SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
WWE EVOLVE TV REPORT
AUGUST 26, 2026
ORLANDO, FLA. AT WWE PERFORMANCE CENTER
AIRED ON TUBI
REPORT BY DAVID MILLER, PWTORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Commentator: Blake Howard, Robert Stone
Ring announcer: Ryan Katz
Interviewer: Adriana Rizzo
-In a pre-taped segment, Brooks Jensen said that Elijah Holyfield has the audacity to think he’s running scared from him as they showed clips of him doing that very thing. He peppered in Alabama references while promoting their lumberjack match tonight.
-Blake Howard and NXT GM Robert Stone introduced the show while standing ringside, which is always a nice, old-school touch.
(1) LAYNIE LUCK vs. P.J. VASA
Sloane Jacobs was shown seated in the VIP Lounge, booing Luck before the match started. Luck ducked a blow from Vasa and hammered away at her with some forearms, drove her out of the ring, and delivered a suicide dive to the floor. She rolled her back into the ring, then hit a nice springboard senton from the apron. Her early momentum was short-lived, as Vasa caught her breath and began changing Laynie’s luck. Laynie caught an early second wind and hit some high-impact moves, including a shining wizard and dropkick from the top rope. She scored a near fall, but got caught mid-kick and lifted into a sit-out powerbomb. Luck reversed a suplex into a DDT, then lifted Vasa into a DVP (Death Valley Party) for the surprise win.
WINNER: Laynie Luck at 4:09.
(Miller’s Take: I’m not sure this was as much of an indictment on Vasa as it was nod of approval to Luck, who has changed up her look and tweaked her character to be more serious and less bubbly. The match creaked in a couple of spots, but it wasn’t bad. Vasa has the monster heel look, but she’s vertically challenged and may not look so intimidating next to some of the more statuesque ladies in the company. She could also use an upgrade in her ring gear.)
-After the match, Jacobs was giving Vasa a hard time from the couch until Vasa looked like she was ready to hop down to the floor and get up close and personal with her. Jacobs fell backwards into the couch and beat a hasty retreat.
-A video of Gianna Capri included her playing up being Italian and threatening Anya Rune. [c]
(2) CHAZZ “STARBOY” HALL vs. KALE DIXON (w/Alix Brooks)
The denim dragon came out to his funky, 70s-era guitar riff while Dixon was accompanied by his finally-named business associate. Apparently, she was formerly known as Kylee Quinn, but that was changed to her current moniker to perhaps avoid confusion with an adult film actress named Kylie Quinn. I have so much I could say about that, but not enough space. Dixon scooped up Hall for a bodyslam at the bell. The Starboy slipped out of a second one and went to work with his superior speed and agility.
Dixon used a power game against the smaller Hall to take advantage of the match, sneering and heeling it up throughout. Hall fired back with a flying headscissors, standing sliced bread, and a standing, twisting moonsault that was a thing of beauty. Brooks tripped Hall off the turnbuckle while Dixon grabbed the referee’s leg to distract him. He nailed his opponent with a discus punch for the win.
WINNER: Kale Dixon at 5:24.
(Miller’s Take: The former lead goofball out of Chase U has turned serious and is proving he can also heel it up with the best. Brooks showed that she knows her role as his “business associate”, and she did what she was supposed to. I’ve really grown to like Hall and his style, but the Starboy could use a win or two.)
-After the match, Cappuccino Jones, looking like he just stepped off the set of Starsky & Hutch, came out to console and encourage Hall.
-Elijah Holyfield cut a fired up promo against Brooks Jensen, saying he was going to knock him out for good. [c]
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)
(3) LAYLA DIGGS vs. ZENA STERLING
Diggs escaped an early waistlock by dropping down into a split and slipping under Sterling’s legs. That was swift. She drove Sterling into the corner with her shoulder a couple of times and got a near fall, but Sterling fought back and scored a near fall of her own. Diggs delivered a gourdbuster, which Sterling answered with a tilt-a-whirl slam. After some roll-up reversals, Sterling stuck her foot on the ropes for a leverage pin.
