Leighty’s WWE Evolve Review: 7.1.26

-Written: 7.1.26
-Source: Tubi
-Run Time: 55:20
-Episode 67

-Plug: Nitro Feb 1997

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

-Then! Now! Forever! Together!

-Oh yeah, KevOnStage is GM this week while Thatcher is away. Video package recapping last week’s Succession III.

-Show opening!

Layla Diggs (w/ Masyn Holiday) vs. Gianna Capri

-Anya Rune is the VIP Lounge. Capri tries a pump kick to start, but Layla side steps and takes her down to the mat. Capri counters with a side headlock. Sit-out Gourdbuster from Capri gets two. Diggs gets knocked outside and seems to regroup with Holiday though there seemed to be some tension. Kick to the back gets a two count. Ballerina kick (all I can call it) by Capri in the corner gets followed by a Shining Wizard gets two. Layla flips out of a suplex and then ducks a pump kick. Sidekick by Layla and a step up enziguiri. Capri slides off to escape a suplex and lands a shot to the ribs. She sets to finish, but turns her attention to Rune. Rune yells that she is going to punish her and throws imaginary beams at her or something. Capri just looks confused though she is distracted enough for Diggs to hit a leg lariat and then a top rope moonsault for the pin at 4:39.

Winner: Layla Diggs via pin at 4:39
-This was going okay and then whatever that ending was. I mean Danhausen curses people, so I guess the Rune thing will exist in that universe. Weird though. *

-Braxton Cole interrupts the celebration and complains about being forced in a No DQ Match with Harlem Lewis. He even has the Evolve rule book with him. Harlem Lewis is out and attacks from behind. I guess that match is next?

-SummerSlam commercial! Seems like they are loading up for that one.

No DQ: Harlem Lewis vs. Braxton Cole

-Lewis is swinging away with a cookie sheet and then wedges it in the corner. Whip is reversed and Cole goes shoulder first into the sheet. Cole finds a cane left in the VIP Lounge and breaks it over Lewis’ back. Anytime I see a cane, I now thing of House. Love that show and I will be watching it after I finish here. Cole asks a fan for his belt and starts whipping Lewis on the back. Loud shots too! Lewis lands a forearm to the chest and then takes his belt off and lays into Cole. Falcon Arrow gets two! Cole goes for Lewis’ pants to fluster him and then cracks him with a tennis racket. I don’t think Jim Cornette watches Evolve. Back breaker on the floor as the crowd gets on Cole’s case. He tells them to shut up and then finds a pool stick under the ring. He uses the stick to trap Harlem’s arms behind the ring post. Cool spot! He tees off, which angers Lewis. He breaks the stick to get free, but Cole lands a shot to stay in control. X Plex in the ring gets a two count. More plunder as Cole finds a mop and that ties in to Cole’s taunts of Lewis. He breaks the mop over Lewis’ back. The rebound from that mop was sweet! Cole uses another mop, but gets careless and Lewis uses it to hit Cole in the balls. Cole is begging off in the corner, but Lewis wipes Cole’s face with the mop. Boomslang gets the pin at 7:11.

Winner: Harlem Lewis via pin at 7:11
-Fun little match! I actually wish they gave them a little more time. Some fun spots and sometimes you just like seeing two dudes beat each other with weapons. We don’t get it often in Evolve, so this was something different. Lewis winning is the right call as he should be in line for an Evolve Championship Match. **3/4

-Aaron Rourke is out as this show just keeps rolling along. He congratulates Lewis on the win and thanks him for the help against The Mog Squad. The crowd starts chanting “title match,” and Rourke says he will see he if can get the one on one match official. They shake, but Lewis won’t let go of the handshake and they stare each other down. Lewis needs to be the one to end Rourke’s run. It’s his time as I don’t think he can take another loss.

-Sloane Jacobs talks about the wisdom she has learned from Big Cat Kita! Next week Kita gets her coronation celebration.

-Saudi Mania commercial!

-Chuey Martinez brings out Kale Dixon. He has some things to get off his chest. He say she left his ego at the door when he came to the PC and that did nothing for him. He came from DI baseball and turned down MLB contracts to be here. If you can pitch, please call my Pirates. He insults the fans and they boo him out of the building. Cool! He says he is heading straight for stardom and we are all jealous because we don’t look, talk, or dress like him. “You suck,” chant from the crowd. Chuey asks about the woman in red last week. Kale calls her his business partner and says “hot people hang out with other hot people.” She is back out and is rocking black leather this week. She says Evolve is about to change forever.

