Evolve
Date: July 16, 2025
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Robert Stone

Things have been picking up around here, but also in places not so much around here. In this case that was earlier this week, as the Evolve Women’s Title was defended on NXT. That’s the kind of showcase Evolve can use and it went fairly well. As for this week, Lince Dorado is getting his Evolve Title shot. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

Kylie Rae vs. Chantel Monroe vs. Tyra Mae Steele

Rae and Steele throw Monroe out to start and Steele wrestles Rae down without much trouble. Monroe is back in and they trade rollups for some near falls until Rae kicks Monroe outside again. A suicide dive takes out Steele and Monroe at the same time and a moonsault gets two on Steele back inside. Steele gets up and cleans house with raw power until a spinning Codebreaker gives Monroe one. Back up and Steele rams Monroe into Rae, followed by a bridging German suplex to pin Monroe at 4:43.

Rating: C+. That’s the right result, as Steele feels like she could be a huge star down the line. She has the charisma and certainly has the athletic background, so if she can put everything together, there are some real possibilities there. For now, it’s smart to put her in the ring for a few minutes to get her feet wet, which can increase in the coming weeks and months.

Earlier today, Jin Tala sat down for an interview and talked about revealing herself as the backstage attacker. She knew that she had to be aggressive and was going to go after everyone by any means necessary. Tala was eliminated from LFG because she wasn’t eliminated and now she is going to become the next Women’s Champion. Tonight against Carlee Bright, she is going to show us what real aggression is about. Tala sounded dangerous here.

Jordan Oasis is in Stevie Turner’s office and says he wants the winner of the Evolve Title match. He wants to fight Swipe Right too so Turner says if he can find a partner, the match can be on for next week.

Jin Tala vs. Carlee Bright

Kendal Grey is here with Bright, who goes right after Tala to start the fight fast. They trade hard shots in the corner before going outside. Tala rams her into various things and then chokes on the ropes back inside. Bright’s dropkick into a jumping neckbreaker sets up a standing moonsault for two but cue Wendy Choo to glare at Grey. Tala uses the distraction to hit the Direct Effect for the pin at 3:10.

Rating: C. The result was right, but this should have been a lot more one sided. Tala should have been a smashing machine here and run through someone (not necessarily Bright) but instead she felt like just another run of the mill wrestler. That’s not a great sign, but at least she did win so it could have been worse.

Ridge Holland comes up to Tate Wilder and seems to apologize. Wilder is cool with that, but Holland is really saying that Wilder is going to prove he doesn’t belong. Wilder has a match tonight but he’d love to face Holland after that. Holland turns that down, because Wilder is beneath him.

Tate Wilder vs. Edris Enofe

Wilder is a cowboy. They fight over a lockup to start and trade slaps until Enofe works on a wristlock. That’s broken up with a dropkick and some left hands in the corner have Enofe in more trouble. Wilder flips him to the floor and hits a dive before they slug it out inside again. Enofe gets the better of things and we hit the chinlock, including some choking. That’s broken up and Wilder hits a spinning elbow but Enofe knees his way out of a suplex attempt. Wilder hits an enziguri but misses a nice looking step up moonsault attempt. Enofe grabs a neckbreaker for the win at 4:22.

Rating: C+. Wilder had a decent enough debut here, with that moonsault looking rather nice. I can get why you wouldn’t want to have him beat Enofe in his first match, but this basically just proves Holland right. That feels like a bit of a bad idea, though Wilder does at least have some potential.

Post match Dante Chen comes out and, after apologizing, decks Enofe with a right hand.

Keanu Carver tells Sean Legacy to avoid him amid threats of violence.

The Vanity Project is worried about the main event but Jackson Drake says he has this because he’s the champion for a reason.

Edris Enofe comes into Stevie Turner’s office and rants about Dante Chen. Turner says Enofe did the same thing a few weeks ago and she liked what she saw out there tonight. Enofe accuses her of being biased, which doesn’t work for Turner. She makes Enofe vs. Chen for next week and throws him out.

Evolve Title: Lince Dorado vs. Jackson Drake

Drake is defending and the Vanity Project is banned from ringside. Drake rolls him up for a fast two but Dorado gets a cradle for the same. A top rope armdrag and anklescissors have Drake on the floor but Dorado would rather pose than dive. We take a break and come back with Drake shoving him off the top for a big crash out to the floor. Drake hits a dive and hammers away before taking it back inside.

Some stomps to the hand have Dorado in pain and a powerslam has him in a near fall. Drake’s chinlock doesn’t last long but he blocks a hurricanrana. The second attempt works better for Dorado and the Golden Rewind staggers Drake. A Backstabber gives Dorado two but Drake gets out of a cross armbreaker. Instead Dorado kicks him down and goes up but the Vanity Project’s music plays.

The distraction lets Drake hit a gutbuster and powerbomb for two, with the kickout leaving Drake stunned. Dorado hits a superkick into a brainbuster, followed by a running palm strike. The shooting star press connects but Drake rolls outside in a smart move. A running flip dive connects but Ricky Smokes is underneath the ring and grabs Dorado’s leg. Drake’s running knee retains the title at 10:38.

Rating: B-. I’m really going to need an explanation for why Dorado isn’t the champion after the interference. There is no reason for Stevie Turner to not see what happened and enforce the stipulations, but there is a good chance it won’t be mentioned. Other than that, it was a good match with Drake having a nice trick with the music, but the ending hurt it a bit as the interference felt rather weak.

Post match Brooks Jensen runs in to lay Drake out, with the Vanity Project chasing Jensen off to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. There were some holes in this show and it hurt things a good bit. Stuff like Tala not not exactly dominating, Wilder losing in his debut, and the interference in the main event didn’t feel great, though the rest of the show worked out fairly well. I’m not wild on Jensen being added at the end, but I guess he needs something to do. Not a bad show, but a bit of a step down from their recent efforts.

