Leighty’s WWE Evolve Review 4.29.26

-Written: 4.29.26
-Source: Tubi
-Run Time: 55:45
-Episode: 58

-Plugs: Nitro: Dec 23, 1996

-Pens’ season is over and I blame myself for basking in the misery of Philly fans when my Niners ended the Eagles season. Now, Philly ends the season for my Pens. Such is life!

-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Peter Rosenberg
-Taped: WWE PC, Orlando, FL

-Then, Now, Forever, Together!

-Harlem Lewis pretaped interview as he says tonight is his moment and they work in a way for him to preview what else is coming tonight. It seems tonight is the last night for Kali Armstrong on Evolve.

-Show opening!

Kali Armstrong vs. Tyra Mae Steele

-This is Kali’s final Evolve match as she will be exclusive to NXT. We also know that Tyra Mae Steele was one of the post Mania releases, which was surprising. She won LFG Season One and is an Olympian. I figured she would get time, but I guess they didn’t get the growth they wanted. Not sure how many more appearances we will see from her on Evolve. Feeling our process and Tyra gets things to the mat. Kali counters and they continue to trade go behinds. Tyra flatters Kali out and gets a two count. Kali with a side headlock and gets a shoulder tackle. Hip-toss followed by a dropkick and then a headlock takeover. Tyra counters with a head scissors. Kali back to the side headlock. Whip to the corner, but Tyra hits a Rear View to knock Kali down. She goes back to her amateur background, so Kali starts throwing strikes. She gets her groove on and hits one last punch. Tyra goes for the Rear View a second time, but Kali catches her and throws her to the floor. Baseball slide, but Tyra stops that and goes after the ankle by bending it against the apron. We take a break at 4:10.

-Backlash Tampa commercial!

-Back at 4:40 with Tyra throwing Kali across the ring with a suplex. Another one that snaps Kali’s ankle off the bottom rope. Cool! She continues going after the ankle. She goes for a gutwrench suplex, but Kali lands on her feet and end sup getting a spinebuster for two. Kali hobbles but gets a shoulder tackle in the corner. Powerslam, but the leg gives out and TMS gets a small package for two. Ankle lock, but Kali escapes and gets a sunset flip for two. Right back to the ankle lock! Kali reverses to a pin attempt for two. Angle Slam, but Kali counters and this time hits the powerslam. Kali digs deep and hits Kali Connection for the pin at 8:37.

Winner: Kali Armstrong via pin at 8:37
-If we didn’t know TMS was released, I would have said this was a missed opportunity. Instead Kali gets one last moment of glory in Evolve. She was the first Evolve Women’s Champion and held it down, so good for her getting this last win. **3/4

-Kali gets to say her goodbyes and notes she made history and nobody can take it away from her. “I built this place.” She is on her way to NXT to make history and it will always be “all gas, no brakes until I get mine. Straight, like that.” She should crush in NXT!

-It’s Gal vignette as apparently he has feelings and nobody asks how he is doing. Sometimes he just wants to fit in. He has last pump partners and been disrespected by everyone. “Are they the dummies or is It’s Gal the dummy.” His emotion muscle is hurting. He has to find a way! This was spectacular and made me smile! Can I get something with It’s Gal and Danhausen? It’s Gal would work with Miz down the line.

Romeo Moreno vs. Chazz “Starboy” Hall

-Before the bell, Max Abrams is out with ID 2.0. They respect “Starman’s” game and ask him to join ID 2.0. Hall is proud to be part of the new ID crew, but isn’t feeling the ID 2.0 group. Moreno tells them off, but gets attacked by 2.0 annd Starboy pulls them away. He gets attacked and I assume we are getting a tag match at some point. Valor plants Hall with a sweet spinebuster. So NXT 2.0 is the new Vanity Project. No match obviously.

-SNME May 23 in Fort Wayne, IN

-Foreman Thatcher is in his office and congratulates Kali on being called up to NXT. Before he can say much else, he is interrupted by two big dudes and can only offer them a job as security. They accept.

-Tristan Angels cuts another promo in a video package.

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

-Rune starts with Diggs and gets a side headlock. Blind tag to Holiday who comes in and gets a dropkick for one. Interesting that Layla and Masyn are the veterans in this scenario. Flip into a shoulder tackle in the corner. Holiday with an Earthquake splash for two. Capri lands a right hand after Rune distracts Holiday. Carp works her over in the corner and gets an interesting choke on the bottom rope as she does a full split. Never saw Nash do a big boot choke like that! Rune in and hits a running elbow in the corner. Another one to the back of the head. Capri back in and she hooks a reverse chinlock. Masyn fights and gets the tag to Layla. She fires off kicks and hits Capri with the SOS Slam. Pele to Rune for two as Capri makes the save. Everyone in the ring as things break down. Ax Kick from Layla gets the pin at 4:34 on Rune.