Cutler James vs. It’s Gal

-Cutler stares down Kale and his female friend. No entrance for Gal as he shows up during James’ entrance and hits a missile dropkick. He sends James to the floor and now we get an opening bell. James misses a charge in the corner and Gal hits a head kick. Head scissors but he runs into The Vortex. James connects with a short-arm clothesline and throws Gal across the ring. Running corner clothesline gets two. Giant Swing from James gets 5 rotations. Alley-oop Euro uppercut gets two. Abdominal stretch and James claws at Gal’s sunburn. Yes, sersiously! I had one a few weeks back after taking the wife and kids to our local water park. Sucked! The burn, not the park. Gal starts his comeback and hits a series of clotheslines. Discus version gets a two count. Superkick and Gal tries a head scissors, but James hits a buckle bomb. Dark Matter finishes at 4:51.

Winner: Cutler James via pin at 4:51
-Gal tried, but he takes another loss. James is 2-0 against Gal, which is fine because no need to 50/50 book them. This was energetic as the crowd loves Gal. I really want to see him interact with Truth and Danhausen. **

-Elijah Holyfield has words for Brooks Jensen.

-NYC Fanatics Fest! July 16-19!

-Kam and Harley are backstage with Foreman Thatcher. I thought he was away scouting and that’s why Kev is the guest GM. Kind of sloppy! Harley wants a rematch with Tate Wilder. Thatcher’s security is here and nearly brawl with Kam and Harley. They leave and Thatcher wants to know why his security (Viktor Zanov and Shido Ash) is messing up. He fires them, and won’t reward them by letting them wrestle. They say that’s fine as they can do whatever they want.

6 Man Tag Team Elimination Match: Mog Squad (CJ Valor, Jacari Ball, and Santi Rivera) (w/ Max Abrams) vs. ID 1.0 (Cappuccion Jones, Marcus Mathers, and Sam Holloway)

-Santi and Mathers start this for us and Santi lands a slap to the face. Mathers with a side headlock and takes it to the mat. Santi counters into a head scissors. Mathers gets one of his own. He follows with a slam and sends Santi into the corner. Jumping forearm connects! Holloway in from the ropes as he drops an elbow. He has taped ribs and immediately tags out as he favors the ribs. We end up with Ball and Cap in the ring. Cap hits a dive over the top. Sam runs Santi balls first into the post. Abrams distracts Cap and that costs him. Valor in and lands a spinning back kick. He then flexes or mogs. Whatever that is. I’m old and just getting the hang of 6 7. Cap escapes a double suplex and dives over the pile to get a tag to Mathers. He runs wild which usually is a sign you are going to be eliminated soon. Superkick to Valor! Mathers with an Asai Moonsault from the corner onto The Mohg Squad pile. Stomp from the top misses and Ball lands a kick. Modified Heart Attack sends Mathers packing at 5:25.

3-2: Mog Squad: Sam in and rips Santi’s head off with a big boot. Ball with a blind tag and comes off the top with a high cross-body. The Mog Squah trap Sam in their corner and tag in and out quickly to do as much damage as possible. They let him out of the corner and he connects with a double clothesline. Hot tag to Cap and he brews wild. He heads up top and drops a flying elbow for two as Santi makes the save. Santi with a springboard Code Breaker. Double team spinebuster eliminates Jones at 8:20. It looked like they wanted to hit The Heart Attack again, but didn’t work out the way they wanted.

-World Cup commercial! USA just won, so yeah!

-Back at 9:10 with The Mog Squad up 3-1. Chokeslam to Valor! No count though as Santi has the ref. Dead life gut-wrench suplex gets two from Ball. He hits another one and gets another two count. Ball off the top, but gets caught with a sit-out chokeslam. Again, no ref! Rivera in and hits a sit-out Slapjack for two. Holloway fights back and hits a double choke slam on Valor and Santi. Abrams eats an elbow for getting on the apron. Sam hits a dive over the top rope on the pile. The numbers catch up and Sam gets caught with a Valor Spike for the pin at 13:06.

Winners: The Mog Squad via pin at 13:06
-I appreciate giving one team a dominant win and it makes sense it’s the side already in an established faction. This was solid and everyone got a little time to shine. I am still not feeling the Mog Quad like I did Vanity Project, but they need to keep getting wins to make them a threat. Holloway looked good out there as well. ***

-Thanks for reading!

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

Good show this week. The logical step for Rourke coming off Succession was Harlem Lewis and they wasted no time letting us know that's next. The KevOnStage thing was weird as he wasn't there, and Thatcher was back in his office. Dixon did well with his interview and got the crowd to HATE him, so mission accomplished. The show had a nice flow this week as they bounced from one match to another and it worked. Good stuff from the kids this week.