wrestling
Hall’s WWE Evolve Review – 7.8.26
Loading...Evolve
Date: July 8, 2026
Location: WWE Performance Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Blake Howard, Robert Stone
We’re on the way towards….I have no idea actually, but the Mog Squad is cleaning house at the moment and ran over a group of ID Program stars last week. That almost has to go well for them and I could go for seeing where the whole thing goes. Other than that, Aaron Rourke seems ready to face Harlem Lewis for the Evolve Title so let’s get to it.
Sloane Jacobs wants Nikkita Lyons’ celebration to be the best and it better work out. WWE and NXT stars and celebrities are invited so you better be watching.
Opening sequence.
Robert Stone is back on commentary for some reason. Ok then.
Here is the Mog Squad, in mostly matching gold trunks, for a chat. They’re rather pleased with how well last week’s main event went and they all brag about their individual skills. On top of that, they have the fastest rising team around. The reality is they are unstoppable so who is next. Cue Timothy Thatcher, who has a special guest.
CJ Valor vs. Cutler James
James throws him down to start and grinds away on a headlock. Valor pulls him into a mostly blocked cross armbreaker before going with a regular armbar. Back up and Valor dropkicks him into the corner but misses a charge of his own. That lets James fire off shoulders to the ribs in various corner, followed by a pop up uppercut not in the corner. Back up and James misses a charge into the post as we take a break.
We come back with Valor knocking him into the corner again, followed by James’ shoulder being sent into the buckle. A spinebuster gives Valor two and we hit the chinlock. Valor’s top rope headbutt misses and James starts firing off the uppercuts. A gutwrench gutbuster sets up the Dark Matter to end Valor at 6:57.
Rating: C+. James is getting to do something around here and that’s a good thing, as it’s not like there is anything positive going on with Darkstate. Valor losing a singles match to a star higher up on the food chain isn’t a bad thing so hopefully he is able to find something else to do. For now though, this was a nice way to shut the Squad up a bit, as Thatcher doesn’t care for them running their mouths.
Post match Thatcher says that it’s time for Ball and Rivera to prove themselves.
Noam Dar/Romeo Moreno vs. Mog Squad
Moreno and Ball start things off with Moreno rolling a neckbreaker early on. With that not working it’s off to Rivera, who gets wristlocked by Dar. That’s switched into a chinlock to keep Rivera in trouble for a bit, followed by a left hand to put him right back down. Dar works on the arm only to get taken into the corner so Ball can work on Dar’s arm for a change. That’s shrugged off as well and it’s Dar sending Ball into the corner for a backdrop from Moreno. A cheap shot from the apron slows Moreno down though and Ball kicks him to the floor as we take a break.
We come back with…Sloane Jacobs trying to get some women to come to Nikkita Lyons’ party with Zena Sterling turning it down. I’d be more worried about someone secretly filming in the women’s locker room. Anyway we come back to the arena with Moreno still in trouble, including some running kicks in the corner. Ball hits a nice dropkick for two but Moreno fights out of the corner and brings Dar in for the running forearms.
Ball kicks Rivera by mistake and gets sent into a kick in the corner. A dropkick/Tower Of London combination gets two on Ball as everything breaks down. Moreno misses a springboard moonsault and an assisted German suplex gets two as Moreno’s foot is in the rope. The Squad seems to think it’s over so Moreno is back up with a big running flip dive. Back in and a double slam finishes Ball at 10:07.
Rating: B-. This was a long match for Evolve and while it was technically fine, it still wasn’t the most thrilling match. Moreno and Dar still don’t do much for me with what they’re doing in the ring but at least they’re getting the chance to do something. There is nothing wrong with throwing a team together so maybe they can get it rolling sooner or later.
Hold on though as Thatcher has one more match to announce, but it can wait until next week. That would be Max Abrams vs. Chazz Hall.
Aaron Rourke and Harlem Lewis meet up in the back, with Lewis saying he’s ready for his title shot next week. Rourke doesn’t need to hear Lewis’ backstory because he knows what kind of man Lewis can be. Lewis respects what Rourke has been through to get here (Rourke appreciates that) but every story comes to an end.
They both want to fight for people who are like them and Lewis is directing all of his suppressed anger at Rourke. That’s fine with Rourke, who knows what it’s like to be called all kinds of things. He’s ready to show that he’s glamour and grit. Nice job here of finding a way for two guys to respect each other but want to fight anyway.
Kale Dixon and his still unnamed blonde cohort have a photo shoot with the blonde praising Dixon’s looks, both in and out of his shirt.
Harley Riggins vs. Ulka Sasaki
Sasaki has been in both Pro Wrestling Noah and the UFC. His offer of a handshake is kicked away so Sasaki tries some unsuccessful running shoulders. Sasaki pulls him down into a Fujiwara armbar but Riggins powers out and grabs a tilt-a-whirl powerslam. Back up and Sasaki’s small package is reversed into a suplex for another near fall. Sasaki is able to send him into the middle buckle as the fans actually get behind Sasaki for a change. A kick to the head puts Riggins down for two but Riggins knees him in the face for the pin at 3:24.
Rating: C. They were in a tough spot here as Sasaki was coming in brand new and the fans only had so much of a reason to care about what he was doing. He’s fine with a background that should show what he can do rather easily but he didn’t have a chance to show that here. Riggins is good enough as a monster, but he feels like he would be better as a team, as he has been thus far.
Post match Riggins talks to new ringside reporter Adrianna Rizzo (hey she’s back) and says he’s riding alone from now on. He still wants to take out Tate Wilder.
Earlier this week, Elijah Holyfield was training with Noam Dar, who explained that Holyfield lost because he got too emotional. Dar explained some counters and techniques (with Holyfield getting the ideas) but Brooks Jensen was watching from the shadows.
Viktor Zanov and Shido Ash used to be security guards but they were also former judo stars. Now they’re kicking the door in and it’s time to come for everyone.
We look at Kendal Grey winning the NXT Women’s Title at the Great American Bash.
And now, Nikkita Lyons’ championship celebration, with Sloane Jacobs, Veronica Haven and Gianna Capri in the ring. They introduce Lyons, who is nice enough to sing her own theme song. Jacobs praises Lyons and invites out the rest of the guests…and no one comes. Lyons gets out some tarot cards to find her first challenger as Jacobs mocks Wendy Choo and Laynie Luck.
Instead here is Wren Sinclair to say she wants to add the title to the Wren QCC collection. This brings out Skylar Raye and Layla Diggs to say they want title shots. Diggs gets laid out and the brawl is on, with Lyons being left alone in the ring. Luck sneaks in to AA Lyons through the table. Humiliating a bragging champion is always a good thing and this worked out well enough, especially with a bunch of new women ready to come after the title.
Results
Cutler James b. CJ Valor – Dark Matter
Noam Dar/Romeo Moreno b. Mog Squad – Double slam to Ball
Harley Riggins b. Ulka Sasaki – Knee to the head
