the double interference. The challenge is officially issued for next week.

It’s contract signing time so here are Tristan Angels and Aaron Rourke. Angels asks the fans if they find Rourke’s time as champion satisfactory. It’s true that Rourke became an overnight sensation and has all of his sparkles and such. If Angels had been around, none of those things would have ever happened. Now it’s time for Angels to burn Sparkle City to the ground.

Angels signs and Rourke does the same before asking if Angels is done. Rourke asks if Angels really calls himself the most beautiful man in England. Rourke finds that cool but thinks we should just call him Mr. Evolve, because it would be cute and fun. Rourke talks about how inner beauty is about bringing people up. Therefore, Angels is an ugly narcissist. Rourke offers to let Angels hit him in the face but security runs in to cut it off. Cue Harlem Lewis to announce that he’s facing Braxton Cole next week. Then Elijah Holyfield (Evander’s son) pops up to say he’s here to look at what is going on.

Sloane Jacobs and Nikkita Lyons are ready for their tag match against Wendy Choo and Laynie Luck next week. They’ll even provide the tissues for when Choo and Luck cry. When Lyons pins Choo, she’s coming for the Women’s Title.

Kam Hendrix vs. Tate Wilder

Wilder slugs away to start and knocks him into the corner but a springboard is broken up. Hendrix knocks him out to the floor, setting up a suplex onto the apron. Wilde is thrown into the VIP Area, where he pulls Hendrix inside as well to take over again. A crossbody off the barricade connects but Hendrix backdrops him onto the apron for an even bigger crash

We take a break and come back with Hendrix release suplexing him for two. Wilder fights up and hits some running elbows to the face, only to get spinebustered back down. Back up and Wilder gets a shot of his own and they pull each other up to slowly trade fists. Hendrix gets the better of things but Lights, Kam, Action is blocked. The Wilde Ride gets two and here is Harley Riggins, who is kicked in the face by Romeo Moreno. Wilde is back up with a UFO Splash for the pin at 9:12.

Rating: B-. Good stuff again here and it’s nice to see Wilder getting a chance to show what he can. He’s starting to show what he can do and it’s turned him from little more than a cowboy to someone who is getting better in general. Granted this is just in Evolve, but he has is going to have to do that on a higher level as well. Then you have Hendrix, who still feels like he could be a big deal with the talent he has but he hasn’t had a chance to do much on his own thus far.

Post match Timothy Thatcher comes out to talk to Elijah Holyfield, who will be introduced next week.

Overall Rating: B. They’re keeping things moving around here and it’s rather nice to see the stories moving around so well. Hopefully they keep the pace going as it makes for a rather fun show to watch every single week. You can see things moving from one place to another and it makes for probably the easiest show to watch week to week. We’re coming up on the big Rourke vs. Angels title match and that feels like an important showdown despite it being set up out of nowhere. I would think that’s a good sign of how things are going here, which has been the case for a long time now.

Results
Layla Diggs b. Anya Rune – Moonsault
Chazz Hall b. CJ Valor – Shooting star press
Tate Wilder b. Kam Hendrix – UFO Splash

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Evolve
Date: May 13, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Blake Howard

We’re coming up on another Evolve Title match and in this case we have a four way to crown a new #1 contender. That should make for a good main event and I’m curious to see which way they go. Other than that, we might be seeing some of the names who are on their way to NXT wrapping things up around here. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins arrive and talk about how it’s time for Hendrix to get the Evolve Title. I kind of like these little recaps as done by the wrestlers, as it’s a bit of a change of pace from the usual narrated versions or just showing clips.

Opening sequence.

Nikkita Lyons vs. Karmen Petrovic

Lyons drops outside at the bell before coming back inside so they can both miss some kicks. Legsweeps miss for both of them as well so Petrovic kicks Lyons’ hand. Petrovic grabs a headlock to cut off the kicks, only to get hit in the stomach. Back up and Petrovic hits her in the stomach as well, followed by a hair takedown, allowing Petrovic to mock the hand licking thing.

The headlock goes on again, with Lyons going down to the mat this time. A double arm crank keeps Lyons in trouble as Petrovic is getting a lot of control here. Petrovic switches to a full nelson with her legs but Lyons gets up for a fall away slam. We take a break and come back with Lyons working on Petrovic’s ribs and dropping the splits splash. A running shoulder in the corner stays on the bad ribs and Lyons bends the back over her knee.

Petrovic fights up and grabs a suplex, followed by the sliding kick to the chest. A Sling Blade gives Petrovic two but Lyons knocks her down, only to miss a Vader Bomb. Cue Sloane Jacobs for a distraction but Laynie Luck runs out to cut her off. Wendy Choo pops up to trip Lyons and the Petrifier gives Petrovic the pin at 9:06.

