Evolve – February 4, 2026: Double Surprise

Evolve
Date: February 4, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Robert Stone

It’s a big night as the Evolve Title is on the line, with Jackson Drake defending against Kam Hendrix. This comes after Hendrix had Drake go up against a bunch of monsters last week in a rather smart move. Other than that, it’s time to find whomever might be next for the Women’s Title so let’s get to it.

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

Team PC is ready for Kam Hendrix to win the Evolve Title. Braxton Cole comes in after things got, ahem, messy in the back. Apparently Sean Legacy

Opening sequence.

WWE, Evolve, Tyra Mae Steele, Carlee Bright

IMG Credit: WWE

Tyra Mae Steele vs. Carlee Bright

Steele wrestles her down with no trouble to start but Bright picks the leg a few times. That doesn’t get Bright very far as Steele pulls her into a bow and arrow. The chinlock goes on but Bright is back up with a headscissors. That’s broken up and Steele reverses into something like an STF. Back up and they collide for a double down before Bright hits a swinging neckbreaker. Steele pulls her out of the air though and hits Mae Day (Samoan drop) for the pin at 4:38.

Rating: C. Steele continues to be someone with all of the background in the world and some charisma to back it up. If she can put that together with the pro style, she has all of the potential. As for Bright…uh….I’m not sure what she has, though I would have said the same thing about Kendal Grey a year ago so things can indeed change.

The Vanity Project welcomes Team ID in because they need to band together to fight off Kam Hendrix. That doesn’t work well, though Aaron Rourke thinks the Project might have a point. After a huddle, Team ID is actually in, with Rourke hitting on Jackson Drake a bit. Swipe Right doesn’t think much of Mike Cunningham and Eli Knight though and a match is set for next week.

Arianna Grace and Nikkita Lyons are still freaked out by the séance and think they need to be really nice. Layla Diggs and Masyn Holiday come in, with Grace and Lyons trying to play nice. They’ll even do a new TikTok dance with them! This….yeah this isn’t working.

Drake Morreaux vs. Sam Holloway

Morreaux powers him down to start and a running hurricanrana does it again. Holloway is knocked down again for something like a bottom rope Vader Bomb for two but he’s back up with a big boot. Another knockdown gives Holloway another two but Morreaux sends him to the apron for a big boot to the floor.

Holloway goes with the idea of hitting Morreaux in the face, with a springboard elbow connecting for two. A big charge misses for Holloway in the corner though and Morreaux kicks him right back down. Holloway dropkicks him out to the floor, which of course means a big running dive to take Morreaux down again. Back in and Morreaux hits a discus lariat (not exactly a clean one), followed by a regular clothesline for the pin at 6:17.

Rating: B. This was the Big E. Langston special as you had two big men getting in there and hitting each other until one of them couldn’t get up again. That’s exactly what you would have wanted to see out of a match like this and they more than delivered. I had a great time with this and I was even surprised at the result so well done all around.

Post match Morreaux says Team PC doesn’t represent the Performance Center, but he’s coming for the Evolve Title.

Next week: Karmen Petrovic challenges Kendal Grey for the Women’s Title.

Team ID gives Sean Legacy a hard time with his cleaning but Team PC interrupts to help him clean. With the ID guys gone, It’s Gal comes in to mock Team PC but Aaron Rourke stands up for the team and challenges Gal to a match next week.

WWE, Evolve, Trill London, Dante Chen

IMG Credit: WWE

Dante Chen vs. Trill London

Chen works on the arm to start so London reverses into a wristlock of his own. Back up and Chen knocks him down a few times before London dives over Chen, only to possibly hurt his leg. It’s fine enough for London to grab an armbar but it’s a half nelson slam to put him down again. Chen gets two off another slam but misses a boot, allowing London to hit a Whisper In The Wind. A middle rope sunset flip gets two on Chen, who drops London with a superkick. Chen boots him down again though and the Gentle Touch finishes London at 5:31.

Rating: C-. Huh? I’m sorry what now? You build London up as someone interesting with the great athleticism and he gets pinned clean by DANTE CHEN? Maybe it’s that I watched LVL Up for years but I still don’t get what Chen is supposed to offer. London feels like someone interesting with potential and he just….loses here. Odd indeed. On top of that, the match didn’t exactly feel smooth, as it came off more like a tumbling routine than a match, which isn’t a great way to go.

We get a face to face showdown between Kendal Grey and Karmen Petrovic. Grey doesn’t want this to get too personal but she’ll face anyone to keep her title. Petrovic thinks Grey is looking past her when Petrovic has all the momentum. Grey isn’t underestimating her but promises to walk in and out as champion.

The Season Finale will air on February 25 but the season premiere, Succession II, will be the following week.

Kali Armstrong is disappointed by her recent losses and needs to get that dog back in her. Maybe she needs to go back home for a bit and find her old self.

Evolve Title: Kam Hendrix vs. Jackson Drake

Hendrix, with Jax Presley and Harley Riggins, is challenging while Drake has Swipe Right with him. Drake goes for the leg to start but gets put down with a running shoulder. Riggins and Presley trip Drake so Swipe Right does the same to Hendrix, meaning it’s the rare quadruple ejection. We take a break and come back with Hendrix striking away for two and grabbing the chinlock. Drake fights up and hits an enziguri but gets punched in the face for going up top.

Hendrix’s powerbomb doesn’t work and Drake grabs a German suplex for two. The referee gets bumped and Drake hits a jumping knee to put Hendrix down. Cue Team PC to beat Drake down but Team ID runs in for the big brawl. Swipe Right is back in as well as I wonder how fragile the referee must be to not notice about ten people interfering. Legacy hits a big flip dive and Swipe Right takes Hendrix down. The Unaliving retains the title at 8:38.

Rating: B-. The ending was the kind of wild brawl that makes for an interesting situation, though I’m rather surprised that Hendrix didn’t win. Drake has held the title for a long time now and it’s odd to see the team seemingly changing over to the good side. At the same time, Hendrix and company had been built up fairly well, though I’m not sure what is next for them. It’s a good match, even with a bit of a surprising result.

Post match Cappuccino Jones holds up the title and says he’s coming for this because Drake owes him one.

Overall Rating: B-. Good show here, albeit with a few surprising results. The thing that stuck out to me here was something that made the glory days of NXT work so well: it felt like there was a focus on everything taking place in the ring. The matches and segments were made to feel important and that helps when they come back around later. This is still the most enjoyable show every week and this worked again, even with me being rather surprised more than once.

