WWE Evolve Review 08.27.25

Happy Wrensday, everyone. Are we ready for some Evolve action? There’s actually some Evolve news to start things out tonight, as the WWE made their first-ever ID releases this week, two of them being names you’ll recognize from the show in Jordan Oasis and Ice Williams. Oasis was a wrestler we saw plenty of, and you can tell I wasn’t a huge fan from his being one of the usual butts of my jokes every week. While a lot of what I saw from him felt very generic CAW, he could move decently in the ring. Ice, we barely saw, but he seemed to be starting a program with Sean Legacy (and he actually may be in action tonight), so it’s hard to really have an opinion on him. The third wrestler, Aaron Roberts, is one I have zero familiarity with.

Releases like this are going to happen. The WWE took a closer look and didn’t see these guys as future superstars to invest further in. I honestly think AEW should take a look at Oasis, as, in a world where they don’t have the access to young talent they used to have, someone who can move and at least has some training in working to hard cam is useful. There have been plenty of ID successes thus far (Legacy, almost the entire Vanity Project), and there are bound to be some that don’t make the cut.

Now let’s watch some wrestling.

THEN. NOW. TRAVIS AND TAYLOR. TOGETHER.

We open with…..Jordan Oasis, actually, recapping Brooks Jensen turning on him against Swipe Right two weeks ago. They’ll be facing each other tonight. We then show Karmen Petrovic, Nikkita Lyons, and Chantel Monroe earning their way to a Fatal Four-Way, tonight, versus Evolve Women’s Champ Kali Armstrong. That should be….all sorts of things.

And we head to the ring, fittingly on Wrensday, with our Evolve queen, Kendal Grey. I wonder if we’re getting an Evolve farewell here. She faces….

WENDY CHOO VS. KENDAL GREY

Kendal’s worked very well with vets, and I hope it carries over here. Collar-and-elbow tie-up to start, with Kendal taking Wendy down, and Wendy doing spooky things. Kendal comes back with amateur things and gets a quick roll-up for two on Choo. Wendy hits an elbow, which Kendal shakes off. Wendy blocks a boot and gets the side-headlock on. You can see them settling on a “look” for Kendal, as the ponytail and loose bangs seem to be the thing every week with her. Kendal reverses a hip toss and takes Choo down with a firefighter’s carry. Wendy backs Grey into the corner and, of course, we don’t get a clean break. Kendal comes back with some athleticism, and you begin to see some signature moves emerging with her. Watching young talent put it together is awesome. Maybe Hook can try that sometime. Low dropkick takes Wendy out to the outside, but Wendy comes back in as Kendal chases, allowing Choo to get the advantage with a neckbreaker. We return from break to Kendal stuck in the Tree of Woe. Choo gets a dropkick in that position and covers for two. Kendal attempts to fight back, but gets taken down again so that Wendy can hit a neckwringer. Wendy nails a clothesline and boot into the corner, only getting two on the subsequent cover. They trade punches, and Kendal begins to get the better of Wendy. Big clothesline from Kendal starts the comeback, and she nails a gorgeous flying elbow off the rope. Rope-assisted stomp and a DDT get two from Kendal. German suplex attempt gets reversed by Choo, and she locks in the Dirt Nap. Kendal gets out of it and slowly climbs to the top, only to get caught by Choo. Superplex by Wendy, followed by a brainbuster (called a suplex by Peter Rosenberg) only gets two, though. The crowd gets behind our 61-0 goddess, and a roll-up and Randy Orton powerslam get two for Kendal. Armbar is locked in my Kendal, but that’s reversed for two by Wendy. Uncle Slam gets two for Wendy, and the Dirt Nap is locked in! Kendal reverses……..for three!!! The announcers wonder whether she even knows she’s won.

WINNER: Kendal Grey

MATCH RATING: B+. This brought the goods, and then some. Wendy was a solid vet for Kendal to work off of, and the lightbulb has really gone on with her.

Kendal: A Bias aside, we watch shows like this because we enjoy watching the development of young wrestlers. Kendal’s growing into a force before our very eyes, and is more than ready to succeed at the next level. You’ve got to love it.

Choo: B+ This is why talent like Wendy, who may never be a force on the main roster, are important in the player/coach role, should they choose to accept such a role. She led well here and made her younger opponent look like a million bucks. Kudos.

Ice Williams is a good-looking dude, but the promo skills really don’t seem to be there as he hypes up his match next week with Sean Legacy. This isn’t terrible, but it doesn’t have me thinking they made a mistake in cutting him either.

Karmen Petrovic STRETCHES WITH HER SWORD backstage. Nikkita Lyons needs so such sword while she stretches.

BROOKS JENSEN VS. JORDAN OASIS

Oh joy. I hope Oasis has a bus ticket to the 2300 Arena in his hobopack. Collar-and-elbow tie-up to start. No clean break in the corner from Jensen, who locks in the armbar. Oasis drops Jensen with a right hand and hits a big body slam. Standing senton gets two. I’m bored. Oasis goes back to the arm as the graphic tells us Oasis gave up all his possessions to become a nomad. Well, that sucks. Oasis sends Jensen outside and, you’ll never guess this, but he then hits a dive to the outside. Jensen rams Jordan’s arm into the post twice. Good thing he has no worldly possessions to carry with that arm. Commercials only seemingly go on forever. We return to Jensen hitting something boring off the top rope to a boring, prone Jordan Oasis for a boring two count. Jensen goes back to working the arm. Jordan fights back with boring punches before being sent in to the boring post. Jensen gets a boring two before going back to working on the arm. Jensen beats down on Oasis to the direct opposite of heel heat. Jensen works the arm as the crowd actually begins to clap for Oasis. Maybe they need to pee. Oasis attempts a comeback, hitting a high knee, clothesline, elbow, and the second brainbuster “suplex” of the night. BORING! Blackout Cannonball gets two as Oasis does a decent job at selling the arm. Jensen goes out to the apron, where they exchange blows. Jensen tries to climb the ropes, but his arm seems asleep. Even appendages are bored here. Jensen clotheslines Oasis off the top rope, then hits the Southen Lariat for three.