Rating: C+. This was mainly a bunch of strikes and that’s what it should have been, as it’s their signature styles. At the same time, the ending gives Choo some revenge on Lyons and hopefully it wraps up their story. Petrovic doesn’t seem to be going anywhere, but at least she got a win here.

Brooks Jensen comes up to Dorian Van Dux, who offers to take Jensen’s advice…and throw it in the trash. Dux says something in French but Jensen doesn’t care where Dux is from because Jensen just wants to beat someone up. Jensen still does not feel remotely important.

Here is Harlem Lewis who calls out Braxton Cole for awakening something inside of him. Cole lost the Evolve Title match so he wants the loser out here right now. Cue Cole, with Lewis getting ready to go after him. The security guards come out and get between them, leaving Cole to mock Lewis for not having as wealthy of an upbringing.

Tate Wilder comes up to a depressed Romeo Moreno. Wilder doesn’t like the mindset and says Evolve is about developing and growing. Wilder lost a lot when he got here and look at how far he has come. It’s just a matter of time before Moreno rises up as well. Moreno seems to appreciate the kind words.

Tristan Angels is ready to become #1 contender because he’s an Englishman facing some Americans and a Belgian. Why would he be worried about someone from a country famous for chocolates and waffles? The Americans are nothing to worry about either because he’s tough and handsome.

CJ Valor vs. It’s Gal

Valor’s friends are here too as he misses a charge into the corner to start. Gal strikes away and wrestles him down to the mat, meaning it’s time for some posing. A running hurricanrana and enziguri drop Valor, setting up a double legdrop for two. Valor fights out of a waistlock and judo throws Gal down for two of his own.

Gal gets whipped hard into the corner and we hit the chinlock. That’s broken up and Gal fights back, including throwing Valor out of the corner. A springboard dropkick gives Gal two but valor pulls him into an ankle lock. That’s broken up and Gal forearms away, drawing Max Abrams to the apron. Jacari Ball chop blocks Gal and a pop up spinebuster gives Valor the pin at 5:25.

Rating: C. Gal as a good guy is still a new experiment but he was so over the top that he had to go in this direction. On the other hand you have the new evil group and it makes perfect sense for them to get a win by cheating. This went fine, though the action was just pretty ok all things considered.

Post match the group gets in the ring, with Abrams bragging about all of their skills and what they bring to the team. Apparently they are the Mog Squad. Howard: “I don’t get it.”

Cappuccino Jones is filmed from behind a bush and is heard on the phone, seemingly bringing in reinforcements.

Gianna Capri blames her first loss on Anya Rune. Veronica Haven doesn’t like the disrespect but Rune gets up to say she’s going to get a match against Layla Diggs. Capri still isn’t impressed.

Dorian Van Dux vs. Kam Hendrix vs. Tristan Angels vs. Brooks Jensen

For a title shot against Aaron Rourke, who is in the VIP area. Dux and Jensen jaw at each other but get jumped and sent outside. Hendrix backslides Angels for two and Jensen rolls Hendrix up for the same. Dux is back up with a double missile dropkick and snaps off a running hurricanrana to Angels.

A flipping clothesline causes Jensen to DDT Hendrix and Angels sends Jensen outside. Dux’s clothesline to the back of Angels’ head gets two but Angels crotches him on top. Hendrix dives onto Dux on the floor and Jensen hits a dive off the top to Hendrix and Angels. Dux moonsaults onto all of them and we take a break.

We come back with Dux tossing Jensen onto Hendrix and powerbombing Angels onto the two of them. They fight up until a 3D gives Jensen two on Angels. Dux and Jensen slug it out until Jensen hits a running lariat. Dux’s Stundog Millionaire gets him out of trouble and a shooting star press hits Angels for two, with Hendrix making a save.

Cue Tate Wilder to go after Hendrix and Jensen removes his boot to knock Dux silly. A Neutralizer hits Dux but Angels steals the cover for two. Dux half crabs Angels until Jensen kicks Dux…to no avail. Jensen hammers away to break it up but gets dropped with a clothesline. Angels’ rollup gets two and Dux gives him a springboard cutter. Jensen knocks Dux outside but gets small packaged to give Angels the pin at 9:12.

Rating: B-. This was a bunch of good action and it had the Jensen vs. Dux feud to keep the match going. Dux got to show off some athleticism here, with the flips and fast paced offense looking impressive. Angels has been treated as an important deal and it makes sense to have him get the title shot. It wouldn’t shock me to see him win the title, which very well may be where we’re going from here.