Results
Tyra Mae Steele b. Carlee Bright – Mae Day
Drake Morreaux b. Sam Holloway – Clothesline
Dante Chen b. Trill London – Gentle Touch
Jackson Drake b. Kam Hendrix – Unaliving

 

 

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Evolve – July 23, 2025: Center Stage

Evolve
Date: July 23, 2025
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Robert Stone

Last week saw Jackson Drake survive against Lince Dorado, but now he might have to deal with the freshly debuted Brooks Jensen. Other than that, Kali Armstrong is going to need a new challenger and some people are already lining up for the shot. Things have been getting more interesting around here and it’s making the show that much better. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Dante Chen vs. Edris Enofe

Chen knocks him down for an early two and Enofe is already asking for a time out. Back up and Enofe uses the rope to avoid being taken down again, allowing him to stomp away on Chen. A DDT sets up choke but Chen is back up with a neckbreaker. Some right hands and an enziguri set up a running boot to drop Enofe again. The Gentle Touch is blocked so Enofe rolls him up and grabs the trunks for the pin at 5:14.

Rating: C. Totally fine match between two people who are trying to find their spot in Evolve. Enofe is further along at this point with the whole “I deserve it” deal. On the other hand you have Chen, who is pretty much the same thing he was in NXT LVL Up without the weird protection that he received. Not bad, but they both need something to make them more interesting.

Jordan Oasis is looking for a partner and asks It’s Gal and Sam Holloway. They don’t care about Keanu Carver going after the ID Program and would never want to team with a nomad. Cappuccino Jones and Jack Cartwheel come in to say Oasis has earned his stripes. They accuse Gal and Holloway of forgetting what it took to get here. A tag match seems to be made, albeit not involving Oasis.

Video on the WWE ID Program.

Adrenaline Drip vs. Sam Holloway/It’s Gal

Jones grinds away (like beans) on a headlock before firing off a dropkick to rock Gal. Cartwheel comes in and it’s another dropkick from Jones into a running shooting star press to give Cartwheel two. Gal manages to knock Cartwheel outside for a big boot from Holloway, who also crotches Jones against the post. Back in and a middle rope elbow gives Holloway two on Cartwheel and Gal adds the double legdrop for two more. The villains take turns tossing Cartwheel around for two before Holloway grabs a chinlock.

Cartwheel fights up and cartwheels his way over to Jones for the tag. Holloway crashes into Gal to send him outside and it’s a top rope flipping cutter/Downward Spiral combination (cool) for two (not cool) on Holloway. With everyone else on the floor, Holloway hits a big no hands dive to take the three of them down. Back in and Holloway hits a top rope splash on Cartwheel, with Jones making the save. Jones dives onto Holloway and a corkscrew top rope splash gives Cartwheel the pin at 6:41.

Rating: B. Annoyance of that kind of a double team move only getting two aside, this was a heck of a match as they all went nuts out there for the time that they had. Holloway is a big guy whose size makes him stand out and he was using that advantage here. Really fun stuff here, with one of the more exciting matches in Evolve thus far.

Jordan Oasis continues looking for a partner and Brooks Jensen comes up to offer his services. Jensen offers to help, if Oasis will help him against the Vanity Project. Deal.

Marcus Mathers is in Stevie Turner’s office and wants a match with Keanu Carver. Turner can’t do that because Carver is busy with Sean Legacy, but Turner will give him another match. With that out of the way, Kali Armstrong comes in to demand Jin Tala, which Turner will work on for her.

Kendal Grey vs. Zayda Steel

Steel takes her down by the hair to start and grabs a headlock takeover. Back up and Grey grabs her own headlock takeover, followed by a running crossbody, with Steel bailing out to the floor. Steele catches her with a Codebreaker on the way back in and it’s time to choke away in the corner. A whip into the corner has Grey in more trouble but she’s able to grab a German suplex to put both of them down. Grey hits a middle rope spinning crossbody before snapping off a powerslam to drop Steel again. Back up and Grey grabs a rollup for the quick pin at 5:41.

Rating: C. Not much to see here, though the result was a nice surprise. Grey is someone who has the potential to go somewhere and she needs the wins to get closer. On the other hand you have Steel, who feels like someone WWE wants to be a big star (which makes sense) but she’s going to need some more reps in the ring to make that happen.

Post match Grey says she doesn’t get what the deal is with Wendy Choo but they can deal with it in the ring.

Sean Legacy doesn’t know what Keanu Carver’s problem is with the ID Program and it would be much harder without people like Timothy Thatcher. They’re ready to fight.

Chantel Monroe doesn’t think much of Kylie Rae but she’ll lower herself to deal with her.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Swipe Right vs. Brooks Jensen/Jordan Oasis

Baylor grabs a headlock on Jensen to start but gets reversed into Jensen’s headlock takeover. Oasis comes in for a suplex so it’s off to Smokes to pick up the pace. Everything breaks down and Swipe Right avoids crashing into each other, only for Oasis to backsplash Smokes for two. A quick distraction lets Smokes stomp away though and we take a break.

We come back with Baylor hammering on Oasis and elbowing him in the face. Smokes pulls Oasis back into the corner and Baylor drops an elbow, earning quite the celebration. Oasis gets in a backbreaker but a distraction pulls Jensen off the apron so there’s no tag. The chinlock goes on but Oasis suplexes his way to freedom.

Rather than tagging though, he hits a running flipping cannonball to Baylor’s back. Jensen comes in without a tag and drops Smokes before pulling Oasis to the right corner. Now Jensen comes in to clean house but tags Oasis and throws him back in before walking out. The Super Swipe finishes Oasis at 10:12.

Rating: C+. Good storyline based match here with Jensen going all evil, which does seem to suit him better. He doesn’t have much in the ring to back up his limited appeal so this is the better move for him. It gives both Jensen and Oasis something to do while also boosting Swipe Right up a bit. Swipe Right is still not great to see in the ring, but they’re being established, which is a good move.

Overall Rating: B-. Nice show again here, as they covered some of the stories which were already set up and set things up for the future. You can tell that Evolve has been set up well with good attention being paid to the details along the way. It makes for an easy to watch and follow show, which is what we got again here.