Results
Tyra Mae Steele b. Chantel Monroe and Kylie Rae – Bridging German suplex to Monroe
Jin Tala b. Carlee Bright – Direct Effect
Edris Enofe b. Tate Wilder – Neckbreaker
Jackson Drake b. Lince Dorado – Running knee

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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Evolve
Date: June 25, 2025
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Robert Stone, Peter Rosenberg

It’s time to get violent as this week features a Last Woman Standing match between Wendy Choo and Kylie Rae. The two of them have been feuding for a few months now and it is time to blow everything off. That should make for something interesting, but the rest of the show will need to fill in the gaps. Let’s get to it.

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

The opening video is about Choo vs. Rae, which does make it feel like a big deal.

Opening sequence.

Keanu Carver doesn’t like the WWE ID talent taking food off his table.

Ice Williams vs. Keanu Carver

Carver jumps him from behind to start and knocks Williams outside before the bell. Back in and Williams gets in a knockdown of his own, with Carver being knocked outside for a baseball slide. Back in and Carver runs him over for two and hits a reverse AA for two (oh that should have been the fall). The chinlock doesn’t last long as Williams fights up and hits the Ice Breaker (superkick) for two of his own. The Pounce cuts Williams back down though and the spinning powerslam finishes for Carver at 5:13.

Rating: C+. Williams is someone who impressed me enough over Wrestlemania Weekend but that was about the last time I thought of him. Oddly enough, it’s also about the last time I thought of the ID Titles, which makes me wonder if they’ll ever actually happen. Other than that, Carver gets to look like a beast again, though he should go with that reverse AA as a finisher.

Cappuccino Jones and Jack Cartwheel talk about their journey to get here.

The Vanity Project was at a Beyond Wrestling event over the weekend and don’t think much of the LWO. They’ll face off next week.

Zara Zakher vs. Kendal Grey

Both have been accused of being the backstage attacker and they argue over it to start. Grey takes her down into an armbar but it’s broken up. That earns Zakher a cross armbreaker, sending her over to the rope. What looks to be an Angle Slam is escaped so Grey goes with a spinning belly to back suplex for the pin at 3:36.

Rating: C. Grey continues to feel like a project around here, though I could go for seeing her having some more development. At the moment, she’s just another athletic woman who only has so much making her stand out. Zakher had a Wolverine style to her gear here, which made sense given her smaller stature. That’s more than Grey has and that needs to change.

Edris Enofe can’t get Stevie Turner’s attention….and Aria Bennett has been attacked. Zara Zakher and Kendal Grey both come in from the ring, meaning they’re both innocent.

Video on the awesomeness that is the WWE ID Program.

Stevie Turner announces the newest Evolve signing: Dante Chen. The fans do Chen’s pose before he talks about getting to join such a great roster. Earlier this year, Ethan Page injured Chen’s ankle and it put him in some dark times. Now he is ready to come back but here is Edris Enofe to interrupt.

Chen is glad to see him, but Enofe says all of the hype for Chen isn’t special. A few weeks ago, Enofe was in this spot and got a lot of attention, but now he can’t get ten seconds of Stevie Turner’s time. And for who? Dante Chen? Enofe is sick of doing things the right way and just getting ignored. Chen isn’t hearing this and gets hit in the face.

Layla Diggs is glad she has evolved but Jin Tala interrupts, saying she’s replacing Aria Bennett in their match next week. Works for Diggs.

Remember how Tate Wilder was coming? He still is.

Lince Dorado thanks the LWO for help. We pan over to Jamar Hampton yelling at Edris Enofe, who doesn’t like it. Hampton tells him to do something about it, but Enofe isn’t doing anything for anyone else anymore.

Wendy Choo vs. Kylie Rae

Last Woman Standing. Rae starts fast and hammers away before kicking Choo outside. A suicide dive connects and Rae picks up a table, which takes too long. Rae is back up with a trashcan to put over Choo and strikes away with a broom. They get back inside with Rae grabbing a suplex, only to miss a Cannonball into the trashcan in the corner. It’s time for a toolbox as commentary makes various monster/slasher movie comparisons. Choo tapes Rae’s legs to the corner and hits her in the ribs with a wrench.

We take a break and come back with Choo tying her in the ring skirt for a beating, only for Rae to get in a fire extinguisher blast. Rae hits a Cannonball against the steps but Choo is back up at 8 and they get back inside. The crossface has Choo in more trouble but she gets out and drops Rae again.

It’s time for the pillow case full of Legos (I don’t like having to write that) but Rae hits her with a teddy bear….which apparently has a brick inside. Rae didn’t know it was in there and panics, earning herself a half nelson slam onto the Legos. They go to the apron where Choo gets the Dirt Nap, only for Rae to drop backwards through the table at ringside. That’s enough for Rae to beat the count for the win at 12:39.

Rating: B-. Good enough here and while the weapons use was getting silly, they didn’t go too insane for the most part. What matters the most is that Rae gets a big win, which she has been needing around here since she debuted. Hopefully it also ends things with Choo, as this feud has been needing to wrap up already.

Natalya is in Stevie Turner’s office and wants to help build Evolve. Turner thanks her but Natalya wants to face Kali Armstrong. Turner isn’t sure to end the show.

Overall Rating: B-. This show has found its groove and that is very impressive for a show about three and a half months old. They have done a nice job of putting everything together and making this feel like something rather logical most weeks. You have people coming in and stories that make sense. I’m finding myself liking this show more and more each week, which is a nice feeling to have as it never burns out its welcome. Another perfectly watchable show this week and it worked well.

Results
Keanu Carver b. Ice Williams – Spinning powerslam
Kendal Grey b. Zara Zakher – Spinning belly to back suplex
Kylie Rae b. Wendy Choo when Choo couldn’t answer the ten count

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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Evolve
Date: June 18, 2025
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Robert Stone

We’re back to the developmental’s developmental and as usual, we have a guest star or two. In this case, Natalya is here for a tag match and there is a good chance that someone else will be around as well. Other than that, we’re going to need some challengers for the inaugural Evolve Champions so let’s get to it.

