Leighty’s WWE Evolve Review 8.19.26

-Written: 8.19.26
-Source: Tubi
-Run Time: 48:51
-Episode 74

-Plug: Walking Riot: Missy Hyatt

-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Robert Stone
-Taped: WWE PC, Orlando, FL

-Then! Now! Forever! Together!

-Thea Hail is walking and talking in the parking lot. She talks Big Cat Kitta to bring whoever she wants as it won’t matter. Tonight she becomes the new Evolve Women’s Champion!

-Show opening!

CJ Valor (w/ The MOG Squad) vs. Sam Holloway

-Last we saw of Holloway he was having a MEAT SLAPPING MATCH with DVD. I am still waiting for them to run that back and give us a winner. Valor jumps Sam before the bell and the ref forces him back and checks on Sam before calling for the bell. Sam withstands the opening flurry and starts throwing bombs. He lands a back elbow and after ducking a clothesline FLIES OVER THE TOP ONTO THE MOG SQUAD! That was great and it looked like he flew off the screen. He lands on his feet and celebrates, but gets distracted and Valor takes over. We get a weird cut to seeing what has happened in the match so far and when we cut back, Valor is in control in the ring. Valor complains about his arm to the ref and tells him to check it before flexing his muscle. Funny! The MOG Squad work in a few cheap shots behind the ref’s back. Good power from Valor as he drops Sam with a spinebuster for two. Howard brings up the Sam/DVD match and again, can I please have them run it back? Valor talks too much trash and gets caught with a clothesline. Another one in the corner and then Sam throws Valor across the ring. Shotgun dropkick! Sam goes for a kick, but Sam catches him and gets a Power Bomb! Nice! Chaos Theory gets two. Yo, they are starting to cook here! Valor can’t lift the dead weight so he yells for the ref to check. Sam recovers and the MOG Squad is here to help. Holloway clotheslines two off the apron and Abrams gets backdropped to the floor. Holloway avoids a charging Valor and hits a sit-out chokeslam for the pin at 6:37.

Winner: Sam Holloway via pin at 6:37
-Holloway is growing on me and I want to see more from the big man. He can work like a monster but can move as well. He is putting things together. Valor showed out here as well with some nice power moves on a bigger opponent. I enjoyed this one! ***

-DVD in in VIP and gives Sam a thumbs up! RUN IT BACK!

-Money in The Bank: New Orleans! If I had the money, I would make the trip and stay at a friend’s house, but can’t splurge like that right now.

=Harlem Lewis video package and he talks about how things have changed since winning The Evolve Championship. He doesn’t care if people want his title due to jealousy or just competition. The Harlem Violence World Tour is only going to get more vicious. He promises the title will stay on his shoulders for a long time. This worked as if he isn’t going to be on the show, at least give us something to keep his name out there each week. He is the Champion and needs to be treated as such.

Cutler James vs. Marcus Mathers

-James back down from NXT as he representing Dark State. Mathers is still representing the ID program. It’s Gal is watching from VIP! James works the arm and talks trash as he refers to Mathers as a “little guy.” Mathers is able to flip around enough to force a break. James goes right back to it though and takes Mathers to the mat. Mathers with a head scissors which forces James to break. Both men up and James right back to the arm. Mathers hits a step-up enziguiri and that only seems to annoy James. He charges and gets a take down. Mathers flips away and hits a dropkick that sends James into the corner. Heavy chop from Mathers as he uses his speed. James shoves away to create space, but Mathers keeps coming back. James catches him, but Mathers counters and tries a crucifix. James blocks that and goes after a leg. GIANT SWING! James with a spear in the corner but Mathers counters a throw with a rana. We take a break at 3:50.

-WWE Live! Coming to a city near you. I saw they are doing a second show in Hawaii. I want a Mania from Hawaii, because why not?

-Back at 4:30 with James getting caught with an elbow. Mathers misses a cross-body but ducks a pump kick. James hits a pop-up uppercut and then a weak looking short arm clothesline. There’s a much better one for a two count. It’s Gal sitting in VIP without a shirt amuses me for some reason. Others are usually dressed in their best, but he is showing off the peaks! James continues his methodical pace. They start trading strikes and some look like they barely make contact. Pump Kick from James gets two. He talks more trash as he bullies Mathers. He starts to fight back, but runs into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for two. James hooks a reverse chinlock as this one is feeling a little long. Mathers tries another comeback and James cuts him off again. Running shoulder in the corner, but gets caught with a boot to the face in another corner. This time Mathers hits the cross-body from the middle ropes. Mathers with chops and a clothesline. Springboard Stunner from the corner followed by a superkick and then moonsault for two. James rolls to the floor so Mathers flies over the top with a Tope Con Hilo. Back in the ring Mathers hits another superkick and climbs to the middle ropes. He comes off, but Cutler catches him and hits a swinging backbreaker. Dark Matter finishes at 10:44.