Winner: Layla Diggs and Masyn Holiday via pin at 4:34
-This was fine as need to get the newbies out there. Diggs and Holiday are the more experienced team, so them winning makes sense. *1/2

-Capri blames Ayna after the match.

-Chuey Martinez is backstage and sits down with Evolve Women’s Champion, Wendy Choo, and Laynie Luck. They meet next week and get one final chance to spit verbal fire. Luck is grateful, but not letting her guard. Wendy is finally her authentic self and won’t change as it brought her to the Evolve Championship. She is excited to face Luck, but The Era of Champ Choo is not ending.

-July 18: SNME MSG! That should be a hot crowd!

-Cappuccino Jones checks on Moreon and Hall. They seem to agree the match would have been crazy, but each thinks they would have won. Cap knows these two are cool and asks if they are down for a six man tag match next week. There’s the tag match announcement we were expecting.

WWE Evolve Championship: Aaron Rourke (c) vs. Harlem Lewis vs. Braxton Cole

-Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins are in The VIP Lounge. Rourke cuts a promo backstage as he thrives under this pressure. He is going to steal the spotlight..just…like…that. “Champ business.”

-Super, special, in ring introductions! Rourke kind of steals Alexa Bliss’ belt pose. Could be a tribute as well I guess. This is one fall to a finish. Cole drops Lewis and then goes after Rourke. He charges, but misses and Lewis catches him with a slam. Dropkick by Rourke and Cole bails to the floor. Lewis and Rourke have a go with neither man gaining an advantage. Rourke is able to get a Side Russian Leg Sweep and does a handstand into a heel kick to knock Cole off the apron. Splash, but Lewis gets the knees up to block. Hard whip to the corner, but Rourke gets a boot up to block a charge. Rourke heads up, but Cole knocks him down and then sends Lewis to the floor. We take a break at 2:12.

-WrestleMania 43: Saudi Arabia commercial! I assume Nashville is getting 44 and Indy will get 45.

-Back at 2:58 with Rourke hitting a clothesline on Rourke in the ring. He gets two off a modified suplex. Lewis to the apron, Cole knocks him off with a right hand. Cole works the neck of Rourke and throws knees. Lewis rushes back in and hits a knee. Rourke with a roll-up for two. Rourke tries a Tornado DDT off Cole but Lewis powers out and drops Rourke gut first on the top rope. Rourke gets run into the post and that lets Cole hit Lewis with a neckbreaker. Whip to the corner and Cole catches Lewis coming out with a slam. The rag has been knocked off Lewis’ head and for some reason he looks less intimidating. I mean, still a tough dude, but the rag looks better. Rourke back in and hits a basement dropkick to the knee of Lewis and then a boot to the temple. He runs corner to corner to hit each man and then runs them into each other in the corner. Backstabber to Cole! Rana to Lewis and he comes off the top onto Cole for a two count. Rourke back up top but Lewis knocks him down. Brooks Jensen is watching from the aisle and we will see if that means anything. We get a Tower of Doom spot as the camera focuses on Jensen. Rourke counters a move into a roll-up for two. Rourke lands a running boot, but Cole falls to the floor. Rourke tells Lewis to come take the title from him. Running big boot from Harlem. Lewis with a punch to the face. Lewis shakes it off and throws Rourke on his face and hits Boomslang, but Cole pulls him off the cover. He drops Lewis on the railing and here’s Rourke with a dive to the floor. Back in the ring Molly Go Round gets the pin at 11:11.

Winner: Aaron Rourke via pin at 11:11
-This was good, but never got to the next level like other main event matches we have had on this show. If this had been Rourke vs. Lewis, I would have bought a title change happening. I think it became obvious Cole was there to take the pin, which is fine. This played to the triple threat formula with one guy being tossed out for a bit before the big finale. They teased issues with Kam and Harley and Jensen, but they stayed as observers which is nice to see. Lewis still has a gripe as he has not gotten his one on one match. ***

-Harley and Kam tease getting into the ring, but we are out of time.

-Thanks for reading!

6.5

The final score: review Average

The 411

Solid show as usual from the Evolve kids. We are in a transition period with new faces coming in and old faces graduating. Tonight was about seeing Kali get her flowers and then the big Main Event. As is normal with the show, we also have things set up already for next week and we officially have a new stable to throw at our heroes. An effective use the hour they were given and while the wrestling was a little below what we have seen, it was still enjoyable to watch.