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

The opening recap sets up tonight’s tag match between Natalya/Kali Armstrong vs. Zayda Steele/Nikkita Lyons.

Opening sequence.

Zayda Steel/Nikkita Lyons vs. Natalya/Kali Armstrong

Armstrong and Lyons start things off with Lyons winning an exchange of strikes. Natalya comes in and it’s way too early for a Sharpshooter, meaning Armstrong tags herself back in. Armstrong knocks Lyons into the corner and it’s off to Steel, who is pulled into the wrong corner. Steel blocks the Sharpshooter as well (Natalya seems to be a fan of that one) and Lyons gets in a boot to the side of the head to take over.

Commentary hypes up Lyons vs. Natalya as something you never thought you would get to see, which would be better if we hadn’t seen it about a minute and a half ago. Lyons kicks away in the corner and we take a break. We come back with Lyons chinlocking Natalya, who armdrags her way out rather quickly. Natalya gets sent into the wrong corner though as commentary makes sure that you know how much Natalya gives back.

A snap suplex gives Lyons two and we hit the chinlock again. It’s back to Steel to stomp away in the corner but Natalya slips away and brings in Armstrong to clean house. Everything breaks down and Armstrong doesn’t like Natalya helping her, allowing Steel to get a quick two. The Kali Connection connects…but Natalya tags herself in for the Sharpshooter and the win at 8:06.

Rating: C+. The match told a fine story and if it leads to Natalya putting Armstrong over, it will make up for a good bit of what we’ve had to sit through here. There is only so much “Natalya is just so amazing” that I can take and sweet goodness were they pounding that concept in during the match. It’s a fine enough story though and that’s what Armstrong needs to get her title reign off on the right foot.

Post match Natalya looks at the title.

Stevie Turner is with Sean Legacy and Timothy Thatcher, the former of whom wants the first Evolve Title shot. He’s even willing to run a Vanity Project gauntlet to get the chance. Thatcher: “You want to do what?”

Jordan Oasis and Marcus Mathers are ready for their showcase match. Oasis has worked to get here and is ready for the win, but Mathers doesn’t like the sound of that. Mathers is ready to get his first win.

Masyn Holiday and Layla Diggs aren’t happy that Carlee Bright was attacked and accusations are made. The result seems to be Kendal Grey vs. Zara Zakher.

Marcus Mathers vs. Jordan Oasis

Oasis grabs a headlock to start but Mathers is back up with a crucifix for two. Mathers dropkicks him into the corner for a running elbow but a middle rope crossbody is pulled out of the air. A fall away slam gives Oasis two and we hit the chinlock. Mathers fights up again but gets planted with a brainbuster for a quick two. Oasis hits a Cannonball but has to duck an enziguri. Instead Mathers slips out of a belly to back suplex and wraps a kick around to the face. The big running flip dive to the floor takes Oasis down again and it’s a 450 to give Mathers the pin at 5:05.

Rating: C+. Mathers is someone who has caught my eye elsewhere and it’s no surprise that he has wound up in WWE. They didn’t have much time here but they had a perfectly fine modern story match. I could go for more of both of them and that is a good sign for what is hopefully a long road each.

Post match respect is shown but Keanu Carver comes in to wreck both of them. Carver promises to send them both back to the bingo halls.

Tate Wilder, a cowboy, is coming soon.

Video on Kylie Rae vs. Wendy Choo, setting up next week’s Last Woman Standing match.

Sean Legacy vs. Vanity Project

Legacy has to win the gauntlet to earn a title shot against Jackson Drake (here at ringside with Zayda Steel). Ricky Smokes starts for the team and is quickly taken down for a standing moonsault. Legacy takes him out of the corner for a big kick to the back but Smokes is back up with right hands in the corner.

A spear gives Smokes two and we hit the chinlock. That’s broken up without much trouble and Legacy knocks him down for a needed breather. Some strikes into a release German suplex set up Shambles to give Legacy the first fall at 3:39. Brad Baylor is in second and takes out the leg as we go to a break. We come back with Baylor elbowing him in the face for two but Legacy avoids a charge. Legacy kicks him down and hits a springboard missile dropkick for two of his own. Back up and Legacy misses a charge into the corner as commentary talks about Tommy Dreamer running the gauntlet in 1995 ECW.

Baylor works on the leg but Legacy fights up, only for the leg to give out before he can hit Shambles. Legacy’s leg is fine enough to grab a suplex and backdrop Baylor out to the floor. Naturally the leg is fine enough to hit a running flip dive, with the leg giving out on the landing. Back in and Baylor catches him with a superplex, only for Legacy to reverse into a cradle for the pin at 9:00 total. Bryce Donovan is the last opponent and comes in with a big boot to finish Legacy at 9:19 total.

Rating: C+. This was about how the match should have gone and that’s not a bad way to go. The biggest thing here was having Legacy come close but not quite be able to pull it off, which made for a logical ending. There is a good chance that Legacy winds up getting a title shot, but at the same time, Legacy jumping straight to NXT is not out of the question either.

Post match the beatdown is on with Jackson Drake saying the Vanity Project calls the shots. Lince Dorado runs in with a chair for the save. Dorado says this isn’t how we do things around here…and he didn’t come alone. The LWO runs in and cleans house to end the show. Nothing wrong with that, as the LWO feel like big deals around here.

Overall Rating: C+. Evolve is starting to click, with one of the best aspects being that the stories are easy to follow. The show has only been around for a few months now but you can easily jump into things and know just about everything you need. It makes for an easy show to watch, which is what we got here. Nothing on here was complicated but it all made sense and they took steps forward with all of the stories. Nice, effective show here and I’ll take that every week.