Results
Edris Enofe b. Dante Chen – Rollup with trunks
Adrenaline Drip b. Sam Holloway/It’s Gal – Corkscrew top rope splash to Gal
Kendal Grey b. Zayda Steel – Rollup
Swipe Right b. Jordan Oasis/Brooks Jensen – Super Swipe to Oasis

 

 

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FSW WWE ID Championship Tournament: You May Have Seen This Before

FSW WWE ID Championship Tournament
Date: April 18, 2025
Location: FSW Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Jake Black, Trevin Adams

It’s pretty much what the name says, as we started the tournament on Wednesday and now we get the second day here. There is a men’s and women’s version, which means we are going to be seeing some of the prominent ID names getting their chance. The first night wasn’t bad at all and hopefully this lives up that standard. Let’s get to it.

Men’s WWE ID Championship Tournament: Cappuccino Jones vs. It’s Gal

This is a double elimination tournament and Gal powers him around to start. A headlock doesn’t work for Jones so Gal pulls him into a fireman’s carry. That’s broken up and Jones hits a big dropkick before chopping away. Gal shrugs that off and powers him down, meaning it’s time for some pushups with choking included. A legdrop gives Gal two and he grabs a chinlock with a knee in the back.

Back up and Gal chokes in the corner before slapping Jones in the face. That seems to wake Jones up enough to fight back, only for Gal to kick him in the face. Jones manages a quick Stunner into a springboard elbow to the face, followed by a pop up cutter for two. Hold on though as Gal comes up holding his elbow but the referee catches him using the medals. Jones hits him in the face and grabs the Decaffinator for the pin at 7:32.

Rating: B-. This was a pretty nice match actually with Gal getting in the offense but posing too much, leading to him trying to cheat to no avail. Jones is someone with a goofy but simple gimmick and it is starting to take off for him. Both of them are entertaining enough and this was a good way to open the show.

Post match Jones thanks the fans for being here to support them tonight. He would have done anything to get here and now he has a big pot brewing for anyone who wants some. Cue Swipe Right, Jackson Drake and Zayda Steele to lay Jones out. Drake brags about the team’s success so far and more success is coming. He’s ready for Marcus Mathers and Ricky Smokes is ready for Sean Legacy and Brad Baylor is ready for Ice Williams. Even Zayda Williams is ready to win her match! These people don’t have much to say.

Zayda Steele/Mazzerati vs. Brittnie Brooks/Zara Zakher

Steele wants to face Brooks but immediately bails out to the floor, allowing Mazzerati to headlock Brooks instead. Brooks reverses into an armbar, which is broken up just as quickly. Back up and Brooks grabs some armdrags into a snap suplex for two. Zakher comes in for an elbow to the face and a running kick to the back for two. Mazzerati is back with a gutbuster and Steele slaps her in the back for a tag, meaning it’s time to hammer on Zakher. Steele knocks her onto the floor and stomps away but stops to blow a kiss to the camera.

Back in and a dropkick knocks Zakher out of the Tree of Woe but Steele accidentally knocks Mazzerati off the apron. It’s back to Brooks and Mazzerati tags herself back in, only to get forearmed in the face. Brooks grabs a DDT for two but Mazzerati fights up. Steele grabs her by the hair and tags herself back in though, setting up a Gory Bomb for two on Zakher. Mazzerati won’t tag in so Steele shoves her off the apron, which has Mazzerati leaving. Zakher RKOs Steele for the pin at 10:36.

Rating: C. It’s nice to see a story in a match like this, as you have Steele dealing with Mazzerati, complete with commentary pointing out how Mazzerati has recently changed her attitude. Other than that, it wasn’t much of a match but at least it got some time and they were able to showcase themselves. Steele continues to look like a star and if she can back it up in the ring, she’ll be a big deal.

Bodhi Young Prodigy vs. Freedom Ramsey

Bodhi tries a quick sunset flip for two and holds the ropes to avoid the dropkick. Ramsey comes back with an atomic drop and a middle rope faceplant gets two. A jumping legdrop gives Ramsey two but Bodhi comes back with a DDT for a needed breather. The comeback is on and Bodhi hits a high crossbody for two. A Pele drops Ramsey again but he avoids the 450. Ramsey hits a Blockbuster for the pin at 5:47.

Rating: C+. I’ve only seen a bit of these two so I didn’t have much of an idea of what is going on but they pulled me in to Bodhi making his comeback. That’s an impressive thing to do as I don’t have any reason to care about these two but it worked anyway. Bodhi’s comeback was engaging and the fans got into it, which made things even that much better.

Respect is shown post match.

Men’s WWE ID Championship Tournament: Sam Holloway vs. Aaron Rourke

They’ve both lost once so the loser is eliminated. The bigger Holloway shoves him into the corner to start so Rourke grabs a lockup and climbs the ropes. That doesn’t work either so Rourke just opts to hammer away in the corner. A running boot in the corner rocks Holloway and Rourke sends him to the floor for a dive. This works a bit better for Holloway, who crotches Rourke on the barricade and then chops the heck out of him.

Back in and we hit the chinlock to keep Rourke down, only for him to reverse into an Octopus. That’s broken up as well so Holloway cuts him off with a running dropkick (impressive given his size). A top rope splash gives Holloway two and he can’t believe the kickout. Rourke gets up again but gets caught in a powerbomb, which he reverses into a Code Red for the pin to eliminate Holloway at 9:28.

Rating: B-. Rourke got to stand out a bit more here than he did yesterday and that’s nice to see. That’s kind of the point of what you’re supposed to see from these matches as they’re still making themselves known on the bigger stages. Rourke doesn’t have much that makes him stand out but at least he was out there with a bigger guy who gave him a solid opponent.

Men’s WWE ID Championship Tournament: Aaron Roberts vs. Jordan Oasis

Oasis starts fast and knocks him outside for a suicide dive. Back in and Roberts drops him with a clothesline before ramming Oasis’ head into the mat. Roberts slowly hammers away in the corner before dropping down onto Oasis’ back. Oasis finally fights out and manages a good spinebuster. Roberts’ chokeslam gets two but a Vader Bomb is countered into a powerbomb to give Oasis two more. Back up and Roberts pulls out a foreign object for a cheap shot, setting up the Vader Bomb for the pin at 7:07.

Rating: C+. Oasis feels like someone who turn into something so while it’s annoying to see him lose, it might mean that they have a little more for him to do. Seeing him face some adversity could make for a good story and hopefully that is where they’re going. At the same time, Roberts is a pretty standard big man and hasn’t shown me much so far. There will always be a place for someone like him in wrestling, but so far he hasn’t shown me much.

