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WWE EVOLVE TV REPORT
MAY 7, 2025
ORLANDO, FLA. AT WWE PERFORMANCE CENTER
AIRED ON TUBI
REPORT BY DAVID MILLER, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Robert Stone
Interviewer: Chuey Martinez
-The show opened with Evolve Prime Minister Stevie Turner standing mid-ring as she welcomed everyone to the show. The Evolve locker room surrounded the ring as Turner said she had an announcement that would change the landscape of Evolve forever. She said the women of Evolve would be fighting to become the first Evolve Women’s Champion, as she unveiled a gorgeous title belt. The main plate featured the Evolve logo and was nickel plated with purple highlights on white leather. She said there would be a fatal four-way match to determine the new champion in three weeks.
She said three women have stood out to her. Kali Armstrong, Kendal Grey, and Wendy Choo, who flashed a typically sinister smile. Turner said there was one spot left, and any woman could step up to take it. She then revealed the men’s title belt, which had the same design, but was only larger and on black leather. She announced that there would be a fatal four-way elimination match for that title in four weeks, and it would include Sean Legacy.
Pete Rosenberg inexplicably interrupted Turner to welcome everyone to the show just a moment before Harlem Lewis and Keanu Carver entered the ring for a face-off. Swipe Right slid into the ring to attack them but were quickly disposed of. Gallus then entered the ring and began brawling with Carver and Lewis. They rolled out of the ring and fought on the floor.
After the men cleared the ring, Kali Armstrong and Kendal Grey faced off in the ring and started beating on each other. Armstrong clipped Grey’s knee as the rest of the women’s roster and some referees tried to restore order. The announcers mentioned that Grey has to wrestle in the main event tonight against Nikkita Lyons, who posted on social media that she was going to grace Evolve with her presence to see what the buzz was all about.
-A Wendy Choo video packaged aired.
-Chuey Martinez, sharply dressed in his best black T-shirt and matching baseball cap, interviewed Summer Sorrell. He asked her how she felt about making her debut tonight against Wendy Choo. She looked like she was about to cry and admitted she was scared, but then spouted some catchphrase about it being Summer season, took a deep breath, and then walked off. Yeah, she’s going to get slaughtered. [c]
Back from the break, a video aired on the WWE ID program.
-In Stevie Turner’s office, Nikkita Lyons was asking who Kendal Grey thought she was, clapping back at her on social media. Zayda Steel walked in and announced herself as the fourth woman in the fatal four-way. Turner said it doesn’t work that way. Nikkita said she liked what she was hearing from Steel and might collaborate with The Vanity Project. The two women walked off together as Turner wondered aloud if she could have her minute back.
(1) SUMMER SORRELL vs. WENDY CHOO
Sorrell cartwheeled past Choo as they went to lock up. Choo put her down, but Sorrell came back with a flying press for a two-count. Choo backed her into the corner and drove her shoulder into her opponent’s midsection, then snapmared her over and did her signature neckbreaker where she places her feet on either side of her opponent’s head and quickly twists around. Sorrell hit a perfect sunset flip off the second rope, but Choo rolled out and delivered a vicious knee to the face. She followed that up with a hammerlock clothesline and the Dirt Nap for the tapout victory. Choo attempted to draw a frown on her opponent’s face, but Kylie Rae ran in to make the save. She superkicked Choo, who rolled out of the ring holding her jaw.
WINNER: Wendy Choo at 2:33.
(Miller’s Take: This was fine for what it was. Short and to the point. Rae got her heat back from last week but still looked a bit cartoonish in her facial expressions.)
-They cut to a shot of a car pulling up outside the building. To everyone’s surprise, Lexis King got out of the car as the announcers wondered aloud what he was doing at Evolve. [c]
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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-Lexis King made his ring entrance. He said he was now the portal between Evolve and NXT and nobody goes through it without his say. Sean Legacy came to the ring and welcomed him to Evolve. He told King the WWE Universe decided who the stars were, not him. King challenged him to a match next week. Legacy accepted.