Results
Kali Armstrong/Natalya b. Zayda Steel/Nikkita Lyons – Sharpshooter to Steel
Marcus Mathers b. Jordan Oasis – 450
Vanity Project b. Sean Legacy – Big boot

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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Evolve
Date: May 28, 2025
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Robert Stone

It’s a big show this week, with the first Women’s Champion being crowned. That means a four way elimination match for the inaugural title and that means we should be in for a big time main event. Other than that, the Men’s Title is being crowned next week so it’s time for a big push. Let’s get to it.

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

The four women in the title match (Kendal Grey, Kali Armstrong, Wendy Choo and Kylie Rae) are ready to win. Well Choo doesn’t talk because of course she doesn’t.

Opening sequence.

Jackson Drake vs. Lince Dorado vs. Jordan Oasis

The Vanity Project is here with Drake and the winner is in the Evolve Title match next week. Drake elbows both of them down to start and Oasis is sent outside. A top rope ax handle gets two on Dorado with Oasis coming back in for the save. Oasis hits a gutbuster for two on Drake and it’s time for a three way strike off.

Dorado gets the better of things but gets sent outside, leaving Drake to hammer on Oasis in the corner. Oasis plants him down for two but Brad Baylor makes the save. Dorado hits a big dive to the floor and goes to the back with the Vanity Project. Back up and Drake avoids a charge in the corner, setting up a running knee to pin Oasis at 5:52.

Rating: C+. This was a fine enough way to get the Vanity Project into the title match, as it would have been strange to not have them around in one way or another. I like the idea of bringing in a veteran like Dorado as well, as the fans are going to respond to someone they know. He’s still more than good enough in the ring to hold his own out here too, even if he isn’t likely going to win much.

Tyriek Igwe and Tyson DuPont are ready to take out Cappuccino Jones and Jack Cartwheel.

It’s Gal is by the pool but he can’t have as much fun as he wants because people are saying Troy Yearwood has a better physique. That doesn’t work for Gal, so Yearwood needs to stay out of his way.

Jackson Drake is back in the ring and brags about his success, promising to win the title next week. Cue Edris Enofe to interrupt, saying Drake shouldn’t brag while he’s around. Cue Sean Legacy to interrupt, saying he’s going to win. Drake isn’t impressed but cue Keanu Carver to interrupt, with Drake getting beaten down.

Cappuccino Jones and Jack Cartwheel say it’s their speed against Tyson DuPont and Tyriek Igwe’s power.

Cappuccino Jones/Jack Cartwheel vs. Tyriek Igwe/Tyson DuPont

Igwe powers Cartwheel down to start but Cartwheel is back up to work on the arm. DuPont comes in for a side slam but misses a charge into the corner. It’s off to Jones for a basement dropkick and a double clothesline puts DuPont on the floor. Cue Wes Lee to check on DuPont and Igwe, with the distraction letting DuPont get in a cheap shot to take over.

The double teaming is on but Jones gets over for the tag to Cartwheel. As we get a graphic saying Cartwheel is friends with Frank Frontroll and John Backflip, Cartwheel hits a big flip dive to take DuPont down, followed by a spinning moonsault for two on Igwe. DuPont runs Jones over on the floor though and it’s a Heartstopper for the pin on Cartwheel at 5:08.

Rating: B-. Power vs. speed very well may be the most basic story in wrestling and it went rather well here. They made the story clear and didn’t veer to one side or another with it, which is exactly how this needed to go. I liked this more than I was expecting, and Jones/Cartwheel as a regular team could be worth a try.

Stevie Turner signs Jin Tala to the roster. Carlee Bright comes in and is told she can’t be at ringside. Next week: Tala vs. Bright, and they’re both fine with it.

Natalya is here to watch the title match.

High Ryze (Wes Lee/Tyriek Igwe/Tyson DuPont) are happy with their win and acknowledge that Jack Cartwheel and Cappuccino Jones have potential.

Women’s Title: Kylie Rae vs. Kali Armstrong vs. Kendal Grey vs. Wendy Choo

Elimination rules for the inaugural title. They start fast and everyone but Grey goes to the floor, meaning it’s time for the big dive to take them out. Back in and Armstrong is rammed into Rae for two each, followed by Grey crossbodying Choo for the same. Choo pops up and gets all creepy, including a running shot to all three in various corners. A high crossbody hits Rae but Grey runs Choo over. The Kali Connection hits Choo and Rae adds a superkick to get rid of Choo at 2:54.

We take a break and come back with Rae hitting a pair of Cannonballs for two. Armstrong suplexes them both at the same time but Grey fights up and cleans house. Grey goes for a cross armbreaker on Armstrong but Rae grabs a rollup to pin Grey at 6:05 total. We’re down to Armstrong vs. Rae, with Armstrong making a quick comeback.

The Kali Connection is countered into a crossface in the middle of the ring but Armstrong powers up anyway. A powerslam doesn’t work for Armstrong and Rae gets two off a small package. Back up and Armstrong hits the powerslam followed by the Kali Connection for the pin and the title at 8:45.

Rating: C+. Uh, where’s the rest of this? They hyped up the match as being this huge deal and then it’s over in less than nine minutes? I was expecting this to go a lot longer than this and it was actually disappointing. That being said, Armstrong is the right choice for the win, as she has had the hot hand in recent weeks. Someone is going to have to overcome the power and athleticism and that is going to make them a big deal.

Post match Rae is distraught and Wendy Choo looks on, because that still needs to be a thing.

Natalya comes in to present the title, which Armstrong snatches away from her.

Overall Rating: C+. This show was focused on the titles for the most part, with the tag match in the middle adding a bit of variety. The men’s title match is feeling huge, though the women’s version didn’t quite live up to expectations. I’ll take the step forward though, as this is starting to feel like a more traditional wrestling show week by week.