Men’s WWE ID Championship Tournament: Jackson Drake vs. Marcus Mathers

They fight over a lockup to start until Drake pulls him down into a headscissors. That’s broken up and Mathers knocks him outside, followed by some leg cranking back inside. Drake fights up and is dropkicked down almost immediately. Mathers charges into a boot in the corner though and Drake gets in a middle rope knee to the arm to take over. The arm is tied up and Drake gets creative by using his wrist tape to pull back on the arm even more.

The referee sees Drake using the ropes on a cover to give Mathers a breather but Drake is right back on the arm. Mathers’ arm is fine enough to slam him down, followed by a spinning high crossbody. A Blue Thunder Bomb gives Mathers two but Drake pulls him into a Kimura. That’s broken up with a quick slam but the arm gives out and Drake gets a cross armbreaker.

Mathers survives that as well and fights up for a superkick. That means it’s time to go up top, where Drake’s superplex brings him back down in a big crash. Back up and the frustrated Drake hammers away in the corner, setting up a bridging German suplex for two. Mathers blocks the running knee though and a dragon screw legwhip takes Drake down again. A middle rope Canadian Destroyer hits Drake and the Broad Street Buster (fisherman’s buster) gets another near fall. Cue Swipe Right for a distraction, allowing Sam Holloway to post Mathers. Drake adds the running knee for the pin at 18:32.

Rating: B-. Well that was…long. I’m not sure I’d say it was especially good, but it’s nice to see them being able to hold it together for a longer match. Drake is a decent enough villain and Mathers certainly feels like someone who could turn into a bigger star if he is properly developed. For now though, they had a nice match, even if it went on for quite awhile.

Post match, Drake brags about how great he and Swipe Right are. Again.

Men’s WWE ID Championship Tournament: Sean Legacy vs. Ricky Smokes

Legacy isn’t waiting here and dropkicks Smokes to the floor to start. Some chops rock Smokes even more and they head back inside where Smokes can keep chopping away. Smokes gets in a shot of his own in the corner and starts in with his own chops, followed by a kick into the ropes. Legacy fights up and goes to the top but gets dropkicked out to the floor in a heap.

Back in and Smokes drops a knee, followed by the required chinlock. That’s broken up and Legacy strikes away, setting up a middle rope Spanish Fly to leave both of them down. Legacy moonsaults into a lifting reverse DDT for two before grabbing the torture rack, only to have to go after Swipe Right. Smokes kicks him in the head but dives into a Codebreaker. The torture rack flipped into the swinging neckbreaker gives Legacy the pin at 8:32.

Rating: C+. Legacy has definitely felt like the biggest star in the ID program so far and it seems like he’s the centerpiece, at least in the early stages. It wouldn’t surprise me to see him as the first champion, but he’s almost guaranteed to at least make a deep run. Smokes is one half of the annoying heel tag team so Legacy had a reason to beat him, though I’m not sure if there was much drama.

Post match Swipe Right comes in for the beatdown but Ice Williams and Cappuccino Jokes make the save. And now, the main event.

Men’s WWE ID Championship Tournament: Ice Williams vs. Brad Baylor

Williams starts fast and hammers away, including knocking Baylor to the floor for some uppercuts. Baylor gets in a shot of his own and they head back inside, where Baylor starts going after Williams’ neck. The pace slows again as Baylor hammers away and then grabs a chinlock. That’s broken up and Williams spins around to hit a quick DDT. Williams ties him in the ropes for a kick tot he face and an elbow to the back for two.

Baylor comes back with a snapdragon for two before going up top, where he reverses a superplex into a swinging superplex (ala Kevin Owens). Back up and Williams hits a good looking superkick for two, plus a good shocked kickout face. Baylor brainbusters him onto the knee for two more and goes for a turnbuckle pad. With the referee taking care of that, it’s a low blow for two on Williams. Back up and they slug it out until Williams superkicks him down again. A brainbuster finishes Baylor off at 11:13.

Rating: C+. Baylor feels like the bigger star of Swipe Right, which is quite a big deal at this point given how much they have been featured. At the same time, Williams is another guy who might wind up becoming a star and certainly has the look. He’s already doing well with his early tournament appearances and that should give him a nice next few appearances.

Post match Williams says he’s going to be the first ID Champion and thanks the fans for coming out.

Overall Rating: C+. The show isn’t bad and the action is good enough, but the ID people are starting to lose their charm. They’ve been all over the weekend and you can only see Swipe Right and company run in so many times to do their thing before it stops working. I know we’ll get to the title stuff and some better stories later, but two long shows from these same people in a few days is a bit much. It’s not bad, but there’s a reason these people are prospects rather than the featured stars.

On top of that, the tournament is kind of all over the place. You have some people with one loss, one guy already eliminated and in theory some wrestlers who haven’t debuted yet. What we didn’t have was any kind of graphic or standings showing where people were. Maybe they don’t know all of the entrants yet or they haven’t been announced, but it doesn’t make for the easiest thing to follow, especially with the double elimination aspect. It makes the show feel all over the place and hard to keep track of, which isn’t the kind of feeling you want fans to have. Good enough wrestling, but it needs to be tightened up.

Results
Cappuccino Jones b. It’s Gal – Decaffinator
Brittnie Brooks/Zara Zakher b. Zayda Steele/Mazzerati – RKO to Steele
Freedom Ramsey b. Bodhi Young Prodigy – Blockbuster
Aaron Rourke b. Sam Holloway – Code Red
Aaron Roberts b. Jordan Oasis – Vader Bomb
Jackson Drake b. Marcus Mathers – Running knee
Sean Legacy b. Ricky Smokes – Torture rack swinging neckbreaker
Ice Williams b. Brad Baylor – Brainbuster

 

 

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GCW WWE ID Championship Tournament: In Development

WWE ID Championship Tournament
Date: April 16, 2025
Location: Palms Casino Resort, Las Vegas, Nevada
Commentators: Dave Prazak, Trevin Adams

So this is a weird thing as WWE is partnering with GCW for the first batch of matches in the tournaments to crown the first ever ID Champions. We’re getting matches in the men’s and women’s tournaments, plus some bonus matches to round out the card. One of these matches features former Bayley super fan Izzy, which is going to be absolutely bizarre to see. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Note that both tournaments are double elimination so a loss does not end a wrestler’s chances.

