Leighty’s WWE Evolve Review 8.20.25

-So, we get one last PLE on Peacock and that era is over for us in the US. I will keep my Peacock until the end of the year when the library disappears. I really hope they have it in place somewhere else come Jan 1 or as soon as possible. I am likely changing to Hulu Live TV Plus in the next week so I can get ESPN Unlimited and the PLE. It will save me money each month vs. DirecTV as well. We are good with Evolve since Tubi is free. Let’s get to it!

-Announce Team: Peter Rosenberg and Robert Stone
-Taped: WWE PC, Orlando, FL

-Show opening!

Evolve Woman’s Championship Eliminator Match: Kylie Rae vs. Chantel Monroe

-Lockup to and Monroe works the arm and gets a take down. She transitions to an arm ringer and then poses as Kylie escapes to the ropes. Another go and now Kylie gets arm control. They trade counters as they fight for arm control. Chantel forces a break, but Kylie back to a hammerlock and then the arm ringer. Arm drag by Kylie and another and back to the armbar. Chantel with a knee and she gets a headlock on the mat. Kylie rolls back for a one count. Kylie fights to her feet and reverses to her own headlock. She runs Chantel down with a shoulder. Roll-up for Kylie gets two and then she rebounds off the kick-out to hit a basement dropkick for two. Back to the arm! Hammerlock but Chantel lands an elbow against the ropes. She sends Kylie into the corner and lands a series of kicks. Kylie reverses a whip and Chantel gets sent into the corner. Backdrop sends Kylie to the apron but she hits a head kick from there. She heads up and gets an armdrag from there followed by a dropkick. Kylie misses a shoulder tackle on the apron and hits a knee and neckbreaker. She is quite proud of herself as we take a break at 5:20.

-HHH on a roof in Vegas to let us know WrestleMania is running it back in 2026!

-Back at 6:06 with Kylie working the neck and back. She drops a knee and hits a Mr. Perfect neck-snap for two. Neck crank from Chantel as they are getting a lot more time that I expected they would get. Kylie counters a suplex into a backslide for two. She starts throwing body punches and hits a series of clotheslines. Reverse on a whip and Kylie hits a superkick. She sells the neck though as both women are taking some time to get up. Chantel with Tornado Inverted DDT for two. Kylie gets a roll-up for two. Chantel reverses that for two. Chantel runs Kaylie neck first into the top rope and hits The Perfect Ending (Code Breaker variant) for the pin at 9:27.

Winner: Chantel Monroe via pin at 9:27
-This started slow, but it makes sense as they gave them nearly 10 minutes. Monroe looked better here than any time I have seen here on this show. Her winning is a bigger deal than Kylie winning, so I approve. This was solid and I enjoyed the neck work playing in the finish. Props to Kylie for being the ring general out there. **1/2

-Keanu Carver hype video. Nothing is standing between him and Jackson Drake.

-Vanity Project backstage and Drake is a little worried about Carver. They continue to tease issues with Donovan.

-Clash in Paris commercial! Our final PLE/PPV on Peacock.

-Kali Armstrong is in Stevie Turner’s Office and they are interrupted by Nikkita Lyons. Stevie makes a Fatal 4 Way for next week: Kali Armstrong defending against Nikkita, Chantel, and Karmen. Sucks to be Kali as she just wanted to know who she was challenging next and Stevie gets flustered into makinga Fatal 4 Way.

Swipe Right (w/ Vanity Project) vs. Marcus Mathers and Aaron Rourke

-I just can’t help but think of Eminem each time I hear them say “Marcus Mathers.” Rourke is flamboyant with his gimmick like the original Johnny B Badd, and others were. Lot of pink gear in this match on both sides. Rourke lands a back elbow and brings in Mathers, who jumps off Rourke’s back and catches Smokes with a Tornado DDT. Cool! Baylor in and Mathers hits a sweet reverse kick to the face for a one count. Chops from Mathers! He heads up top, but Smokes distracts him and Baylor pulls him crashing down to the mat. Smokes in and gets a two count. Chops from Smokes now as he lights up Mathers’ chest. Baylor in with a shoulder in the corner and Smokes hits a running boot for two. Baylor: “are we good or what?” He knocks Rourke off the apron and then double team behind the ref’s back. Just classic tag wrestling! Smokes buries a knee in the back and brings Baylor back into the match. He swivels the hips in a nod to Rick Rude. Rourke gets decked again. Mathers flips out of suplex and hits a superkick. He decks Baylor as well and is able to crawl for the hot tag. Rourke runs wild as he hits a German Suplex and running forearm in the corner. Meteora off the top rope gets two on Smokes. Sweet near fall there! He goes up and misses as he tweaks the knee. Baylor and Mathers back in. Jumping spin kick from Mathers followed by an enziguiri from Baylor. They are just trading shots. Spear from Smokes! Super Swipe misses and Mathers gets a crucifix for two. Another strong near fall. Rourke with an assisted spear as this one is just all action now. Rourke flies off the top to the floor on a pile of people. Mathers gets a powerslam on Baylor back in the ring for two. They are rocking here! Rourke up top, but Smokes shoves him off to the floor. Donovan gets involved and hits a running boot to Mathers on the apron. Super Swipe finishes at 8:21.