WINNER: Zena Sterling at 4:11 to earn a spot in the #1 contender’s women’s fatal 4-way match next week.
(Miller’s Take: Not a whole lot to this one, other than the story of Sterling reinventing herself and displaying a new heel attitude. Diggs, of course, looked good and is a definite blue-chipper.)
-Another cryptic video was shown of the mysterious blonde futuristic woman with the black stripe painted from her upper lip to her chin, who addressed the women’s roster by saying she wanted to know who they are when they panic. Kinda creepy. A graphic read, “Vanta, the unknown is coming…” [c]
-Evolve Champion Harlem Lewis was introduced by Ryan Katz. He said Thatcher lines them up and he knocks them down. He wondered aloud who his next challenger would be and suggested the Foreman set up a #1 contender’s match. He was interrupted by Harley Riggins, who came out and laid claim to the #1 contendership. Lewis asked Riggins if he got permission from his daddy, Kam Hendrix, to come out and speak. Riggins called him a little bitch, and Lewis bailed out to the floor to brawl with Big Rig. Two security guys were quickly dispatched of, so Foreman Thatcher ran out with two more to help restore order.
-As that fight was being broken up, the camera abruptly cut to the back, where The Mog Squad were thumping on Aaron Rourke. Max Abrams screamed at the camera that they could do a lot more than just mog. I may need a refresher course on what exactly mogging is.
-Blake Howard ran down next week’s card, including the men’s and women’s #1 contender’s fatal 4-way matches.
(4) BROOKS JENSEN vs. ELIJAH HOLYFIELD – Lumberjack Match
As the match started, Jensen looked precariously at the lumberjacks at ringside. He tried escaping the grasp of Holyfield, but had nowhere to go. They traded headlocks, then Jensen tried to escape the ring, but got thumped and dumped by the lumberjacks. After they pitched him back in, Jensen got in a bit of offense before Holyfield regained control. Jensen did a comedy spot on the ropes before tumbling to the floor. He ran around the ring while trying to avoid the lumberjacks again. Holyfield chased him, but when Jensen slid back in the ring, Viktor Zanov grabbed Holyfield’s leg, which gave Jensen the opening to put the boots to him. [c]
After a brief commercial break, Jensen was asserting his dominance. He sank in a deep headlock that the rookie couldn’t shake. He finally broke the hold, but ate a vicious boot to the head. Jensen punched and kicked away at Holyfield for a couple of minutes, but got flattened with a shoulder tackle. Holyfield fired up and delivered a spinebuster for a near fall. Jensen came back with some surprisingly agile offense that caught his foe off guard. After he got a two-count, they traded a couple of high impact moves, but Jensen got caught by Holyfield with a powerslam as he leaped off the ropes.
Jensen crawled to the floor and instigated a wild brawl outside the ring with the lumberjacks. As about eight of them fought in a huddle, Romeo Moreno sailed over the top rope and took down all eight lumberjacks. Jensen tried backing toward the ring entrance, but his path was blocked by Sam Holloway, who threw him back into the ring. Holyfield immediately connected with a devastating uppercut that knocked Jensen out for the three-count.
WINNER: Elijah Holyfield at 11:17.
(Miller’s Take: They made decent use of the lumberjack gimmick, with Jensen getting thumped when thrown out, and one of the heel lumberjacks slowing down Holyfield. Moreno taking out 18 other lumberjacks tested my suspension of disbelief, but it was an exciting segment, for sure. The announcers speculated that this effectively ended the feud.)
FINAL THOUGHTS: Nothing to complain about, but nothing to really talk much about, either. I get that they’re elevating Zena Sterling, but Layla Diggs needs pushed to the moon, as I see a lot more in her than I do in Sterling. I think I could watch Chazz “Starboy” Hall wrestle every week. The Jensen/Holyfield feud was a lot of fun, but they’ve really done all with it they can do, so I hope Howard and Stone were right about this feud being over. See you next week!
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.