Results
Jackson Drake b. Jordan Oasis and Lince Dorado – Running knee to Oasis
Tyson DuPont/Tyriek Igwe b. Cappuccino Jones/Jack Cartwheel – Heartstopper to Cartwheel
Kali Armstrong b. Kendal Grey, Kylie Rae and Wendy Choo last eliminating Rae

Remember to follow me on Twitter @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: May 7, 2025
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Robert Stone

Things very well may be picking up around here as we have a special announcement from Stevie Turner. That could go in a variety of directions as this show is still young enough that it has a lot of options. If nothing else, we might be seeing some new faces in the coming weeks after the recent string of releases/departures. Let’s get to it.

Opening sequence.

Here is Stevie Turner for her big announcement: the Evolve Men’s and Women’s Titles. The Women’s Title will be crowned in a four way match in three weeks, with Kali Armstrong, Kendal Grey, Wendy Choo and…someone else who will be determined. The Men’s Title will be crowned in four weeks with Sean Legacy facing three others.

Keanu Carver isn’t happy about not being included and gets in the ring for a showdown with Harlem Lewis. The Vanity Project runs in and are quickly cleared out. Cue Gallus to brawl with them out to the floor. Armstrong and Grey get in a fight of their own, with Armstrong taking out her knee. So we’re going to have Evolve Titles AND ID Titles? That sounds excessive.

We run down the card.

Video on Wendy Choo tormenting Kylie Rae.

Summer Sorrell is scared of facing Wendy Choo but she’s motivated to succeed. Maybe she needs a buddy.

Video on the ID Program, and some names who will be coming to Evolve, including It’s Gal, Marcus Mathers and Jordan Oasis. That has to happen sooner or later.

Nikkita Lyons wants a big match tonight and Stevie Turner announces that she’ll be facing Kendal Grey in the main event. Zayda Steel comes in and wants to be in the Women’s Title match. Turner isn’t convinced but Lyons thinks she could collaborate with the Vanity Project.

Summer Sorrell vs. Wendy Choo

Sorrell, who is rather athletic (believe it or not), cartwheels away from the smiling Choo to start. They run the ropes a few times and Sorrell hits a crossbody for two. Choo runs her over and hits a running shot to the throat. Sorrell gets planted again and the Dirt Nap finishes her off at 2:33.

Post match Choo goes after Sorrell again but Kylie Rae runs out for the brawl. The Dirt Nap is broken up with a snapmare and Choo bails.

Lexis King arrives.

After a break, here is King for a chat. King talks about wanting to come to Evolve back in the day because it was a way to get to the big time. Now it is a portal to NXT and no one knows more about the spotlight than him. He wants the spotlight around here but here is Sean Legacy to cut him off.

Legacy welcomes him to the show but King mocks Legacy for being a pretend locker room leader. That doesn’t work for Legacy, who has paid his dues and been through the sleepless nights for a $20 payoff and a handshake. Legacy isn’t going to let King run over Evolve and the match is made for next week. We get the aggressive handshake and the staredown. Legacy is all but guaranteed to go to NXT sooner or later so this is a preview of things to come

Kendal Grey insists that her knee is fine. Carlee Bright comes in to ask if Grey can fight tonight, which she insists she can.

Keanu Carver is looking for Gallus and Harlem Lewis joins him to do the same. Stevie Turner makes the match for next week.

Drako Knox vs. Jackson Drake

The Vanity Project is here with Drake. Knox gets powered into the corner to start but comes back with a running shoulder. A t-bone suplex sends Drake flying again but he knocks Knox’s hat off to take over. The chinlock goes on but Knox backdrops his way out of trouble. Drake takes him down again but gets crucifixed for two. Drake’s Lethal Injection is countered into something like a Blue Thunder Bomb for another knockdown. A kick to the leg cuts Knox off though and now a Lethal Injection cuts him down. The running knee gives Drake the pin at 5:08.

Rating: C. The Vanity Project getting a win is fine and Knox continues to be someone who can lose without being too damaged. Granted it helps when you don’t have much in the way of status to start. Drake isn’t exactly a star, but the Vanity Project needs a singles star to push rather than just the Swipe Right team over and over.

We get a sitdown interview with Javier Bernal, who had to deal with an eight month injury layoff. Now he’s back to hit the ground running in Evolve but he isn’t Big Body Javi anymore. He never really was Big Body Javi, but now he loves metalcore music. That’s the kind of unity he wants to bring here but It’s Gal comes in to mock him. This would mean a bit more if Bernal wasn’t already gone.

Lexis King runs into the Vanity Project as he leaves and he’ll see them next week.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Nikkita Lyons vs. Kendal Grey

Grey’s leg is very banged up. The leg gives out early to start and Lyons is right on her, with some mocking thrown in for a bonus. A legdrop on the apron crushes Grey and Lyons wraps the bad leg around the rope. Something like a half crab goes on but Grey kicks her way to freedom. A spinning kick to the face gives Lyons two and she sits down on the leg a few times.

The half crab goes on again but this time Grey makes the rope to escape. Lyons misses a running splash and Grey goes for a cross armbreaker, with Lyons powering her up for the escape. A choke on the back works a bit better for Grey and a middle rope shoulder puts Lyons down for two. Grey tries something off the ropes but the leg gives out again. A Vader Bomb finishes for Lyons at 6:13.

Rating: C+. Perfectly fine story to the match here with Grey trying to fight through the injury and showing heart but coming up short against the more experienced star. At the same time, this continued to enforce Lyons’ status of “not exactly great”, as she didn’t show anything here that makes me think otherwise. I get that she has something in the way of star power, but it isn’t clicking for me so far.

Post match Kali Armstrong runs in to go after Grey’s knee again. Grey is in trouble to end the show.

Overall Rating: C+. This show wasn’t exactly great, but it did a nice job of setting up the title matches. That’s the big story the show has been needing and I’m curious to see where it goes. Hopefully the titles wind up on people who can make the show more interesting, but what matters is there is a structure around here. Now just make the things that have been set up work out, which is the tricky part.

