wrestling / TV Reports
Leighty’s WWE Evolve Review: 9.30.26
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Written: 9.30.26
-Source: Tubi
-Run Time: 45:43
-Episode: 81
-Plug: Nitro 5.26.97
-Book Plug: All my 1996 PPV Reviews in Kindle and Paperback form.
-Announce Team: Blake Howard and Robert Stone
-WWE PC, Orlando, FL
-Then! Now! Forever! Together!
-It’s Gal with a funny promo where he refers to himself as Lat Man and sends up the Lat Signal. He takes care of Harley and becomes #1 contender.
Elijah Holyfield vs. Braxton Cole
-WIENER! WIENER! No book for Cole as I guess that was dropped from LFG. Cole was one of the handful of Evolve/NXT talent released last month. Cole stalls, but gets too close and Elijah starts firing away with jabs. Cole goes to wrestling and hooks a side headlock. Cole backs Elijah into the corner, lands a strike and back to the headlock. Holyfield escapes and gets a sidewalk slam. Double sledge knocks Cole down. Cole uses momentum to send Elijah into the middle rope. He drops a leg for a one count. “He’s a wiener,” from the crowd. Neckbreaker for Cole as he continues to work the neck. Cole with a catapult under the bottom rope for a two count. Cole goes back to the headlock as this is kind of dragging a bit. Elijah with a belly-to-back to escape. He hits a flying shoulder tackle and gets a bulldog out of the corner. Clothesline sends Cole over the top and to the floor. Elijah sprints around the ring, but Cole avoids and Elijah goes shoulder first into the post. Marcus Mathers is out to run interference, but gets in the way and Elijah accidentally decks him. Cole hits a clothesline and goes outside to look under the ring. He finds a chair, but Elijah punches it back into his face. The ref turns around and sees Elijah holding the chair and calls for the bell at 5:55. Blah!
Winner: Braxton Cole via DQ at 5:55
-This was super basic and kind of boring. Not a fan of the ending, but I guess Cole needed the win more and doing it in this manner protects Elijah. Probably not the end of this feud. Unless Cole’s release was before they taped any follow up. *
-Money in The Bank: NOLA!
-Harley Riggins with a pre-taped promo. He is doing all he can to get over “cooling your ass off.”
Gianna Capri vs. Wendy Choo
-Wendy is back in Evolve and has her eyes set on Lyons. As we have mentioned in the past, Wendy was one of the releases. Feeling out process to start, but Choo picks up the pace. She hits the flip splash in the corner for two. “Thank you Choo,” chant from the crowd. Wendy misses a clothesline and Gianna takes her down with a backbreaker. A Capri Kick follows for a near fall. Capri takes too much time and gets caught in the corner. Capri with a spinebuster and goes for multiple covers, but Wendy keeps kicking out. Capri misses a Pump Kick and now Wendy is rolling. Short-arm clothesline gets two. Capri kicks away from the corner and heads up top, but misses a flying body press. Choo rushes over and gets the Dirt Nap for the submission at 4:40.
Winner: Wendy Choo via pin at 4:40
-Again, a little boring but better than the previous match and there was a proper ending. *1/2
-Wendy says Lyons cheated to win the Evolve Championship from here. She wants her rematch at Succession IV and wants it Last Woman Standing. Cool!
-Nikkita and Sloane Jacobs are watching backstage. Lyons says they are aligned now and accepts as the champs call the shots.
-Survivor Series: Houston! WAR GAMES!
-Timothy Thatcher is in his office speaking to Ulka. He thanks him for representing NOAH. Laynie Luck is in next and wants a match with Vanta. The crowd gasps at that one. Thatcher gives her the match with Vanta and it’s set for Succession IV.
Shido Ash vs. Cappuccino Jones
-This is Shido’s singles debut on Evolve. Hey, Joey Porter Jr. was just traded to the Dallas Cowboys. I need to go text my friend. Fast start which is nice to see as each man is ready to throw down. Jones with a dropkick. He has his left shoulder and upper arm taped. Shido with a Euro uppercut, but Jones reverses a whip and gets a backdrop. Jones favors the arm after the backdrop. Nice little touch! Jones tries to flip over in the corner, but gets caught. Shido runs him shoulder first into the buckle and gets a shoulder breaker. Heavy whip to the corner and another Euro uppercut. Shido hooks an armbar, but Jones rolls back for a two count. Shido maintains the hold and then sends Cap shoulder first into the top buckle. That sends Cap to the floor in a nice bump. Shido sends Cap back into the ring and that lets Cap get in a few strikes. Shido shakes that off and sends Cap shoulder first into the corner again. A third time is blocked and Shido ends up going head first into the buckle. Cap off the top, but gets caught with a powerslam for two. We take a break at 4:10.
-WWE takes over Perth for RAW, Wrestlepalooza, and SmackDown!
-Back at 4:43 with Shido missing a charge in the corner. Cap with an exploder into the corner. Shotgun dropkick in the corner followed by a clothesline in another corner. Cap up top and gets a cross-body as he shows some good fire while still selling the arm. Fireman’s Carry into a sit-out slam gets two. Froggy Brew Elbow connects, but Shido catches the arm on the way down. Nice! Cap wiggles to get free and stomps Shido in the face. Shido right back to the bad arm and lands a knee to the face. Fade to Ash finishes at 7:14.
Winner: Shido Ash via pin at 7:14
-I dug this one! Shido has a unique move set and got to show out a bit here. Cap was good at selling the arm and built some sympathy. He had good fire, but Shido gets a good one. ***
-The Mog Squad is out and Max Abrams says Cap is going to tap water. The 1.0 crew will foot the bill for his medical issues. Ball and Rivera attack, but Starboy is out to save. Valor in and hits a spear. Abrams is annoyed that people won’t accept they have run this show for the last six months. He is pissed they aren’t part of Succession. Foreman Thatcher is out and says this is enough. Thanks to Mr. Stone, The Mog Squad has a surprise waiting for them next week. INTRIGUE!
#1 Contender’s Match It’s Gal vs. Harley Riggins
-Harley attacks Gal as he makes his entrance. He drops Gal back first on the apron and then runs him into the ring steps. He sends Gal into ring and the ref checks on him. Gal wants to go, so we have a bell. Claymore from Harley gets a two count. I bought they could end it that quickly. Harley sets Gal up top for a superplex. Gal fights out and knocks Harley down. Cross-body connects for Gal. He fires away with chops, but takes a backdrop to the floor. We head to a break at 1:30.
-WrestleMania: Saudi Arabia. A date coming soon?
-Back at 2:16 with Harley beating Gal down. He lands a heavy forearm to the small of the back and another one. Gal with an elbow to block a third one, but can’t follow up as Harley snaps the arm. Shotgun is blocked and Gal gets a modified Code Breaker. He follows with a suicide dive and sends Harley into the steps. The crowd gets behind Gal as he connects with a missile dropkick back inside the ring for two. Head kick in the corner, but Harley lands another forearm to the back. He misses a Senton and Gal hits a discus clothesline. Dummy Buster is countered and Harley hits a TKO for two. Shotgun is countered again as Gal gets a roll-up for two. Harley up first though and this time Shotgun connects for the pin at 5:25.
Winner: Harley Riggins via pin at 5:25
-The result makes sense as Harley has felt like the next in line for a while. There was a chance we get a three-way, but they went with Harley and we have a HOSS FIGHT for Succession IV. This was a solid match that the crowd got into. I want to see more of Gal in the ring but Harley vs. Harlem seems like the best way to go at this point. **1/2
-Thanks for reading!