WWE Men’s ID Title Tournament First Round: Freedom Ramsey vs. Jordan Oasis

Oasis is the Global Nomad and is here by way of Greyhound. We get a handshake to start and Ramsey grabs a headlock to grind away. Back up and Oasis armdrags him into an armbar, only to get dropped with a running forearm to the face. Something like an X Factor out of the corner gives Ramsey two but Oasis kicks him down. A backsplash gets two on Ramsey and Oasis grabs the chinlock.

Back up and a low bridge sends Oasis outside but he’s right back up for a suicide dive. The chinlock goes on again back inside for a bit before Oasis fires off some big chops in the corner. A hard clothesline gets Ramsey out of trouble and a spinebuster drops Oasis again. Ramsey grabs a Falcon Arrow for two but Oasis pulls him out of the air and hits a brainbuster. A Cannonball to Ramsey’s back against the ropes (or at least in its general vicinity) gets two but Ramsey snaps off a German suplex. Oasis is right back up with a clothesline to the back of the head for the pin at 10:58.

Rating: C. This wasn’t a bad match, but it was dragging in the middle and that hurt it a lot. It started to feel like they were just filling in time by doing moves instead of trying to get a win. Maybe they were trying to showcase themselves and display what they can do, but this probably needed to have a few minutes cut out. Not a bad match, but it only got so far.

Post match they shake hands and Oasis welcomes us to the show. Oasis talks about how the ID Titles will be defended around the independent circuit, including in GCW. He thrives on being on the road and he hopes the people are strapped in for the journey. Decent promo here.

Zara Zakher vs. Izzy Moreno

This isn’t a tournament match but if Moreno wins, she is in the Women’s ID Title tournament. They go with the grappling to start and have a staredown before trading rollups for two each. Moreno’s northern lights suplex gets two and her armbar sends Zakher to the ropes.

Back up and Zakher grabs a few slams but Moreno hits a high crossbody for two. A cross armbreaker goes on so Zakher stacks her up for two. Zakher’s spinebuster gets two but here are Swipe Right, with Jackson Drake and Zayda Steele (from Evolve). Steele uses the distraction to hit Moreno in the head with a shoe, allowing Zakher (who didn’t seem to see Steele interfere) to grab Control Z (RKO) for the pin at 4:53.

Rating: C. The fact that Moreno was in the ring is more amazing than anything else, as so many people are going to remember her as a ten or so year old fan. I’m not sure what kind of a future she has in WWE but getting this far is pretty impressive. Zakher continues to be an impressive enough star and I could see her making a run in Evolve, or even further.

Post match Steele lays out Zakher and Moreno. Swipe Right says Jordan Oasis and Izzy Moreno suck and don’t deserve to be in the ID Program. They brag about their own talents and promise to take over the independent scene. As usual, the team isn’t a bad idea, but they’re not the most imposing looking people.

WWE Men’s ID Title Tournament First Round: Aaron Rourke vs. It’s Gal

Gal (rhymes with doll) is quite muscular and is described as a Real Life Action Figure. Rourke on the other hand is billed from Sparkle City. Gal’s grappling doesn’t work to start and Rourke gets in a quick spank. A headscissors takes Rourke down and Gal grabs a headscissors with some pushups thrown in. Back up and Rourke hits a dropkick into the corner and they head outside. That goes nowhere so Gal sends him flying for a faceplant, setting up a big boot for two.

Gal grabs the chinlock for a bit before throwing him out of the corner. A fall away slam sends Rourke flying and a clothesline gives Gal two but he misses a legdrop. Rourke scores with a leg lariat and a DDT, followed by a Helluva Kick. The hip attack gets two on Gal, setting up a Molly Go Round for two more. They lock hands and trade shots to the face before going up top, with Rourke grabbing a sunset bomb. Back up and they get in a fight over Gal’s medals, which are taken away, allowing Gal to hit him low. A Blue Thunder Bomb gives Gal the pin at 8:45.

Rating: C+. Nice enough match here, with Gal getting to show off. They were just different enough to have something that made them stand out while also being similar enough that it made for a fun showdown. Gal has been featured on Evolve before so it makes sense for him to go over, though I’m not sure if he stood out more.

WWE Men’s ID Title Tournament First Round: Atticus Cougar vs. Ice Williams vs. Aaron Roberts

Cougar, a GCW star, has to win to get into the tournament. Roberts, by far the largest of the three, takes over on Cougar to start and avoids Cougar’s attempt at skewering him in the head. Williams is back up with a rope walk Blockbuster to take Roberts down but Cougar is right there to go after him. A DDT plants Cougar and Roberts’ splash crushes him as well. Roberts splashes Williams as well but Cougar is back in with a chair. That just ticks Roberts off and a spinebuster drops Cougar.

Roberts has a seat in the chair, but Cougar is back up with a running boot to send the chair into Roberts’ face. Williams is back up to slug it out with Cougar but Roberts runs both of them over. Back up and Cougar sends them into each other, setting up a moonsault for two on Roberts. Williams elbows Cougar down, only for Roberts to miss a Vader Bomb. Cougar rakes Roberts’ eyes and this a headlock driver but Fuego del Sol runs in to take Cougar out. Williams drops a top rope elbow to pin Roberts at 6:31.

Rating: C-. I wasn’t feeling this one, with Cougar feeling like he was just thrown in there for some GCW flavor. That doesn’t really work though as you have two guys doing a regular match and Cougar runs in there with skewers to try to stab someone. It doesn’t work and the match was kind of a mess as a result.

Post match Swipe Right and company come out to wreck Williams. Zayda Steele mocks Williams as a loser and promises to make Kylie Rae a loser as well.

WWE Women’s ID Title Tournament First Round: Kylie Rae vs. Zayda Steele

Swipe Right and Jackson Drake are here too. Steele won’t shake hands so Rae grabs a wristlock. A rollup gives Rae two and she does it again to frustrate Steele all the more. Swipe Right trips Rae down though and that’s good for a massive ejection. Steels pulls the arm over the rope and some knees to the chest give Steele two. Rae gets choked down in the corner and Steele gets to strut a bit.

The triangle choke over the ropes keeps Rae in trouble and the rather cocky Steele stays on the arm. Rae gets out of a Disarm-Her and a basement superkick gets two on Steele. Back up and Steele hits a discus forearm for two as the pace slows again. A slap to the face wakes Rae up though and she hits a superkick into a crossface for the fast tap at 8:46.

