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WWE EVOLVE TV REPORT
JANUARY 7, 2026
ORLANDO, FLA. AT WWE PERFORMANCE CENTER
AIRED ON TUBI
REPORT BY DAVID MILLER, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentators: Peter Rosenberg, Robert Stone
Interviewer: Chuey Martinez
Ring Announcer: Blake Howard
-The show opened with Sean Legacy talking about his 2025 accomplishments and his title aspirations for 2026.
-Peter Rosenberg introduced the show and extended a Happy New Year to everyone.
(1) KARMEN PETROVIC vs. LAYNIE LUCK
Before the match, they showed Luck winning the Women’s ID Championship that was vacated by Kylie Rae. The ladies started the match with some really good chain wrestling. Both women are built similarly and were very well-matched. Robert Stone mentioned that Luck put in years on the indy circuit before winning her ID contract. Petrovic hit a good knee, but Luck came back quickly with a near fall. She ate a superkick, then fell victim to a Petrofier.
WINNER: Karmen Petrovic at 3:36.
(Miller’s Take: Luck shows a lot of promise. I’ve not heard much from her on the mic, but she has good in-ring skills. As for Petrovic, I’ve seen enough of her to know that she’s good, but she’s not going to rise above until she tweaks her character.)
-Swipe Right was trying to jazz up Jackson Drake for his title defense by making stupid comments about Legacy. They walked up to a group of ID wrestlers and traded barbs with them before walking off.
-Rosenberg and Stone announced that next week, Kendal Grey will defend her title in a triple threat match against former champion Kali Armstrong and newcomer PJ Vasa.
-A video package summarized the feud between Chantel Monroe and Wendy Choo.
(2) CHANTEL MONROE vs. WENDY CHOO – No-Disqualification Match
Choo attacked Monroe from behind as she made her ring entrance. They battled on the floor before Monroe chucked Choo back in the ring and started digging under the ring for weapons. She threw a chair and a trash can in the ring. Why would a trash can be under a ring? Was it an extra can and they just had nowhere to put it, so they stuffed it under the ring? At this point, the referee finally called for the bell. Monroe smacked her with a trash can lid, but Choo came back to place Monroe headfirst into the can and dropkick it as she was upside down in the corner. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that before. [c]
Back from the break, Monroe laid in some vicious chair shots. She picked up a can of some kind of hairspray or body spray and tried to blind Choo with it, but Wendy blocked it and laid in some chair shots of her own. She cinched in the Dirt Nap, but Monroe was able to grab the can of hairspray and spray it in Choo’s eyes. She landed an incredible meteora that drove Choo into the trash can but only got a two-count out of it. Monroe took too long climb to the top, and Choo caught her. Monroe reversed a suplex attempt by Choo into a DDT on the chair.
Monroe set up a table in the ring, but Choo grabbed her by the hair and sprayed her in the eyes with the hairspray. She laid Monroe on the table, but this time it was Choo who took too long to climb the turnbuckle, as Monroe caught up with her. She got in her face and told her she was nothing as she went for what appeared to be a Spanish Fly, but Choo reversed it into a Dirt Nap. Monroe’s body went limp, and Choo hit a devastating full nelson slam off the ropes that drove Monroe through the table. The pin was academic after that.
WINNER: Wendy Choo at 7:47.
(Miller’s Take: Choo needed this win a lot more than Monroe. This was a good variation of this type of match. Not too much plunder, but enough to get the point across. That slam off the turnbuckle was really spectacular and would have popped any crowd. Hopefully, both ladies can move on to other things now.)
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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-Chuey Martinez, who, thankfully, seems to have lost the baseball cap for good, conducted a post-match ringside interview with Choo. She said she remained silent for too long, and whoever wins the triple threat match tonight, she will put her to sleep. Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey came out and told Choo she beat her once, and she’ll beat her again. Choo said that was the old her, and she can’t beat who she is now. They had a brief, but intense staredown.
-A video package introduced Trill London. I don’t know about his ring skills yet, but he showed some personality here. [c]
-Kam Hendrix bragged on himself during a video package. He also seems to have some personality and a good heel arrogance about him.
-In the women’s locker room, Layla Diggs and Masyn Holiday were recording a dance routine for social media when Arianna Grace walked up to make fun of them. Nikkita Lyons walked up and said the exact same line as Grace did, which she quickly pointed out. Lyons and Grace then got all giddy about how much alike they were and said the opposite of viral is Diggs and Holiday. They continued on like schoolgirls as they walked away.