Results
Wendy Choo b. Summer Sorrell – Dirt Nap
Jackson Drake b. Drako Knox – Running knee
Nikkita Lyons b. Kendal Grey – Vader Bomb

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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Evolve
Date: April 30, 2025
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Robert Stone

We’re back to developmental’s developmental, which happens to be a fairly consistent show. Hopefully that continues this week, as the show has done well enough with keeping things fresh. The wrestlers around here have started to become established and if that continues, we could get some interesting stuff going forward. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening recap.

Opening sequence.

We run down the card.

Kylie Rae says the teddy bear that Wendy Choo gave to Zara Zakher last week belongs to her son. Rae’s son has been up crying because it has been missing and this ends tonight. Well that took a turn.

Zayda Steel vs. Layla Diggs

Bryce Donovan and Aria Bennett are here too. Steel takes her down and grabs an armbar to start. That’s reversed into a variety of flips into some arm cranking from Diggs, who fires off a handspring shoulder in the corner. A powerslam gives Diggs two but Steel sends her to the apron for a Codebreaker. Steel slaps her in the corner and gets taken down for some not great looking forearms. A stomp out of the corner gives Steel two and we hit the seated abdominal stretch. Diggs comes back with some kicks to the face for two but misses a handspring…something in the corner. Back up and the ZDT finishes Diggs at 4:52.

Rating: C. Steel is a case where it’s absolutely obvious why WWE wants to push her, but she is still at that point where nothing is coming naturally to her. It’s like you can see her working out every single thing she’s supposed to do in the ring. I get why she’s on this stage, but it’s not making for the most impressive showings. Diggs is another name on the long list of really athletic stars who have very little that makes them stand out. That’s going to need to change or she isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Tyriek Igwe/Tyson DuPont vs. Aaron Rourke/Freedom Ramsey

Igwe and Rourke start things off, with the glittery Rourke being shoved down. Rourke slips out of a slam and seems to embarrass Igwe so it’s off to DuPont vs. Ramsey. DuPont actually gets taken down into the corner and it’s back to Rourke for a handspring double slap to the chest.

That just annoys DuPont, who hammers on Rourke and grabs a shoulder breaker. A running corner clothesline rocks Rourke again but a missed…something lets Rourke grab a rollup. Rourke enziguris his way to freedom and tags, uh, Freedom, to clean house. A middle rope ax handle is punched out of the air though and Rourke is knocked outside. The Heartstopper finishes Ramsey at 4:29.

Rating: C. Not much to see here, with Igwe and DuPont getting to establish themselves on their new show. They’re a team who could go somewhere if they’re given a chance and they’re not quite good enough to be regulars in NXT. Instead let us see what they can do here and it might be an improvement. If nothing else it gets them reps and that could be useful.

Wendy Choo vs. Kylie Rae

Choo wrestles a charging Rae down to start and grabs a headlock. Rae fights up and gets a smile from Choo, setting up a backslide for two. Choo takes her down again and spins her neck around, only to get taken down again. A basement superkick puts Choo down and it’s time to go after the teddy bear. Choo sends her hard into the post though and we take a break.

Back with Rae grabbing a Russian legsweep and hitting some clotheslines, setting up the crossface. That’s broken up so Rae drops her again and goes up, where Choo gets in a slam off the top. A brainbuster gives Choo two and she grabs the bear. Choo rips the bear’s head off and Rae goes into rage mode. A bunch of forearms have Choo rocked but Rae goes for the beat, meaning Choo can grab the Dirt Nap for the win at 7:25.

Rating: C. The stuff with the teddy bear is fine as it goes into a different world of psychological warfare, but the way Choo is being presented brings it so far down. Choo has shown she can make other things work, but this whole evil sleep demon or whatever she is supposed to be isn’t working. At the same time, it feels like they are setting Rae up for something bigger, as they keep pointing out that she hasn’t won anything yet.

Post match Choo draws black lines on Rae’s face, making it look like she’s frowning.

Kali Armstrong is happy with her win and wants to become the first Women’s Champion. She knows she’s getting better and she wants to be the first so she can be the best.

Haze Jameson is in the VIP section.

Keanu Carver/Harlem Lewis vs. Swipe Right

The rest of the Vanity Project is here with Swipe Right. Lewis shoves Baylor down without much trouble to start and it’s off to Carver vs. Smokes. Carver takes him down as well and forcefully hands it back to Lewis. Baylor gets beaten down rather quickly and the makeshift team takes turns slamming him. Everything breaks down and Carver throws Smokes outside.

Back in and Lewis gets caught in the corner for a running shot to the face in the corner. Baylor hammers away and hands it off to Smokes for more of the same. Lewis suplexes both of them at once and brings Carver back in to wreck Baylor. A double Pounce takes out Swipe Right so it’s back to Lewis, with a Boom Slang and a powerslam getting the double pin at 5:50.

Rating: C+. This was exactly what it should have been as Carver and Lewis came off looking like a pair of bulldozers. They smashed through Swipe Right, who couldn’t do anything to hold them back. It was just a few steps above a squash, which is surprising as Swipe Right has been a big deal, but there seem to be some plans for Carver and Lewis.

Stevie Turner is impressed with the main event but Gallus comes in. They want to fight Lewis and Carver.

Overall Rating: C+. This might not have been a great show full of awesome matches, but what we got was good enough and added in some new names with Igwe and DuPont. At the same time, it gave us some stuff to look forward to as some stories are growing. I want to see where that goes and I’ll take that as a sign they are doing something right. If you keep the fans wanting to come back for more, everything should be fine.

Results
Zayda Steel b. Layla Diggs – ZDT
Tyriek Igwe/Tyson DuPont b. Aaron Rourke/Freedom Ramsey – Heartstopper to Ramsey
Wendy Choo b. Kylie Rae – Dirt Nap
Keanu Carver/Harlem Lewis b. Swipe Right – Double pin

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Evolve
Date: April 2, 2025
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Robert Stone

It’s pretty clear that WWE is actually doing something with this show, as Swipe Right showed up on this week’s NXT, which is more than you would have gotten from LVL Up throughout its history. This show isn’t exactly great, but it’s the definition of something that is quick and to the point, which I can always go for in wrestling. Let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Commentary runs down the card.