Rourke and Angels stare each other down to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. I love this kind of show, as it felt like they had a bunch of stuff to cover and they made it work. It was an effective show and covered a few different stories, including setting up Rourke’s next challenger for the title. That’s all you need sometimes as the big show is probably coming soon. It’s not a must see show, but it kept things moving for another week.

Results
Karmen Petrovic b. Nikkita Lyons – Petrifier
CJ Valor b. It’s Gal – Pop up spinebuster
Tristan Angels b. Brooks Jensen, Dorian Van Dux and Kam Hendrix – Small package to Jensen

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Evolve
Date: May 6, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Blake Howard

We’re in a bit of a transition period here as a bunch of stars are on their way up to NXT but haven’t quite gotten there yet. As a result, some people here are probably finishing up what they’re doing, which could take a few weeks. We need a new #1 contender to the Evolve Title, with Harlem Lewis being a real possibility after not getting pinned in last week’s triple threat. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We look at what happened last week after the show went off the air. Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins went after Aaron Rourke, who fought back for a bit and then bailed from the numbers’ advantage.

Wendy Choo is nervous about her first title defense and previews the show.

Opening sequence.

Max Abrams/Santi Rivera/Jacari Ball vs. Cappuccino Jones/Chazz Hall/Romeo Moreno

CJ Valor is with Abrams and company. Abrams starts and immediately hands it off to Ball, who gets punched in the face by Jones. Ball takes over and hands it off to Rivera who misses an elbow by half a mile, allowing Jones to work on the arm. Hall comes in and the good guys clear the ring without much trouble.

We settle down to Abrams taking over on Moreno and handing it back to Ball for the rolling gutwrench suplexes. Moreno is able to knock Rivera to the floor though and it’s back to Hall to flip around a bit. Ball hits Abrams by mistake though and Hall snaps off a springboard headscissors. Everything breaks down again and Hall hits a big dive to the floor, meaning the good guys get to pose as we take a break.

We come back with Hall in trouble and getting sent into the wrong corner. Rivera grabs the chinlock and Hall’s comeback being cut off. As usual, the real tag goes through a few seconds later, with Jones coming in to make Abrams beg off. Abrams gets knocked down and Jones knocks Ball outside. A knee to the head knocks Jones silly though and it’s a Sling Blade to give Rivera two. It’s back to Moreno, who hits a brainbuster on Rivera, setting up Hall’s shooting star press for two with everyone making the save.

Everyone gets up for the three on three showdown with Hall getting suplexed down. Abrams hits a frog splash for two with Moreno making the save. Moreno is left alone with Abrams and hits a super Spanish Fly. Valor gets up for a distraction so here is It’s Gal to go after him. The unnamed security guards drag Gal away (yes he poses while being carried off), leaving Abrams to hit the Main Objective (running Fameasser) to pin Moreno at 15:18.

Rating: B. That’s an especially long match for Evolve but it let the people involved showcase their talents a bit better. Abrams and company needed to get the big win as they haven’t been together that long and could use the boost. Finally, It’s Gal possibly turning good is an interesting way to go as I’ve been a fan of his for awhile now.

Post match the winners brag about their win because they take opportunities, unlike say Sam Holloway and Marcus Mathers.

Laynie Luck is ready for the biggest match of her life tonight. She talks about everything she has been through to get here but she never crumbled and gave up. Then she saw Wendy Choo win the Evolve Women’s Title and it was such an inspiration. Tonight is her chance.

Earlier today, Sloane Jacobs and Nikkita Lyons tried to throw Karmen Petrovic out of the gym but she challenged one of them for next week.

Here is Timothy Thatcher, who praises Wendy Choo for a bit before moving on to the Evolve Title. We need a new #1 contender to Aaron Rourke, who joins Thatcher in for the chat. Rourke is ready for anyone and calls himself the diamond because he is built from pressure. He’s ready for anyone so line them up. This brings out Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins, with Hendrix bragging about his GM abilities and wanting a title shot next week.

Brooks Jensen interrupts, who wants a title shot based on winning his bullrope match. Rourke doesn’t look impressed but cue Tristan Angels, who says everyone’s efforts are in vane. Angels demands order but now it’s Dorian Van Dux interrupting. Tate Wilder runs in for a brawl but Thatcher cuts them off and announces Jensen vs. Hendrix vs. Van Dux vs. Angels in a four way next week for a future title shot. As for now, Wilder and Riggins can face each other.

