Leighty’s WWE Evolve Review 9.02.26

-Written 9.02.26
-Source: Tubi
-Run Time: 46:10
-Episode 76

-Never thought I would be able to type this but I released a wrestling book on Amazon and it has charted as high as 12th in the wrestling category. It is available on Kindle and in paperback. If you want to read PPV reviews from WWF/WCW in 1996, this is the book for you. It also has my ranking of every single PPV match from that historic year.

You can order here: Leighty’s Retro Wrestling PPV Reviews: 1996 WWF and WCW

-Thank you to everyone for their support and congrats.

-Plug: Nevermore: The Raven Effect

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

-Then! Now! Forever! Together!

-No cold opening this week as we are right to our opening proper.

-Sarah Schreiber is in VIP and she brings in Harlem Lewis. He wants a front row seat to see how is next in the path of the Harlem Violence World Tour.

-Max Abrams is out and has a ski mask on as he cuts a promo about having work done. He saw Dr. Denucci in Miami and they are tight. Doc D told Max he was in the 99th percentile for bone density. Apparently we can’t call him ugly and he wants the crowd to put their phones on MOGG Mode. He wants them to ask, “Do I need him.” Seems he is pushing for them to get work done. He can’t wait to show everyone his new look, but isn’t cleared to wrestle tonight. CJ Valor is taking his place. This promo didn’t work for me.

Fatal 4 Way #1 Contender’s Match: CJ Valor vs. Harley Riggins vs. It’s Gal vs. Cutler James

-Bell sounds as they start trading blows. James stands tall first as he folds Harley in half with a spear. He misses a clothesline and Gal hits a Code Breaker. We get Valor and Gal double teaming James and then they get into a pose off before trading punches. Riggins with a Claymore to Gal! James and Riggins try to one up the other by beating up Valor and Gal. They start swinging on each other and trade big boots. Clothesline from James turns Harley inside out. Things get a little wonky but they cover it well enough with Valor getting a spear. Harley with boots to everyone and then springs off the ropes with a senton. James puts him down with a boot and we take a break at 2:40.

-TKO Boxing! Garcia vs. Benn! Opetaia vs Mikaelian

-Back at 3:26 with Gal hitting running clotheslines and kicks on Valor and Harley in the corner. Blue Thunder Bomb on Harley gets two. James with an alley-oop Euro Uppercut. Valor wants to get James to work with him. It seems it’s a go, but James turns on him and gets a gut buster for two as Harley makes the save. James takes Harley down with a clothesline and then boots Valor down. Giant Swing on Valor with Gal on his back in a fun spot. So Airplane Spin/Giant Swing combo! Cool! Harley with a basement dropkick that looked like it missed, but the camera cut helped. Valor plants Harley with a spinebuster, but Gal makes the save. He sends Valor to the floor with a clothesline. Harley springs with a Whisper in The Wind, but James catches him on the way down with a sit-out powerbomb. Gal makes the save there. Harley gets knocked off the apron and Gal sends James to the floor. He is the last one in the ring so he springs off the top and hits a dive onto the other three. Nice! Harley with a big boot by VIP and then he gets into a confrontation with Harlem. Harley pie faces Harlem and gets shoved back. Gal sends him into the steps and then hits Valor with a springboard dropkick . Dummy Buster, but Abrams pulls the ref out. James back in and takes Gal out with a big boot and then Vortex on Valor gets the pin at 8:10.

Winner: Cutler James via pin at 8:10
-I am cool with James getting the win. It’s too soon into Harlem’s reign for the Harley match. James passes as a bigger star on this show thanks to his NXT run. He can match Harlem physically so it should be a fine match. This was similar to any other 4 Way you have seen. The ending picked up and they at least didn’t go with the normal steal the pin finish. **3/4

-Nikkita Lyons meditates backstage and she doesn’t care who wins as none of them are beating her.

-Money in The Bank! New Orleans!

-Zena Sterling vignette. We get LFG footage! Last two episodes of Season Three air this Sunday. Like all season, I will have a recap shortly after the shows air. Zena was to win the Evolve Women’s Championship for all her people back in Ukraine.