Brinley Reece is a big fitness person but there is more to her than that.

Zayda Steele is the real deal (see, it rhymes) and she always has to have her makeup and hair done perfectly. She was the first WWE ID signing and she’s ready for it all.

Brinley Reece vs. Zayda Steel

They fight over arm control to start as Jackson Drake is in the VIP Area. Steel fights up and slaps her in the face but gets taken down by the arm for her efforts. Reece tries a backslide but flips Steel over for a faceplant (that’s a new one), only for Steel to knock her back down. A kick to the head gives Steele two and we hit the chinlock. That’s broken up with a belly to back suplex and Reece makes the clothesline comeback for two. Steel’s rollup with tights gets the same, only to walk into Breeces To Pieces (TKO) for the pin at 5:12.

Rating: C. I was surprised by Steel losing here as it felt like she was being presented as a big deal. At the same time though, Reece is someone who has been around for a bit longer and has something more of a track record. You can tell that WWE sees something in Steel and she looked ok in there, with the stuck up character working well enough.

Post match Swipe Right come out to drag Steel out.

Zara Zakher tries to fire up Kylie Rae, who is a bit scared of Wendy Choo, but she’s ready to fight. Or at least try.

Keanu Carver is always ready and thinks he could be the face of the company.

Luca Crusifino, who is the consigliere of the D’Angelo Family. He’s here on a mission to push the Family’s impact on Evolve.

Keanu Carver vs. Luca Crusifino

Crusifino hammers away to start and grabs a quickly broken sleeper. A slingshot shoulder has Carver down in the corner for a Cannonball as the hot start continues. Another slingshot is cut off though and Carver hits him in the face to take over. Carver sends him crashing out to the floor and we hit the chinlock back inside. That’s broken up so Carver hits a heck of a running basement forearm. Crusifino tries to fight up but his back gives out, only for Carver to miss a running shoulder in the corner. The Lawbreaker (Codebreaker) sets up a running boot for two on Carver, who is looking annoyed. Carver Pounces the heck out of him, setting up a running twisting powerslam for the pin at 5:07.

Rating: C+. Putting these younger stars over someone from higher up on the food chain, event a few steps up, is a good idea. Carver is being presented as a big deal around here and that is how you turn rookies into somebodies. Crusifino isn’t going to be hurt by this loss as he and the Family are already dealing with Dark State on NXT. Everyone wins. Well not Crusifino but you get the idea.

Masyn Holiday vs. Chantel Monroe

Holiday runs her over to start and then does it again for a bonus. A hiptoss takes Monroe to the apron, where a pull of the hair has her more than a bit panicked. Monroe fights back and works on the arm a bit before grabbing a chinlock. That’s broken up and Holiday hits some running shoulders but Monroe takes her down by the arm again. A rollup with trunks pins Holiday at 4:31.

Rating: C-. This was the first match where it felt like you were seeing two people who weren’t exactly experienced veterans in there. You have to start somewhere and they need experience, which was on display here. The match wasn’t terrible or even bad, but it felt rather basic and there wasn’t much in the way of energy, which isn’t a good combination.

Post match Monroe says she’s coming for the WWE ID Women’s Title.

We get a sitdown between Kali Armstrong and Dani Palmer, with Armstrong saying Palmer should be on the ground like Armstrong is going to leave her next week. Palmer says she missed a dive a few weeks ago but they should be working together. Armstrong says that’s a loser mentality, but Palmer gets in her face and says Armstrong isn’t good enough to back up these threats. Violence is promised next week. Palmer wasn’t great here but Armstrong showed more presence than Holiday and Monroe combined.

Joe Coffey vs. Harlem Lewis

They fight over a lockup to start before Coffey snaps off some armdrags. Coffey is pulled out of the air in quite the power display and Lewis sends him throat first into the top rope. Lewis stomps away and runs him over for a few near falls. Coffey fights out of a chinlock and hits a running shoulder. A spinning high crossbody gives Coffey two and another crossbody takes both of them to the floor. Coffey punches the post by mistake though and his hand is banged up. Back in and the hand gives out, allowing Lewis to hit a Jackhammer for the pin at 5:17.

Rating: C+. I know that they aren’t that popular and I can get why but what the heck has happened to Gallus? The team, including Coffey, was a big enough deal in NXT that they should be better than this, but they just aren’t anymore. It’s weird seeing Coffey, who headlined two of the three NXT UK Takeovers, losing to a rookie, but points to Lewis for looking good in his big chance.

Kylie Rae vs. Wendy Choo

Choo pulls back her offer of a handshake to start so Rae takes her to the mat for a headscissors. Choo stands up to escape and grabs a headlock as commentary talks about how scary Choo really is. Back up and Rae flips over her, setting up a quick dropkick. Choo takes her down with a neckbreaker but Rae is back up with another comeback.

The Cannonball gets two but Choo plants her down again. Rae rolls out of the corner and hits a basement superkick, only for Choo to do an Undertaker sit up. Rae says she isn’t afraid of Choo and hits another superkick, setting up a crossface. Choo rolls out and hits a full nelson slam, setting up the Dirt Nap for the win at 6:15.

Rating: C. Choo, or at least what she is currently doing, is the definition of someone I don’t get, as the whole sleep deal has never done anything for me either in NXT or Evolve. She’s talented on her own but instead we’re stuck with…whatever this whole deal is supposed to be. On the other hand you have Rae, who is one of the bigger names coming in for this show and is kind of feeling more like a jobber to the stars thus far.