Rating: C+. That’s a bit of a surprise, as Steele has felt like someone who could be a big star in the division if she was given the chance. At the same time, Rae is one of the bigger names on the Evolve roster and it’s good to see her actually getting a win on a bigger show. This felt like something that could be a step forward for Rae, which she has been needing.

WWE Men’s ID Title Tournament First Round: Marcus Mathers vs. Sam Holloway

No DQ and these two seem to have been feuding for a good while. The much bigger Holloway hits a dropkick to start fast, followed by a sitout powerbomb for two less than thirty seconds after the bell. Some chairs are thrown in but Holloway picks up another, which is dropkicked into his face. Mathers hits a suicide dive and hammers away before posting Holloway.

Back up and Mathers climbs onto the stage, setting up a huge running flip dive. A high crossbody gives Mathers two but Holloway butterfly suplexes him into a chair in the corner. The chair is wedged into the corner but Holloway’s charge misses, giving Mathers a much needed breather. A Van Daminator (Mathers is from Philadelphia so it fits well) gives Mathers two and a German suplex is good for the same. Back up and Holloway drops him through the chair for two of his own and things slow down a bit.

Mathers tries to go up and gets dropkicked off the top for a crash. A powerbomb onto the apron drops Mathers again and a top rope splash gives Holloway another near fall. It’s time to get serious as Holloway takes down the straps, which takes way too long, allowing Mathers to chair him into the Tree Of Woe. Mathers puts a chair in front of Holloway’s face and pelts another chair at him for two more. A chair bridge is set up and a middle rope cutter onto a chair (the bridge broke), setting up a nice 450 to pin Holloway at 12:36.

Rating: B-. You could tell there was a story and feud here, though commentary didn’t exactly explain what those were. What mattered the most here was that the weapons didn’t feel out of place and they didn’t go insane, only using a bunch of chairs. Mathers has shown off some talent in his career and it isn’t a surprise that he is getting this kind of attention. Holloway wasn’t a bad big man either, but he needs something else to make him stand out.

Post match Holloway takes out the referee to blow off some steam.

Swipe Right/Jackson Drake vs. Cappuccino Jones/Jack Cartwheel/Sean Legacy

This is a rematch from the first ever WWE Evolve main event. Drake and Jones start things off and go to the mat to start with Jones sending him crawling over to the ropes. Jones cranks away on the wrist before he sweeps the legs to take Drake down again. Cartwheel comes in to work on Baylor’s arm as well before it’s off to Legacy for more of the same. Jones gets in more arm cranking and it’s Cartwheel coming in for a chinlock.

Smokes comes in and has his arm twisted as well as the good guys have a theme going here. Cartwheel cartwheels away from Baylor and gets two off a slam. The fast tags continue with Legacy moonsaulting next to Smokes, but getting clotheslined down by Drake. Legacy gets taken into the wrong corner though and it’s time to start the alternating beatdown. Drake’s Russian legsweep puts Legacy down and he stomps on Legacy’s fingers in a rather nasty move.

Legacy is fine enough to get over to Cartwheel for the tag and the pace picks back up, with Cartwheel flipping around Baylor. Something from the top is loaded up but Baylor rolls outside, only for Cartwheel to cartwheel dive onto Swipe Right. The good guys hit stereo dives to the floor in a cool visual but Cartwheel gets low bridged outside. The double stomping is on and Baylor grabs a suplex to put Cartwheel down back inside. Jones tries to come in for a save without a tag but Cartwheel is dropped down with a belly to back suplex.

Drake’s butterfly suplex gets two and he hammers away, with Cartwheel fighting…into the wrong corner. Maybe those cartwheels are messing with his brain. Cartwheel finally clotheslines his way out of trouble and brings Jones in to clean house. Everything breaks down and Legacy knocks all three villains down at once. A springboard 450 gets two on Smokes, who is back up with a fireman’s carry onto the knee for two of his own.

Legacy gets over to Cartwheel to fight back but he gets caught with a Lethal Injection for two. Baylor sends Jones outside and then come sin legally but Jones is back in for a right hand into a Death Valley Driver to put Baylor down. A top rope elbow gives Jones two and all six are left down. Cartwheel takes too long going up and gets caught by Drake, who grabs a super poisonrana. The Super Swipe finishes Cartwheel at 20:58.

Rating: B-. Well that was…lengthy. It was a match where it felt like they were out there for the sake of filling in time, which doesn’t help when these guys don’t have a ton of experience to know how to make this work. What we got was good, but it could have been a few minutes shorter to tighten things up again. That being said, this is designed to be developmental stars having a match and it went well enough all things considered.

Post match the beatdown is on again but Freedom Ramsey runs in for the save. That goes badly as well but here are Ice Williams and Jordan Oasis for the real save. The villains are cleared out, with Legacy and Williams promising to be ready for their tournament matches. That lets the good guys pose to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. All things considered, this was ok, but it did lose its charm after a little while. At the end of the day, these people are mainly still up and coming stars who need to get more ring time and coaching. At some point, they start to run out of things to do and it can take away a lot of interest in their matches. That can make for a fun forty five minute show with something like Evolve, but a two plus hour event, especially with a bunch of tournament matches, it was only so entertaining throughout.

Results
Jordan Oasis b. Freedom Ramsey – Clothesline to the back of the head
Zara Zakher b. Izzy Moreno – Control Z
It’s Gal b. Aaron Rourke – Blue Thunder Bomb
Ice Williams b. Aaron Roberts and Atticus Cougar – Top rope elbow to Roberts
Kylie Rae b. Zayda Steele – Crossface
Marcus Mathers b. Sam Holloway – 450
Swipe Right/Jackson Drake b. Sean Legacy/Cappuccino Jones/Jack Cartwheel – Super Swipe to Cartwheel

 

 

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Evolve – March 26, 2025: Meet The New Boss

Evolve
Date: March 26, 2025
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Robert Stone

We’re getting firmly into the standard operation procedure around here and that includes some matches and stories being set up. Now that so many wrestlers have been introduced, we can see what happens when those wrestlers are put together. That is what we should be seeing this week, likely with a few other big (well, bigger) names included. Let’s get to it.

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

Ava is proud of Stevie Turner’s efforts recently and has her taken to the ring for a big announcement: Turner is officially the General Manager of Evolve. At least they kept this short, as the show doesn’t really need a boss. She is thrilled to get the job and is happy to have been selected over Robert Stone. Everything is up for grabs around here and someone is going to become the first face of Evolve. To get those spots, you have to impress both her and the fans, so we can start with a match. Stone: “We’re doomed.”