-Cutler James leaves the ring and runs into Sam Holloway backstage. They want to throw down, but cooler heads prevail. Can we get the DVD/Holloway rematch at some point?

-Aaron Rourke and the rest of ID 1.0 are out to talk to us. They are done with The MOG Squad and want to settle this right now. MOG Squad is out and they note CJ just had a match and Max is out with his face issues. The MOG Squad pose for those who want pictures. “We are live on Tubi.” Funny! Foreman Thatcher is out and he notes this behavior makes the ID Program look bad. They settle things in the ring and the crowd chants “Let them fight.” Next week it’s an ID showcase where every match features ID Prospects. He then announces these teams will face off in a Team Gauntlet Series. Again, Evolve does a great job of building to the next and making sure we know what’s coming.

-Survivor Series: War Games: Houston, TX!

-ID Program commercial! We see some highlights of the try-outs at SummerSlam. They mention The Nightmare Factory, Black and Brave Academy. The promotions mentioned: FIP, Reality of Wrestling, Wrestling Open, Shine, and Pro Wrestling Revolution.

-Sloane Jacobs introduces our Evolve Women’s Champion, Nikkita Lyons. She will be watching from The VIP Lounge and Anya Rune is there. They tell her to leave and then Veronica Haven and Gianna Capri attack. Seems they are bouncers for Kitta tonight.

Fatal 4-Way #1 Contender’s Match: Zena Sterling vs. Laynie Luck vs. Skylar Raye vs. Wren Sinclair

-Zena throws the first blows, so the other three gang up on her and then go after each other. Everyone starts firing off pinning combinations, but they all get broke up. Zena catches Skylar and gets a backbreaker. Wren and Laynie team up but Zena runs them down with a clothesline. Skylar with a roll-up for two. She hits a shotgun dropkick on Zena. Luck with a cartwheel on the apron to avoid Zena. Wren off the apron with a dropkick to Zena. Laynie with a suicide dive and then Skylar off the top onto everyone. She almost over shot that and landed on her face, but it hit thankfully. We take a break at 3:02.

-Club WWE! Before having a wife and kids, I probably would have tried that. Not now.

-Back at 3:45 with stereo crossbodies from the top by Wren and Skylar. Each one gets two. Next week it’s Capri vs. Rune! Luck with a jawbreaker on Zena and lands a double stomp on the apron for two as Wren makes the save. German Suplex by Luck Zena with a belly-to-back suplex. Code Breaker from Skylar! Wren with an Alabama Slam for two but that gets broken up. Luck and Wren trade slaps. Head scissors sends Luck into Zena in the corner. Suplex from Wren and she hits an X Factor. Final Wrench on Zena, but Luck makes the save. Lucky! Laynie lands a knee to the face and preps for Death Valley Party, but Skylar back in the match with a Blockbuster for two. Small package on Zena gets two. Zena back with a tilt-a-whirl slam for two. The crowd is into this one. Wren and Skylar spill ot to the floor and Skylar hits a Tornado DDT off the apron. We get weird lights and Vanta The Unknown makes her debut as she takes out Luck with that crazy kick she does. Zena backs away in fear as Skylar pops back in with Star Struck for the pin at 9:46.

Winner: Skylar Raye via pin at 9:46
-They put in some work here and I enjoyed it more than what the men offered earlier in the night. The Vanta debut came out of nowhere and curious why Zena just backed away, but maybe that will lead to something. Skylar is fine as the next challenger to Zena, but I will admit to rooting for Wren to get the nod. ***

-Kitta in the ring and she has a stare down with Skylar as we close.

-Thanks for reading!

7.0

The final score: review Good

The 411

Only two matches but they were both important and set up our next challengers. Each match was given some time and again, I enjoyed what the women gave us just a bit more. I thought the men had the better finish though. The MOG Squad continues to not click for me, but perhaps that's the idea. I should probably quit comparing them to The Vanity Project. As always, this show is great as making the most of the time they have as we crowned our next challengers and have two matches set for next week. Evolve is efficient!