wrestling / TV Reports
Leighty’s WWE Evolve Review 4.8.26
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Written: 4.8.26
-Run Time: 47:56
-Source: Tubi
-Episode: 55
-Plugs: SuperBrawl IV, Nitro 12.2.96
-Personal Note: I’ve noted before that I play in a Church Dartball League. Well, for the second straight season we are Fayette County Church League World Series Champions. We finished off an epic 7 Game Series last night by coming back from losing the first two games and trailing 6-0 in the 7th inning of Game Six. A comeback there forced Game Seven and we walked away with another Championship. It was another fun season boys and shout-out to each of you: Brian, Jason, Richie, Mike, Charlie, Duncan, Scott L, Scott B, Ron, Dan, and Jarred. Next year, we go for the three-peat!
-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Peter Rosenberg
-Taped: WWE PC, Orlando, FL
-Earlier today, Starboy arrived and says he takes his first step to becoming a star on NXT, RAW, SmackDown and one day, WrestleMania. Before he can finish, the camera rushes to a fight and we see Kam and Harley standing over Tate Wilder and Luca Crusifino with chairs. The tag match is in jeopardy.
Tristan Angels vs. Romeo Moreno
-Angels gets an insert promo and he is the most handsome man we have ever had the pleasure of laying our eyes on. We have England vs. Spain here! Moreno is known El Freestyle it seems. He also gets an insert promo and says he will create a masterpiece. He will create his legacy. Angels gets wrist control and takes Moreno down into an armbar. Moreno kips up and flips out and gets a go behind. Angels escapes and gets a roll-up for two. Moreno gets the back again, but Angels gets to the ropes to break and then slaps Moreno in the face. Angels with a bow, so Moreno slaps him back. With that long, blonde hair, Angels is giving me Dolph Ziggler vibes. Backdrop suplex from Moreno gets two. They trade chops. Moreno with a whip to the corner and then catches Angels with a boot to the face. Angels gets Moreno tied up in the ropes and lands a knee to the back. Another knee to the ribs and he goes ground and pound. Vertical suplex gets two! Tilt-a-whirl backbreaker gets two! The crowd is behind Moreno in this one. Another slap from Angels, but he runs into an elbow. Moreno gets dumped to the apron, but hits a step up enziguiri. He goes to spring in, but Angels shoves him off the top and that sends us to a break at 4:20.
-Backlash: Tampa!
-Back at 4:50 with Angels holding a submission. Moreno fights to his feet and breaks with an elbow to the ribs. Roll into a dropkick from Moreno creates the space he needs. Leaping clothesline and another from Romeo. He sends Angels to the floor with a hip-lock and then flies off the top with a springboard crossbody. Missile Dropkick back in the ring gets two! Angels is able to grab the leg and gets a Dragon Screw Leg Whip. Roll-up gets two and he hooks a Half-Crab on the kick-out. Nice! Howard lets us know Angels has been competing for three years. Moreno counters and rolls through and gets a vertical suplex for two. Moreno up top, but Angels rolls to the floor. They end up battling on the apron and trade strikes. Moreno tries a running kick, but Angels pulls him off and onto the steps. Sweet! Knee to the back of the head gets the pin at 8:23.
Winner: Tristan Angels via pin at 8:23
-Good outing for both men. The crowd was clearly behind Moreno which was a good sign. The finish was strong with Moreno getting caught on the steps and the finisher looked good. I want to see more of these two. ***
-Santi Rivera and Jacari Ball bond backstage and get interrupted by It’s Gal. They bond and the new ID Prospects are down with doing Chest Day with Gal.
-Byron Saxton makes an Evolve appearance. All the best to Byron as he recently lost his mother. He has four new women signing: Gianna Capri, who trained at Flatbacks Wrestling and worked in SHINE. Next is Sloane Jacobs and I am familiar with her as she had matches on Level Up. She trained at The Worldwide Dojo and made waves at Create A Pro. She has waited three long years for her redemption. Next is Veronica Haven and she trained at Future Stars in Vegas and mentions Ruthless Aggression. She started in Arizona Wrestling and Duke Cities. Finally, Anya Rune, who is an anime girl and was in Shine. She trained at The Star Lab and was their first female graduate. She is the main character of everyone’s favorite anime. We will have no choice, but to notice her.
-PJ Vasa is out and she only sees her future victims. She is the last one in The Gauntlet and tells the to come get their issue.
-Hall of Fame! Next Friday! Midnight Eastern!