As the wrestlers (who were around the ring), Luca Crusifino and Keanu Carver have to be held apart.

Wolfgang vs. Sam Holloway

They fight over a lockup to start and then trade big shoulders to no avail. A headbutt off goes to Wolfgang, who hits a running splash in the corner to really take over. Holloway gets in a shot of his own to send Wolfgang to the apron, where a hard slam has Wolfgang in even more trouble. An elbow drop gets two back inside and Holloway slams him again for the same.

Holloway grabs an abdominal stretch to stay on the ribs but Wolfgang fights out and hits a middle rope elbow. For some reason Wolfgang tries a slingshot flip and hurts his back again, allowing Holloway to suplex him into the corner. Holloway drives in shoulders to the ribs but Wolfgang knocks him off the top and hits the Howling (Swanton) to the back for the pin at 7:35.

Rating: C+. Simple, to the point match here with Wolfgang fighting through an injury to win. That being said, I’m not sure why you would want Wolfgang, who has been presented as a villain in Gallus, to wrestle that way. It’s weird to cheer for him when he’s not the most likable guy, but Holloway did at least look decent in defeat.

Post match Joe Coffey says send anyone who wants some of Gallus.

Aria Bennett and Layla Diggs seem to be friends and perhaps partners.

Carlee Bright, with pom poms, is in the VIP area.

Kendal Grey vs. Zara Zakher

Zakher takes her down and they fight over waistlocks. That goes nowhere so they switch to fighting over wrist control. Zakher gets in an armdrag into an armbar, followed by a handspring elbow in the corner for two. Back up and Grey grabs Eat Defeat onto the shoulder and then sends it into the buckle a few times. Zakher fights up again and hits some shots in the corner, followed by a nice spinebuster for…one as she rolls off of Grey for no apparent reason. They trade rollups for two each but Zakher misses something off the top. Grey kicks her in the face and grabs a cross armbreaker for the tap at 6:09.

Rating: C. This is the kind of showing that makes Grey look like a bigger star as she won a fairly hard fought match against someone who has been built up at least a little bit in the first few weeks. Grey might not be a big star but she’s a bigger deal than Zakher so this isn’t a terrible way to go. Now just do something with Grey in the coming weeks.

Post match Kylie Rae comes out to check on Zakher, but the teddy bear from Wendy Choo is sitting in the corner.

Drako Knox comes to commentary and talks about liking the feeling of putting fists to faces last week. He doesn’t like Swipe Right being in the VIP section and mocking him last week though so he wants to get in the ring.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Ice Williams and Swipe Right are in the VIP section.

Layla Diggs/Aria Bennett vs. Haze Jameson/Kalyx

Diggs takes Kalyx down to start and flips over into an armdrag. Jameson is seemingly flirting with Swipe Right as Bennett comes in with a moonsault for two on Kalyx. Back up and Kalyx takes over on Bennett and hands it off to Jameson, who has to be reminded to come in. Jameson’s wristlock on Bennett doesn’t do much but she gets in another takedown and grabs a chinlock. It’s back to Kalyx for a running elbow but Jameson goes over for a drink in the VIP section. Diggs comes back in with a sitout gordbuster for the pin on Kalyx at 2:47. They packed a good deal of stuff in there.

Post match Kalyx is annoyed and the winners dance a bit.

Video on former Evolve Champion Timothy Thatcher, who is back for what appears to be one night only.

Video on Sean Legacy, who has wanted to be a wrestler for a long time and got mocked as a result. Now he is proving that he can do it.

Timothy Thatcher vs. Sean Legacy

Legacy hits a dropkick at the bell and adds a standing moonsault for two only ten seconds into the match. Thatcher is up with the uppercuts but Legacy kicks leg out and hits another dropkick for another two. They go outside with Legacy hitting a suicide dive and we take a break. Back with Thatcher knocking him out of the air and hitting a belly to back suplex for two. Thatcher grabs a surfboard before just wrenching on the fingers for some pain. Legacy fights back and is quickly belly to bellied right back down.

The chinlock goes on to keep Legacy down and a knee to the back does the same. Legacy fights up and sends him to the floor, followed by a suplex back inside. Legacy strikes away and grabs a German suplex to leave Thatcher shaken up. A missile dropkick gives Legacy two more as the VIP stars aren’t impressed. Legacy grabs his torture rack into a neckbreaker (that needs a name) for the win at 8:49.

Rating: B-. This is where things can get interesting, as Legacy seems to be one of the people that WWE wants to get behind on the new show. If that’s who they want to go with, they did something smart here by having him beat someone that fans likely recognize. That’s what you need to do to build someone up as Legacy is still brand new around here. Good main event, with Legacy showcasing himself well.

Post match Thatcher gives some sarcastic applause before leaving. Legacy glares at Swipe Right and Ice Williams. Cappuccino Jones and Jack Cartwheel come out to even the odds but Williams switches to the good guys, sending Swipe Right bailing to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. You really wouldn’t realize that this was the fourth week of the show, as this felt like it was a show that has been around for a good while longer. What mattered here was getting things going at a more steady pace and they made that happen fairly well. The main event was good and they advanced the stories, with quite a few things getting some time. It’s still as low level as you can get in WWE, but it’s a lot more engaging than I was expecting.

Results
Wolfgang b. Sam Holloway – Howling
Kendal Grey b. Zara Zakher – Cross armbreaker
Layla Diggs/Aria Bennett b. Haze Jameson/Kalyx – Sitout gordbuster to Kalyx
Sean Legacy b. Timothy Thatcher – Torture rack neckbreaker

 

 

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Evolve – March 19, 2025: Still Settling In

Evolve
Date: March 19, 2025
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Robert Stone

The beginnings of this series continue as we are at the third show. In theory last week should be a sign of where we are going, but you never can tell with a new concept. There have already been some stories set up and now we get to see how some of those are paid off. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Brinley Reece is very excited to be here. She’s into fitness and is very excited.

Masyn Holiday is the valedictorian of Howard University where she was a track star.

Brinley Reece vs. Masyn Holiday

Holiday takes her down by the arm to start but Reece is back up with a takedown of her own. Back up and Holiday takes her down by the head before stomping away in the corner. A backbreaker lets Holiday grab a bodyscissors but Reece is back up with a flipping clothesline. Reece hits a TKO for the pin at 3:37.