-In the trainer’s room, Kendal Grey’s knee was being tended to. A distraught Carlee Bright came in and fawned over her. She offered to accompany her to the ring tonight, but Grey refused and limped away. Bright told the trainer that her bestie is tough.
-Jackson Drake, accompanied by The Vanity Project, was shown walking toward the ring entrance. [c]
-Keanu Carver and Harlem Lewis approached Stevie Turner from opposite sides, both looking for Gallus. Turner said they left, but they could have them in a tag team match next week. They both expressed distaste in teaming with each other again, but Turner said if they wanted them, that’s the way it was going to be.
(2) JACKSON DRAKE (w/The Vanity Project) vs. DRAKO KNOX
Drake ran his mouth early and swallowed a hard right fist from Knox. Drake attempted a leap from the second rope but was caught and thrown way overhead by Knox. Back on his feet, Drake pulled the doo rag off the head of Knox, who reacted like Kurt Angle getting his wig removed after his head had been shaved. Drake took advantage of the apparent embarrassment of his opponent to gain the upper hand.
Knox caught his second wind and hit a sliding clothesline for a two count. He missed a second attempt and was rolled up but escaped just long enough to get rocked with an enziguri. Drake went for the Lethal InJacktion but was caught and slammed to the mat with a Blue Thunder bomb for a near fall. Knox turned him inside out with a clothesline, but Drake hit a second Lethal InJacktion followed by an Unaliving for the pin.
WINNER: Jackson Drake at 5:08.
(Miller’s Take: It may be his “gimmick,” but Knox looks terribly indy in his wifebeater and doo rag. He’s not a bad hand in the ring, but some serious character development needs to take place. Drake is good, but also needs something to set him apart from everyone else.)
-Chuey Martinez conducted a sit-down interview with Javier Bernal. He said he’s no longer “Big Body Javi” and really never was. He said he went to a metalcore show and felt comfortable in his skin for the first time, so now he hopes to bring some of that to Evolve. The oddly named It’s Gal interrupted, saying nobody cared and walked off. Bernal told Chuey he thinks he just found his next opponent. [c]
-Lexis King was exiting the building and ran across The Vanity Project. Smokes told him the beard was looking extra crispy tonight. They kissed each other’s backsides for a minute before moving along.
(3) NIKKITA LYONS vs. KENDAL GREY
Grey’s left knee was heavily bandaged as she limped her way out to the ring. Lyons immediately pounced (no pun intended) on Grey’s knee, working it over every chance she got. Grey attempted some offense, but it was very short-lived. Lyons hit a Yam Slam on the ring apron for a decent pop. She continued wrenching Grey’s leg and then hit a vicious spin kick to the face for a near fall.
Grey continued to fight gamely, but Lyons mercilessly worked over the leg as Grey screamed in pain. Lyons missed a big kick, but Grey’s leg crumpled when she tried to spring off the second turnbuckle. Lyons hit a Vader bomb for the easy pin.
WINNER: Nikkita Lyons at 6:15.
(Miller’s Take: Lyons was obviously a heavy favorite, but it served the purpose of telling the story of how gutsy Kendal Grey is.)
-After the match, Kali Armstrong rushed the ring to attack an already injured Grey. She worked over her leg some more until the referees rushed in to pull her off. The announcers wondered how or if Grey would even be able to compete in the upcoming women’s fatal four-way match for the Evolve championship.
FINAL THOUGHTS: There were only three matches on tonight’s show due to the opening announcement by Stevie Turner and the chaos that ensued taking up nearly the first 15 minutes of the show. Lexis King’s appearance was a nice surprise. Since Evolve tapes multiple episodes at once, it was no surprise to see the recently released Gallus and Javier Bernal, but we do know that whatever storyline they’re in isn’t going to last very long. The sparsely used Nikkita Lyons is a good fit in Evolve. They should never again put a wrestler named Drake in the ring with a wrestler named Drako. I can never get too much Wendy Choo. Her sleepytime face gimmick was fun, but this wicked nightmare gimmick is fantastic. See you next Wednesday.
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