Tate Wilder vs. Harley Riggins

Wilder plants Riggins to start fast and hits a Lionsault but stops to yell at Hendrix. Riggins drops Wilder onto the apron and starts going after the back with some heavy forearms. A swinging Side Effect gives Riggins two but a double clothesline leaves both of them down. Wilder’s twisting suplex gets two but Riggins hits a Backstabber out of the corner for two. Riggins hits him in the ribs and tries a backdrop, only to get reversed into a sunset flip to give Wilder the pin at 6:04.

Rating: C+. A sunset flip? Ok then. Anyway, the match was just a quick way for Wilder to get a win and put him on the show. Wilder feels like someone who is getting a focus and it’s working fairly well. He’s definitely in a better place than he was a few months ago and it would be nice to see what he can do if he keeps developing.

Post match Hendrix lays Wilder out.

Dorian Van Dux is ready to show what he can do and he has a chance next week.

Women’s Title: Wendy Choo vs. Laynie Luck

Luck is challenging and sends Choo down, with Choo not being thrilled with the handshake offer. They go to a test of strength and wind up on the mat, with Choo backflipping but not breaking the grip. Choo’s jackknife rollup gets two and they go into a pinfall reversal sequence. Back up and Choo kicks her in the chest for two more but the Dirt Nap is broken up.

Luck sends her outside and knocks her down followed by a step up Swanton for two back inside. An Octopus on the mat is broken up as Choo cradles her for two but Luck’s running dropkick gets the same. The Dirt Nap is broken up again but Choo catches her on top for a superplex. They’re slowly getting up but Sloane Jacobs and Nikkita Lyons run in for the double DQ at 7:31.

Rating: C. I get going for the title match in the main event spot as there aren’t many title matches around here. At the same time, the match never really took off and Lyons being involved in any way brings things down. I do appreciate not having Luck take a fall here, though she never felt like a threat to win the title.

Post match the beatdown is on until Karmen Petrovic runs in for the save to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This started off rather good with the six man tag and fallout but things went a bit down after that. Maybe it’s Lyons dragging the main event down, but the second half of this show only did so much for me. It’s far from bad though and next week’s four way should be good. They’re still pushing a bunch of new people, even if a bunch of them are already in NXT. Either way, it’s a perfectly decent show and the six man was good, which is enough to carry the week.

Results
Max Abrams/Santi Rivera/Jacari Ball b. Cappuccino Jones/Chazz Hall/Romeo Moreno – Main Objective to Moreno
Tate Wilder b. Harley Riggins – Sunset flip
Wendy Choo vs. Laynie Luck went to a double DQ when Sloane Jacobs and Nikkita Lyons interfered

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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Evolve
Date: April 29, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Blake Howard

So about half a dozen Evolve names showed up this week on NXT and that means their time in Evolve is likely numbered. At the same time though, there is not likely to be much in the way of change here, as this show, which features a triple threat for the Evolve Title, was likely taped weeks ago. In other words, enjoy these people while you can. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Harlem Lewis is ready to finally win the Evolve Title.

Opening sequence.

Kali Armstrong vs. Tyra Mae Steele

The fans certainly seem to think positively of Armstrong and this is fallout from Steele causing Armstrong to be eliminated from the Women’s Title gauntlet match. They go with the grappling to start and shockingly enough, the Olympic gold medal winning wrestler easily takes over. Armstrong gets back up to shoulder her down but Steele is right back with a headscissors. That’s reversed back into the headlock before Armstrong snaps off some right hands.

A headscissors attempt out of the corner results in Steele being tossed out to the floor, where she blocks a baseball slide. Steele starts cranking on the ankle and we take a break. We come back with Steele snapping off some gutwrench suplexes before going back to the ankle. Armstrong fights up and hits some shots to the face but Steele pulls her down into the ankle lock. That’s broken up but Steele gets it right back on, which is broken up again. This time Steele tries the Angle Slam so Armstrong reverses it into a powerslam. The Kali Connection finishes Steele at 8:37.

Rating: C+. Armstrong winning is hardly a surprised as Steele was released earlier this week. Maybe it’s because she’s yet another Olympian/amateur wrestler who does the same Kurt Angle style offense. That stuff feels so lame, as it has been done multiple times and just feels like a played out concept. Find something new, which might be in a different promotion going forward.

Post match we get a THANK YOU KALI graphic and she talks about how she grew up around here and she’s the first ever Evolve Women’s Champion. She built this place, and now it’s time to let others live in it. Until she gets hers, it’s all gas, no brakes.

It’s Gal talks about how he is treated as a machine but he has feelings too. He’s lost partners, been ignored by the teams and been misunderstood by the new boss. Is he the dummy? Where does he go from here with these feelings? It’s time to peak like no stud has peaked before.