Winner: Swipe Right via pin at 8:21
-This was a lot of fun as sometimes you just want to see people flying around the ring and trading stuff until one team is left standing. Swipe Right winning is the right call as they are a polished team. They would slot in easily on NXT right now and probably aren’t far off from working with the teams on SmackDown. With that said, there were quite a few times I was buying Rourke and Mathers pulling the upset. Good stuff from all four and I want to see more from all of them. ***1/4

-It’s Gal and Jamar Hampton bond over pumping iron!

-Kendal Grey cuts a backstage promo on Wendy Choo. She is going to make her scream when she dislocates her shoulder. She challenges her to a match next week.

-The Blue Chip Athletes are here to beef up Evolve and have their eyes set on Adrenaline Drip.

-Next week: Wendy Choo vs. Kendal Grey; Brooks Jensen vs. Jordan Oasis, and the previously mentioned Fatal 4 Way for the Evolve Woman’s Championship.

”Super” Sean Legacy vs. Ridge Holland

-Ridge runs Legacy down with a shoulder at the first sound of the bell. Nice start! Legacy gets a boot up to block a charge, but eats a series of headbutts in the corner. He lands a knee to the head and another. Ridge looks jacked here! He drops an elbow for a one count. We see Tate Wilder watching backstage. At least they have him looking at the monitor like a normal human instead of what we would see in the 90s when they cut backstage. Legacy fires off a series of kicks as he alternates between back and chest. Standing moonsault gets a two count as we take a break at 2:08.

-WWE takes over Perth, Australia! Crown Jewel only on ESPN Unlimited for us in the US!

-Back at 2:55 with Ridge hitting a modified stun-gun and then an overhead belly-to belly suplex. Another one and I am cool with Ridge basing his offense on suplexing people all over the ring. Legacy tries to fight back but Ridge just stares him down and gets another overhead suplex. Legacy slides out of a slam and hits a forearm to the head. He lands a chop, but is selling the damage he has suffered so far. Ridge catches him with a powerslam for two. Bear hug from Ridge, but Legacy elbows out easily. His comeback is cut off again as Ridge just has to land one shot to drop him. Superkick out of nowhere and another, that didn’t look as good, and we see Wilder still watching in the back. The crowd chants for Legacy as both men are down. They trade blows and Legacy wins the exchange. He hits a snap German Suplex by misses a kick in the corner. He lands an elbow, but Ridge throws a forearm to the back. Reverse powerslam and a suplex into a powerslam for two. Nice looking uppercut from Ridge! He misses a charge in the corner and Legacy hits a shotgun dropkick. Sidewalk Slam gets a two count. Shambles, but Legacy doesn’t have enough to get him up. Small package gets two, but Ridge starts rolling with clotheslines in the corner and then a cannonball in the corner. Gut-wrench powerbomb gets the pin at 9:20.

Winner: Ridge Holland via pin at 9:20
-I can see the story they are setting for Legacy as he keeps losing big matches. Ridge seems destined for a Title Match at some point or perhaps he and Carver have a monster battle soon. Best Ridge match I have seen, though I haven’t seen many. I like the power offense and he looked more comfortable and sure of himself. Good aggression as well. I want to see what he can do with this, but he needs time and doesn’t need to rush back to the main roster. ***

-Legacy walks through the curtain and Ice Williams is there to mock him for losing.

-Thanks for reading!

7.5

The final score: review Good

The 411

This was an enjoyable, wrestling based show this week. Only three matches and they were all given some team. Each match delivered more than I was expecting, so props to everyone involved. We set somethings up for next week and the show was done in just under 45 minutes. Nothing Earth shattering, but a good show and worth the watch.