Rating: C. This was another short match and that is only going to get them so far. It helps that Reece has been around for a good while now and isn’t an unknown so this was hardly her big introduction. Holiday is the latest on a long list of really athletic people who needs something else to make her stand out.

Post match Reece is very pleased with what she did because that’s a positive mindset.

Tyriek Igwe and Tyson DuPont are in the VIP section. They’re chasing titles and want someone to step up to get beat down.

Jordan Oasis has been wrestling for ten years and was trained by Rikishi. And he has a backpack.

Sam Holloway is a big guy who had to deal with bullying while he grew up. Now he’s going to make everyone learn the hard way because that’s how he got here.

Gallus vs. Jordan Oasis/Sam Holloway

The rather tall Holloway headlocks Joe to start before they strike it out. Mark comes in and gets dropped by Holloway before Oasis comes in (yelling at Holloway on the way) for a headlock of his own. It’s already back to Holloway for a slam before we hit the chinlock. Back up and Oasis sends Mark throat first into the ropes, setting up a Cannonball to the back (that’s a new one).

Mark fights up and makes the tag back to Joe for the house cleaning. The double springboard spinning high crossbody gets two on Oasis with Holloway making the save. Everything breaks down and Mark gets posted but cue Wolfgang (the third member of Gallus) to yell at Holloway. Joe punches Oasis out for the TKO at 5:50.

Rating: C+. This got some more time and it made for a bit of a better showcase, though Gallus has fallen through the floor in WWE over the last few months. They might not be great but they’re good enough for a spot higher than Evolve. Oasis and Holloway got in some offense here, though they didn’t have enough time to really do much.

Post match Oasis has to be held back from going after all of Gallus.

Layla Diggs has self confidence issues but she has quite the athletic background. Now she’s going to prove herself.

Chantel Monroe is a gymnast from Auburn University and cares a lot about fashion.

Chantel Monroe vs. Layla Diggs

Monroe takes her down with a headscissors to start and stomps away. Diggs is back up with a sunset flip for two, allowing her to check her hair. Back up and Diggs hits a powerslam for two but Monroe goes after the leg. Some cartwheel knees to the ribs give Monroe two and the half crab works on the leg some more. That’s broken up as well but Monroe hits her in the leg. A dropkick to the leg has Diggs in more trouble but she goes up for a sunset flip. The leg gives out though and Monroe rolls her up for the pin at 3:27.

Rating: C. Another match designed to showcase a few people but neither of them really stood out for the most part. As was the case earlier in the show, it’s another case of people with athletic backgrounds and nothing that makes them stand out. That’s going to need to change, and having so many such people on the show isn’t helping here.

Haze Jameson played college (shocking I know) volleyball and is the life of the party. She’s a big Dennis Rodman fan….and Kali Armstrong storms the announcers’ desk, demanding a match.

Kali Armstrong vs. Haze Jameson

Armstrong knocks her into the corner to start and hits a not great powerslam. The Kali Connection (a hard shoulder block) finishes Jameson at 49 seconds.

Here is Kylie Rae to talk about what was in the note Wendy Choo gave her last week. Rae doesn’t know Choo and isn’t sure if she wants to, mainly due to fear. There are a lot of talented women in the locker room and she doesn’t have time to focus on the bear or note that Choo gave her, so she throws both of them down. Cue….well Choo’s face on the video screen but Zara Zakher comes out to get Rae out of there instead. Rae was a little more heely there and…I don’t know if that’s a great move.

Drako Knox is from a small town in Georgia and is trying to get out of the same routines that his family have been stuck in for years. This is his lottery ticket out.

Tate Wilder is a cowboy and likes various violent sports. He’s a mixture of Matthew McConaghey and a famous bull rider.

Tyriek Igwe/Tyson DuPont vs. Tate Wilder/Drako Knox

Drako takes DuPont into the corner to start but gets shouldered down for his efforts. Wilder comes in for a dropkick and celebrates with Knox, allowing the tag to Igwe. A face first drop onto the turnbuckle knocks Wilder silly but DuPont running him over knocks him even sillier. A full nelson slam gets two but here are Swipe Right and Zayda Steel (who picks up Wendy Choo’s note to Kylie Rae) to sit in the VIP area. Wilder backflips over Igwe and gets one off an O’Connor roll. Knox comes back in for some forearms but Igwe kicks Knox in the face. The Heartstopper (belly to back suplex/chokeslam combination) finishes Knox at 4:10.

Rating: C+. Wilder and Knox stood out a bit more, mainly because they had something closer to characters that gave them something different. That’s more than a lot of the people on this show can say so maybe there is something for them. Not much to the match, as Igwe and DuPont are bigger stars and mostly dominated, but at least the other two felt more unique.

Oro Mensah is now in the VIP section.

Javier Bernal vs. Luca Crusifino

Crusifino takes him down by the arm to start but Bernal sends him to the apron. That just means a slingshot shoulder but Bernal is back up with a knockdown to the floor. The baseball slide drops Crusifino, who drops him onto the apron. An apron legdrop gets two on Bernal and a kick to the head rocks him again. Bernal is back with a backdrop and a snap half nelson suplex. The tornado DDT gives Bernal two but Crusifino Codebreakers him out of the air. The Case Closed (fisherman’s suplex into a brainbuster onto the knee) finishes for Crusifino at 4:41.

Rating: B-. As has been the case with this show so far, the main event tends to go well, mainly because they have more experience and aren’t out there to establish themselves. Crusifino is a bigger name and Bernal was on his way to getting better before he got hurt. The match was good enough, with Crusifino feeling like the biggest star on the show.

Post match Keanu Carver and Harlem Lewis come out to glare at Crusifino to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. The show is still in its early stages and that isn’t a bad thing. They need to get these people out there and start setting them up, which is mostly what we have been doing so far. That can continue for a few weeks, though it does seem like some of these names are starting to interact, which is here things should go from here. For now though, not a bad show at all as they’re not wasting time around here and it feels a lot more interesting than LVL Up did for years.

Results
Brinley Reece b. Masyn Holiday – TKO
Gallus b. Sam Holloway/Jordan Oasis via referee stoppage
Chantel Monroe b. Layla Diggs – Rollup
Kali Armstrong b. Haze Jameson – Kali Connection
Tyson DuPont/Tyriek Igwe b. Tate Wilder/Drako Knox – Heartstopper to Knox

 

 

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

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