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WWE EVOLVE TV REPORT
MAY 21, 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 a video package on the feud between Keanu Carver and Harlem Lewis, followed by a preview of the women’s Play-In Fatal 4-Way.
(1) ZAYDA STEEL (w/The Vanity Project) vs. ARIA BENNETT vs. CHANTEL MONROE vs. KYLIE RAE – Play-In Fatal 4-Way match to determine the last spot in the Women’s Fatal Four-Way Elimination match for the Evolve Women’s Championship
Monroe and Rae tied up while Steel and Bennett tangled. Monroe hit an impressive flying press off the turnbuckle on Steel and Rae and got a two-count on a double pin. Steel hit a tornado DDT to Monroe. Rae delivered a cannonball to Steel as The Vanity Project all hopped up onto the ring apron. The referee ejected them all, much to the delight of the crowd. Monroe landed a standing shooting star on Rae for two.
Bennett hit a combo bulldog and clothesline on Steel and Monroe. Steel and Rae got into a shoving match on the outside but were laid out with a flying press off the top by Bennett. Back in the ring, Rae followed a side Russian leg sweep with a crossface. Bennett rolled her up for a two but ate a superkick from Rae as she rose to her feet, resulting in the pin.
WINNER: Kylie Rae at 6:33.
(Miller’s Take: They crammed quite a bit of action into six and a half minutes. All four women looked very good, but I don’t think the winner was a huge surprise. Rae has the biggest upside regarding character development, and it will be interesting to see her interaction with Wendy Choo in next week’s Fatal 4-Way Elimination match.)
-An intense Keanu Carver cut a quick promo on Harlem Lewis.
-Chuey Martinez interviewed Oro Mensah before he made his way to the ring. [c]
(2) ORO MENSAH vs. EDRIS ENOFE
The fans chanted “welcome back” to Enofe. They started off slowly with some takedowns and reversals. Enofe followed a dropkick with a couple of elbows and a standing shooting star press for a two-count. Mensah dragged Enofe half out of the ring and dropped him shoulder-first on the floor. That looked devastating and got a good pop from the crowd. Mensah told Enofe, “Welcome back.”
Mensah continued to dominate back in the ring and hit a springboard dropkick. He locked Enofe into a bodyscissors/chinlock combination. Enofe rose to his feet with Mensah still on his back. He broke free from the hold and fired up. They traded some near falls before both men climbed the turnbuckle. Enofe clotheslined Mensah off the turnbuckle to the mat and hit a big elbow off the top for the victory.
WINNER: Edris Enofe at 6:02.
(Miller’s Take: Mensah was introduced as representing Meta Four. The problem with shows such as this that are taped weeks in advance is that we saw the breakup of Meta Four weeks ago on NXT, and we know that Mensah was recently released from WWE. That being said, this was a very good match between two guys who can really go.)
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of “Wrestling Coast to Coast” with Chris Maitland and Justin McClelland, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
-Chuey Martinez caught a winded Enofe outside the ring. He talked about his long road to recovery and said it was great to get a victory against a talent like Mensah. Stevie Turner interrupted the interview to announce that she was putting Enofe in the Fatal 4-Way match for the Evolve Championship. Some officials rushed out and told Turner that something was going on in the back. As the cameras followed her backstage, Dani Palmer was lying on the floor, clutching her right knee and screaming in pain as officials hovered over her and called for medical. Peter Rosenberg wondered aloud who was responsible and noted that something like this happened last week. [c]
-Harlem Lewis was warming up in back as he cut a quick promo on Keanu Carver.
Rosenberg and Stone recapped the mysterious attack on Brynley Reece last week and compared it to what just happened to Dani Palmer. Their thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of The Vanity Project, who came to the ring bragging about themselves. Brad Baylor sounds like the AWA-era Shawn Michaels before he was old enough to have any bass in his voice.
(3) SWIPE RIGHT (w/The Vanity Project) vs. TIMOTHY THATCHER & SEAN LEGACY
Thatcher took immediate control of Baylor by grounding him and bending his fingers in ways they shouldn’t bend. Ricky Smokes tagged in, but Thatcher stood on his fingers and then kicked him in the elbow. That looked nasty. Legacy and Thatcher kept control with quick tags, but Swipe Right turned the tide with some nifty teamwork. [c]
Back from the break, Legacy hit some high-impact dropkicks on Smokes. Swipe Right cornered Legacy and thumped on him a bit. They effectively cut the ring off, not allowing Legacy the opportunity to tag out. Thatcher finally took the hot tag and delivered a couple of overhead throws to Swipe Right. He backed Smokes into the corner and threw several rapid-fire European uppercuts. Baylor broke up a pin and hit a suplex/backbreaker combo on Legacy. They finished off Thatcher with the Superswipe.
WINNERS: Swipe Right at 11:36.
(Miller’s Take: Swipe Right may look like their combined age couldn’t legally buy a pack of cigarettes, but they are a talented duo who look smooth beyond their years. This was a good, classic tag team match. Thatcher is a throwback wrestler who looks mean as a snake, and Legacy has a bright future ahead of him.)
-In the back, Kali Armstrong cut a believable promo about how she’s going to become the first Evolve Women’s champion. I believe her. [c]
-In the women’s locker room, Kendal Grey was talking about Kali Armstrong’s brashness. Masyn Holiday said she’s no joke. Chantel Monroe stopped preening long enough to tell Grey she would not win the championship before getting up and walking off. Holiday commented that the real Monroe could be pretty cool, but she needs to drop the act. Grey and Carlee Bright said they didn’t know about that.
(4) KEANU CARVER vs. HARLEM LEWIS – Qualifying Match for a spot in the Fatal 4-Way to determine the inaugural Evolve Champion
They tore into each other the second the referee called for the bell. Carver went for a pounce early, but Lewis avoided it by sliding to the floor. Carver followed him out and tried to whip Lewis into the steps, but it was reversed, and Carver hit the ring steps hard. Back in the ring, Carver took over with a side suplex and overhead throw. He draped Lewis’s feet over the top rope, shoved him into the air, and decked him with a right hand on the way down. That was harsh.
Carver pounced Lewis hard, sending him sailing over the top rope and tumbling to the floor. As he followed him out, Lewis just about clotheslined Carver out of his boots. Back in the ring, Lewis was favoring his left knee. He hit the Boomslang, but grabbed his left knee in pain and couldn’t make the cover. With Carver standing on the ring apron, Lewis slid out of the ring, scooped him up, and dropped him hard on the floor with a side suplex. He threw Carver back in the ring and lifted him for a thunderous powerbomb for a two-count. After a bit of trash-talking, Lewis attempted a suplex, but his knee gave out, giving Carver the opening for another hard pounce followed by a twisting slam for the pin.
WINNER: Keanu Carver at 5:52.
(Miller’s Take: That was outstanding. Explosive impact moves from both men got huge reactions from the crowd. Lewis gave a strong showing of himself as a force to be reckoned with. Carver is just a beast, and I can’t help but wonder what a match between him and Oba Femi would look like. I could definitely go for a rematch between these two future stars.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: Great show from the Evolve crew this week. My money is on Kali Armstrong to become the first Evolve Women’s champion next week, and I look for that to be a really good match with four strong women involved. Swipe Right continues to grate on my nerves, but in a good way, because I want to see somebody just rub their faces into the ground. Carver vs. Lewis wasn’t long, but they definitely stole the show. Maybe next week we find out who the mystery attacker is? Tune into Tubi next week to find out. See you next Wednesday!
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