-Foreman Thatcher says Evolve is changing and he is trying to make Evolve the best show it can be. He adds Tyra to the add Gauntlet to make six and the winner of the next macth will be seven. He will make a phone call for our eigth entrant. He could suspend Kam and Harley, but won’t. When Luca and Tate are cleared, the tag match will be back on.
Gianna Capri vs. Sloane Jacobs vs. Veronica Haven vs. Anya Rune
-Winner advances to the Gauntlet Match next week. The four women hug to start and then we get stereo hip-tosses. Haven off the top with a cross-body for two on Sloan and Capri. Blake notes what I said earlier about Jacobs being on Level Up previously. She came in with the same class as Roxanne Perez, Thea, and Sol. Nikkita Lyons and Laynie Luck (thanks for the twitter like of my Evolve Review) are watching from VIP. Capri with a split leg drop and Sloane tries to steal the pin. That leads to them arguing with each other. Rune fights back against both and runs them into each other. She hits an elbow in the corner and lets Sloane charge and run into Capri. Belly-to-back on Capri. Haven shows back up and gets a roll-up for two. Swinging neckbreaker from Capri on Rune gets two. Sloan drops Haven with Snake Eyes and then clips the knee. She hooks a submission, The Siren Song according to Blake, and Haven taps at 4:59.
Winner: Sloane Jacobs via submission at 4:59
-This didn’t get much time and with four women neither got a chance to stand out much. Based off what we saw, Rune seemed to be the most polished. I can see why Sloane got the win as she has been there the longest and they likely want to see what she can do at this point. Just a lot going on here and I couldn’t really get into it. I think we will see what these four can do when we start seeing them in 1 v 1 matches. *1/2
-Mike Cunningham was training earlier in the day with Lince Dorado. It’s Gal and his new friends are working on chest day. We end up with a tag match being made: Lince and Gal vs. Bell and Rivera next week.
-Kill Tony commercial!
-Aaron Rourke is getting his paint on backstage. Harley and Kam talk trash and Rourke calls them out and says he has to go defend his Title.
Evolve Championship: Aaron Rourke (c) vs. Chazz “Starboy” Hall
-Brooks Jensen is watching from VIP. Lockup and they jockey for position. Starboy springs off the bottom rope and gets center ring position. Rourke gets arm control, but Hall counters. Double kip up and it’s a stalemate. Hall uses his speed as they start trading pin attempts. Rourke with a roll-up for two and then hits a basement dropkick. He goes after the leg, but Hall escapes. He throws kicks and starts flying all over the ring in a flurry that sends Rourke to the floor to regroup. Rourke back to the apron and Hall hits an enziguiri and sends Rourke to the floor. Jensen talks trash from VIP. Hall with a sling shot plancha and Jensen goes back to trash talking. Cappuccino Jones attacks Jensen in VIP and they brawl to the back as we take a break at 3:20.
-Vaquer/Liv WrestleMania commercial!
-Back at 3:53 with Rourke hitting a shotgun dropkick that sends Hall into the corner. Big Boot gets a two count. Double knees from Rourke and he is getting a little cocky out there. Full Nelson while hooking the legs from Rourke. Nice! He drops an elbow for the second rope for a two count. Hall throws kicks from his back, but Rourke drops an elbow to stay in control. Split-Legged Moonsault but Hall gets his knees up to counter. Hall fires off strikes and hits a chop against the ropes. Rourke reverses a whip, but misses a splash. Sliced Bread, but Rourke blocks. Hall off the middle ropes with a moonsault, but Rourke catches him. Hall counters with a Tornado DDT for two. Hall back up top, but Rourke with a rana to bring him down. Hall with a head scissors, but Rourke lands on his feet. Hall back with a Pele, but gets caught with a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. Dueling Chants from the crowd. Hall hits a Sasuke Special and another on the floor. Very nice! Inside Hall goes up again, but misses The SSP. Rourke gets caught with Sliced Bread. Twisting Moonsault from a standing position, but again, no cover. Hall up top again and Rourke meets him up there. Hall tries a sunset bomb, but Rourke lands on his feet and hits double knees in the corner. UshiGorosi and Molly Go Round finish at 10:41.
Winner and Still WWE Evolve Champion: Aaron Rourke via pin at 10:41
-Hall looked good here and can do some crazy things in that ring. I never bought him having a chance though and I don’t know if they crowd did either as they were kind of quiet. I think they also liked both and sometimes that is hard for fans to choose. I wasn’t into this one early, but they high a higher gear after the break. Good, solid first defense for Rourke and I want to see how Hall continues to develop in the WWE system. ***
-Kam and Harley watch backstage. Harlem Lewis pops in and says Rourke is ducking him.
-Thanks for reading!