WINNER: Brooks Jensen

MATCH RATING: Zzzz….

Oasis: C. Competent. No sizzle. I wish you the best in your future endeavors.

Jensen: C+ You see what they’re trying here, but the overall package just isn’t impressive. This is his ceiling right here as a singles wrestler.

Chuey Martinez approaches Jensen as he exits the ring for an interview. Jensen fumbles the word “irrelevant” while telling us he’s gunning for the Evolve World Championship. This is pretty strange, as this promo is straight out of a TBS studio in 1986 in its delivery.

Backstage, the Vanity Project tells Jackson Drake Jensen’s a headcase, and not much to worry about. Drake tells the group that every faction has their ups and downs, but they are all young and have a lot ahead of them. Stevie Turner enters the room to tell Drake she’s deciding on his next opponent. Jackson tells Stevie it doesn’t matter, since Heartbreak Drake will put them down. Simple and effective here.

Kali Armstrong hits the resistance bands, while Chantel Monroe consults her trusty compact. Of course she does. Your main event is next!

Masyn Holliday tells Layla Diggs she is from a small town in Georgia and craves competition. Masyn cites being valedictorian of her class at Howard University (impressive!), as well as her track and field career there. Masyn refers to Kylie Rae as the measuring stick in NXT and wants to see how she does against her. Nice review of Masyn’s resume, as we previously knew next to nothing there.

KALI ARMSTRONG VS. NIKKITA LYONS VS. CHANTEL MONROE VS. KARMEN PETROVIC (FATAL FOUR-WAY FOR THE EVOLVE WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP)

I’ve always loved Karmen’s entrance and would love for her to begin putting it together. Kali oozes coolness in her entrance. Chantel looks at her compact, while Nikkita does this thing called breathing, which annoys me. Blake Howard gives us the big match intros, and the referee is eleven years old. Man, I could see a Kali/Ms. Parker team going places. Chantel and Nikkita go after their opponents to start, and that doesn’t go well for them as they’re both sent outside. Kali and Karmen square off. Kali blocks a hip toss and hits a big slam. Karm recovers and attempts to lock in a full nelson with the legs. Chantel and Nikkita enter and hook in submissions of their own, and the action is now going faster than I can type. Kali takes control of all three and hits spears into the corner on Chantel and Nikkita before meeting Karmen’s knees. Kali recovers and powerslams both Karmen and Chantel, individually, before Nikkita breaks the count as we go to break. We return to Karmen and Nikkita blocking each other’s kicks, before Nikkita finally nails one and gets her own chance to take out the field. Was that a Pearl River Plunge by Nikkita? I think it was. Kali takes control again, though, but a powerslam attempt is reversed into a roll-up by Karmen for two. It’s now Karm’s turn to shine, and she rakes out Nikkita, then head-scissoring Kali down. Karmen hits the big kick, but Chantel stops the pin. Chantel then gets her shine spot and, no, it’s not as impressive as everyone else’s. Chantel goes to the top, shoves both Kali and Karmen down, but eventually wings up in the Tower of Doom spot. Nikkita gets up and covers Karmen and Kali, separately, for two. Nikkita attempts to fight off both Kali and Karmen, but that doesn’t last. Nikkita and Kali double clothesline each other in the ring while Chantel and Karmen go at it outside. Kylie Rae suddenly arrives and shoves Chantel, leading to Karmen taking both down. Kylie and Chantel fight to the back, leaving the other three in the ring. Kali goes to powerbomb Nikkita, hitting it while also eating a kick from Karmen. Karmen rolls up Nikkita for two as Kali hits the outside. Nikkita hits the Samoan Drop, but misses the big splash as Kali pulls Karmen out of the ring. Kali and Nikkita are left alone, and the Kali Connection hits for three.

WINNER AND STILL CHAMPION: Kali Armstrong

Match Rating: B+ Fast action. Minimal botching. I can vibe with this.

Kali: A Like Kendal Grey before here, there’s not much left at this level for Kali, but defend the title. I have to say she’s getting close to Bron-like speed on that Kali Connection. That’s going to take her to big places.

Nikkita: B+ Yes, she can be annoying, but the heel turn has brought out the best in her once the bell rings. She held her own, and then some, here.

Karmen: A- There’s enough experience there for her to more than know her way around a match like this. The kicks are always great.

Chantel: B- She kept up well enough, but it was pretty obvious here that she was the least experienced of the bunch.

Kali celebrates with the belt as the show ends.

OVERALL RATING: B Solid show this week, as both the women’s matches very much delivered. The men’s match really had no hope, considering who was involved, but this is developmental after all. Both women’s matches are worth watching, as Kali and Kendal are going to be up to some big things sooner rather than later.

See you all on Sunday for LFG.