-A video package was shown of the history between Jackson Drake and Sean Legacy.
(3) JACKSON DRAKE (c) (w/Swipe Right) vs. SEAN LEGACY – Evolve Championship Match
Aaron Rourke, Cappuccino Jones, and Mike Cunningham were shown lounging in the VIP section before Blake Howard handled the ring introductions. They tore into each other at the bell, with Legacy getting the better of the exchange. Stone brought attention to Legacy’s taped-up shoulder. He lit Drake up with some blistering chops, then showed off his speed and agility with a series of offensive moves that led to Drake bailing out to the floor to catch his breath and break the momentum. [c]
Back to the match, Legacy was showing why he’s ready for NXT with crisp, exciting offense. He kicked Drake in the back multiple times, then tied him up on the mat with a surfboard. Drake was finally able to yank Legacy’s arm to stop the assault. As they fought outside the ring, Drake drove Legacy’s shoulder into the ring post and then the ring steps before rolling him back in the ring.
Drake tore the tape off Legacy’s shoulder and wrenched it. He stayed laser-focused on the arm, then hit an amazing backflip into a double knee to Legacy’s gut. That was impressive. The two went into a series of high-energy offense before they cut to a commercial break. [c]
When they returned, the two were exchanging blows mid-ring. Legacy hit a rolling Death Valley Driver, then performed a great dive over the ropes. He rolled Drake back into the ring and hit a springboard 450 splash for a nail-biting near fall. They continued to put on an exciting exchange of high-impact offense. Legacy went for Shambles, but Drake grabbed the rope, slipped out, and snapped Legacy’s arm over the top rope. He climbed to the top and nailed a beautiful 450 senton to Legacy’s back, but the challenger snapped back with a standing Spanish Fly for a near fall.
Drake reversed a submission attempt into one of his own, but Legacy got to the ropes. He pulled Drake up out of an armbar into a sit-out powerbomb for a two-count. Drake landed a kick and a knee to the shoulder before nailing an Unaliving. For good measure, he hit a second Unaliving to the back of Legacy’s head to cinch the victory.
WINNER: Jackson Drake at 14:46 to retain the Evolve Championship.
(Miller’s Take: This was amazing! No interference from Swipe Right, just a good, clean finish to a very exciting match. I could see these two headlining a main roster show in the next few years. I really thought this might be Legacy’s night, partly because of the chase and partly because we’ve been seeing a lot of The Vanity Project on NXT lately. Regardless of which of these two won, they are both ready for NXT. This was a must-see match.)
-As The Vanity Project celebrated, Drake exclaimed that Vanity trumps Legacy every time. A group of PC wrestlers led by Kam Hendrix walked out. Hendrix told Drake he earned a title shot, and they earned the right to run a show. They were interrupted when Harlem Lewis made his return. They parted as Lewis walked to the ring, laser-focused on Drake. He said he didn’t care about ID or PC, he only cared about that belt. Swipe Right took their shirts off like they were going to throw down, but Drake backed them off. The Vanity Project left the ring as Lewis continued to stare them down.
-Rosenberg said a camera was capturing Charlie Dempsey and Timothy Thatcher in the parking lot. Dempsey was leaning up against Thatcher’s car, waiting for him. Thatcher said they have nothing more to discuss, and he should go home. Again, Dempsey expressed disappointment that Thatcher wouldn’t wrestle him. He talked about how much he respected and looked up to him, and said he couldn’t call himself the best until he’s beaten Thatcher. He called him a sad, pathetic, emasculated stooge, then opened his car door for him.
-Thatcher slammed the door shut and called him an insolent, spoiled brat. He said he just had to make it personal, even though it’s not about him. He yelled at Dempsey that he would be lying in the ring screaming as he tore him apart. He told Dempsey he had his match and wished him a rather aggressive goodnight.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Just like last night’s New Year’s Evil, tonight’s episode of Evolve was a huge hit. It progressed very nicely, starting out with a classic preliminary match, stuffing some exciting hardcore action in the middle, and ending with a classic, high-tension title defense. Evolve kicked off 2026 in high gear tonight. If you haven’t checked out Evolve lately, cue up Tubi and watch this one.
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