Winner: Cutler James via pin at 10:44
-This felt longer than it was, but I could see what they were going for. James was bullying Mathers and kept cutting off his comebacks with one shot. One Mathers got going he was able to fluster James, but got caught one time too many and James finished him. It was solid, but the opener seemed do do more with less time. **1/4

-It’s Gal offers Mathers a protein shake to help his game.

-Rizzo is with Cutler James and he says he has his eyes on the Evolve Championship and when he is ready, he will take it.

-PJ Vasa is backstage and tells Laynie to get her issue checked next week.

-Harley Riggins video package. He talks about riding with Jax and Kam, but he is better riding solo. He mentions he was held back in college as he led the country in tackles, but the team was 6-7.

-WrestleMania: Saudi Arabia! Still no date!

-Kale Dixon and Alix Brooks complain to Foreman Thatcher as promises were made when they came to Evolve. Thatcher tells them it’s about hard work and next week he faces Chazz Hall. Dixon is cool with that and leaves. Thatcher books Jensen vs. Holyfield in a Lumberjack Match next week. Zena Sterling shows up and she wants a match, so Thatcher books her vs. Layla Diggs for next week. This all works and we have a card for next week. Evolve always does well with laying out whats to come.

WWE Evolve Women’s Championship: Nikkita Lyons (c) (w/ Sloane Jacobs) vs. Thea Hail

-I keep forgetting that Thea is from Pittsburgh. Gianna Capri and Veronica Haven are in VIP and are Nakkita supporters. Hail goes for the kimura at the bell, but Kitta fights her off. She gets a splash in the corner and starts talking trash. Thesz Press from Thea and they start trading ground and pound. Hail goes after the arm again and then lands a kick to the stomach. Kitta slides away and lands a heavy forearm. She goes Diesel as she chokes with her boot in the corner. More choke as she uses the middle rope and then gets a two count. Whip to the corner and Kitta continues to talk trash. Hail uses the ropes to get a head scissors and that gets Lyons off her feet. Hail tries to float over in the corner, but Lyons is ready and just slams her down. She sends her to the floor and we take a break at 3:29.

-Survivor Series: War Games: Houston!

-Back at 4:01 with Lyons sending Hail back into the ring. Yam Slam gets two! More choking on the ropes and Lyons lands a kick to the side of the head. Samoan Drop gets two! Lyons hooks a reverse chinlock, but Hail is out quickly and gets a series of roll-ups for two. Lyons decks her with a strike and gets a two count. She stomps away and gets a splash for two. Back to the reverse chinlock and turns it into an Accolade. Hail fights her way out and goes for the kimura again. Lyons blocks but misses a second Yam Slam. She then misses a charge and hits shoulder first into the post. Hail starts screaming as Stone notes she is going into DILF mode. Okay! Claymore gets two! She tries for the kimura again, but Kitta blocks. Roundhouse head kick gets two! Kitta sets Thea up top and delivers a head kick. Superplex leaves both women down. Capri and Haven leave The VIP Section. Anya Rune is out and uses her mystical powers, but nothing happens again. Skylar and Wren show up and lay out Capri and Haven behind Rune’s back and when she turns around she thinks her powers worked which pops the crowd. While all this is happening, Hail gets the kimura, but Sloane rakes the eyes behind the ref’s back. Lyons hits another roundhouse head kick for the pin at 10:30.

Winner and Still WWE Evolve Women’s Champion: Nikkita Lyons via pin at 10:30
-Solid but kind of over booked. I think Lyons showed out more than Hail in this one, which is fine as she is the Champion. Hail didn’t really seem like a threat here because it’s way too soon to take the title away from Lyons and we have more challengers. This was fine. **1/4

-As Lyons celebrates with Sloane, Wendy Choo’s face cuts in and out on the video boards in creepy fashion. Well, I guess she gets a rematch!

-Thanks for reading!

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

We started out strong with a really good power match and that was the peak as far as in ring action. Still a good show as Evolve is great as making the best use of their airtime. We have next week set and we got an idea of where both Champions are heading weeks and months down the line. Whether in the ring, backstage, or vignettes they give a lot of people a chance to shine and it never feels bloated. Just a solid show that put in the work and makes sense.