Romeo Moreno vs. Chazz Hall

Hold on though as here are Max Abrams and his new team from last week. Abrams mocks Hall and even takes off his sunglasses before offering Hall a spot on the new ID squad. Hall isn’t feeling that but Santi Rivera isn’t feeling his lack of feeling. Moreno tells the team goodbye and Jacari Ball jumps him from behind. Hall comes in to break it up but CJ Valor beats him down as well. No match.

Timothy Thatcher offers congratulations to Kali Armstrong (not here) for moving up to NXT. He moves on to the new ID talent but someone knocks on the door. Two men come in and say they would like an opportunity. Thatcher does have a job he needs to get done and that’s security, mainly dealing with Max Abrams and company. They’re in.

Tristan Angels talks about the pressure of being the future of WWE. No one has the shoulders to carry that weight but he is from Dorset, England and ready to do it.

Masyn Holiday/Layla Diggs vs. Ayna Rune/Gianna Capri

Diggs and Rune start things off and go to the mat, with Holiday coming in for a dropkick. It’s off to Capri, who knocks Diggs down for two and grabs the chinlock. That’s broken up so Diggs gives Rune a fall away slam. Everything breaks down and Diggs ax kicks Rune for the pin at 4:35.

Rating: C. I’m getting close to giving up on Holiday and Diggs. They’re good enough in the ring, but the TikTok dancing stuff has lost the limited charm and still feels like their main trait. They have talent, but I’m going to need something a bit more interesting than “they dance a lot” to care about them. Rune and Capri are still finding their footing, though at least they’ve started.

Post match the winners dance and Capri yells at Rune for ruining this.

We get a sitdown interview with Laynie Luck and Wendy Choo. Luck talks about how this is the biggest chance of her career and people, like luck, can turn on you in an instant. She doesn’t know which version of her you’ll get out there but she’s not letting her guard down. Choo says her past has been all over the place and yes it was questionable, but she isn’t changing anytime soon. Choo meant what she said when she wanted Luck to get the first shot, but the title isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Cappuccino Jones apologizes to Romeo Moreno and Chazz Hall. He wanted to see them have a match and is sick of everyone thinking they can do whatever they want around here. They need to do something, maybe like a six man tag next week. Hall: “Oh Hall yeah!”

Evolve Title: Aaron Rourke vs. Harlem Lewis vs. Braxton Cole

Rourke is defending and says he’s build from pressure and thrives in it, so now all eyes are on him. Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins are in the VIP section and we’re ready after the Big Match Intros. Cole jumps Lewis to start fast and slams Rourke as well. That earns Cole a trip out to the floor so Rourke gives Cole La Mistica into a Russian legsweep. Lewis is back in to take Rourke out but Cole sends both of them outside as we take a break.

We come back with Cole hitting a suplex neckbreaker for two on Rourke as things slow down a bit. Lewis is back in and Rourke gets dropped ribs first over the top rope. Cole sends Lewis into the corner and neckbreakers him for two more. Lewis comes out of the corner with a clothesline and hits a basement dropkick for two of his own. Rourke is back in to assist Lewis on a DDT before going after Lewis’ knee. There’s a Backstabber to Cole and a middle rope Codebreaker drops him to give Rourke two more.

Rourke goes up and gets caught on top, meaning it’s a Tower Of Doom to bring everyone down. Back up and Rourke kicks Cole in the face, leaving him to slug it out with Lewis. A flip leaves Rourke on his face though and the Boom Slang connects, with Cole pulling Lewis to the floor for the save. Rourke sends Cole back inside for the Molly Go Round to retain at 11:12.

Rating: B. That’s pretty much the only way this could have gone, as you don’t want Rourke losing in his first really big defense and Cole was there to avoid Lewis from taking the fall. That’s all they needed to do and the match was a good, back and forth triple threat. Rourke feels like a champion, and that’s a great sign for his status.

Post match Brooks Jensen comes out for the staredown, with Rourke telling him to bring it. Hendrix and Riggins get on the apron and slowly come after Rourke to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. The Armstrong sendoff and main event were good, though I’m a bit hesitant to get into another stable war. The catch though is that with so many people on this roster and how fast everyone moves in one direction or another, having stables make sense as a way to present a bunch of people as fast as possible. I’m not sure if it’s going to make for the best show, but Evolve has earned the benefit of the doubt.

Results
Kali Armstrong b. Tyra Mae Steele – Kali Connection to Steele
Masyn Holiday/Layla Diggs b. Ayna Rune/Gianna Capri – Ax kick to Rune
Aaron Rourke b. Harlem Lewis and Braxton Cole – Molly Go Round to Cole

Remember to follow me on Twitter and Bluesky @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6