Overall Rating: C+. This show was focusing on having some of the newer stars getting some big wins and that is what needs to happen eventually. It doesn’t need to take place in every match, but stuff like this is important for their elevation in WWE. This show continues to fly by every week and things are starting to come together, which is nice to see for such a new series.

Results
Brinley Reece b. Zayda Steel – Breeces To Pieces
Keanu Carver b. Luca Crusifino – Running powerslam
Chantel Monroe b. Masyn Holiday – Rollup with trunks
Harlem Lewis b. Joe Coffey – Jackhammer
Wendy Choo b. Kylie Rae – Dirt Nap

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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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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NXT LVL Up
Date: December 27, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

So it’s the final show and for the first time in a good while, we actually have something set up coming in. While we have what is likely going to be a six woman tag, we also have Dante Chen running a gauntlet because this is his show. I’m not sure how to handle something being ready on the way to the show so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Lainey Reid/Wendy Choo/Kali Armstrong vs. Layla Diggs/Carlee Bright/Kendal Grey

Grey and Reid slug it out on the mat to start and Reid quickly hands it off to Choo. That doesn’t last long as Armstrong comes in, with Diggs slamming Bright onto her for two. Reid comes back in to punch Bright in the face, followed by one to Diggs to draw her in as well. Bright fights up and brings in Diggs to pick up the pace without much trouble. Everything breaks down and Diggs ax kicks Reid for the pin at 5:30.

Rating: C+. This is the closest thing to a blowoff to a feud as we’re going to get around here and it went well enough. Diggs doesn’t exactly stand out around here but she got her big win over Reid, who has been all over the show in recent months. If nothing else, it’s nice to have Bright and Grey get a win as things close up.

Dante Chen is ready to face anyone who wants their shot.

We look at some stars who have gone from LVL Up to the main NXT show. That’s a nice little touch.

Gauntlet Match

It’s Dante Chen facing a bunch of people, starting with Keanu Carver, who had a good performance last week. Chen runs the ropes to start but gets caught in a powerslam. Back up and Carver is sent into the corner, allowing Chen to grab a rollup for the pin at 1:32. Harlem Lewis is the second opponent and immediately grabs a suplex for two. A hard kick in the corner staggers Chen again but he’s right back with the Gentle Touch for the pin at 3:51 total.

Kale Dixon is the third opponent and hammers away, including a bit of dancing. Dixon plants him down and chops away in the corner but Chen fights up. Chen is sent to the floor and comes back in to get caught with something like a Downward Spiral. For some reason Dixon tries the Gentle Touch, only to get caught with one of his own to give Chen the pin at 7:26 total for the final win. That’s the whole gauntlet?

Rating: C. Well, that’s about as perfect of a way for Chen to wrap it up: a nondescript match where he didn’t show anything notable and you’re left saying “that’s it?”. I’m still not sure I get the appeal of Chen around here, and as his only appearance in a month and a half after this was losing in less than a minute on the main NXT show, WWE doesn’t seem to see it either.

Chen poses to end the show and the series.

Overall Rating: C. And that’s LVL Up and…I have no idea what the point was in having this most of the time. It was about half an hour a week most of the time and had very little in the way of storylines, making it as skippable of a show as you could have. At the same time, it still felt totally unimportant and like a waste of time most weeks. I get that it helps the wrestlers getting their feet wet and earning some experience for the bigger parts of their careers, but egads they could have made it more interesting. It felt like they were trying a bit more here, but that doesn’t make the last few years any better.

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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AND

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NXT LVL Up
Date: December 20, 2024
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Byron Saxton

We’re down to two shows and that means we aren’t going to be getting much out of them. That means we are going to likely be seeing the same stars we usually get around here, but since there isn’t much in the way of stories, what else are they suppose to do? That leaves them in a weird spot so let’s get to it.

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

Opening sequence.

Joe Coffey vs. Keanu Carver

Carver shrugs off a shoulder to start and grabs a front facelock before knocking Coffey outside. Back in and Carver pulls a high crossbodying Coffey out of the air to put him down again. A powerslam gives Carver two and he grabs an Argentinean backbreaker. That’s broken up and Coffey starts hammering away, setting up the big running shoulder. All The Best For The Bells is loaded up but Carver Pounces him down. Coffey goes simple with the running headbutt into the corner, setting up All The Best For The Bells for the pin at 5:23.

Rating: C+. This was much more about Carver, who dominated most of the match against a more established star. That worked out well as Carver got to showcase himself, which is always a good thing. It was a nice showcase here, even with Coffey winning in the end, as he should at this point.

Lainey Reid is annoyed at being asked about her match tonight with Kendal Grey.

Kendal Grey is ready to beat Lainey Reid.

Lainey Reid vs. Kendal Grey

Grey grabs a fast rollup to start and Reid is looking a bit concerned. Back up and Grey knocks her into the corner, setting up a middle rope crossbody for two. The bridging hammerlock has Reid in more trouble but she manages a belly to belly suplex for a needed breather. A running crotch attack to the back hits Grey for two but Reid elbows her in the face a few times. Reid shrugs off a rollup and knees her in the face for the pin at 5:48.

Rating: C. Grey (and Carlee Bright) has kind of disappeared in recent weeks and you could see why here. They just do not have much that makes them stand out and that is going to create an issue. There are so many talented women in the NXT women’s division that just being in great shape and being athletic isn’t going to carry them very far. The match was nothing to see, but that shouldn’t be much of a shock.

Post match the beatdown is on with Carlee Bright making the save. Kali Armstrong, Wendy Choo and Layla Diggs run in for the big brawl. A six woman seems likely.

Dante Chen talks about how he is known for this show so next week on the final show, he’ll be in a gauntlet match. Who else could it be in the last show?

Overall Rating: C+. I’ll take some things being set up for the grand finale, even if there is very little to get excited about. The opener was a nice way to make Carver look like a bigger deal and the post main event stuff set up things for next week, so we’ll call this a nicely done show. Just stick the landing as well as possible next week and this will work out.

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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AND

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