WWE Evolve – 01.21.26

We’re back with more Evolve action, it’s faaaaaantastic! We open with Karmen Petrovic doing a walk and talk outside (though intelligently enough she’s avoided the parking lot) where she runs down the general goings on in Evolve (WWE ID vs. PC! Harlem Lewis!) but most importantly it’s about her versus Kali Armstrong who is coasting off being the first Evolve woman’s champion and doesn’t deserve all her continued title shots. Harsh words!

Powerslams! Beakers! Unintelligible lyrics! A purple color scheme! It’s Evolve!

Wendy Choo makes her way to the ring, and even though she’s now a smiling babyface she still has the creepy theme and tron. Choo is kinda sassy on the mic and says she has three resolutions, to be unbothered, unfiltered, and unapologetic. Wendy is a bit upset she’s never had a real shot at the Evolve women’s title, and so she’s calling out the person that made sure “I’ll never shut up again” in Kendal Grey. The champ comes out, but is cut off by interviewer Chuey Martinez (who is now the authority figure?) who says that due to last week’s title defense, Kendal isn’t supposed to wrestle again…but Grey is a fighting champ so if Wendy wants some, she can get some and out comes the ref.

Kendal Grey (c) vs. Wendy Choo – Evolve Women’s Championship

Background: So Kendal and Wendy have fought in the past when Choo was a spooky heel, Kendal made her quit, and that set Choo on the path to being a face and also talking again. Kendal of course is our scrappy, stoic babyface champion you probably know from being a bit of a goofy underdog on NXT, though it should be mentioned she’s cockier and a bit more aggressive in Evolve. Choo is also fresh off beating Chantel Monroe in their feud so she has some momentum coming in.

The Match: Standing grappling goes the way of Grey who takes Choo down and goes for the early juji-gatame before Choo slips out and goes for her Dirt Nap choke and Kendal does the Bret counter before they both sorta nod and acknowledge that it ain’t gonna be that easy. Kendal tries to take Choo down again but Wendy tosses Wendy into the corner and unleashes some forearms and a running boot to send Kendal head over heels, the champ speeds things up with a rope-running sequence into a dropkick and Choo powders. When Choo gets onto the apron Kendal goes for a baseball slide into an anklepick but Choo evades and hits a cannonball from the apron to the outside and we get an ad break (after somebody goes the outside? I’m shocked!) Back in and Grey’s in a tree of woe with Choo stomping away before a basement dropkick gets 2. Commentary putting over Kendal being a fighting champion who is maybe spreading herself too thin (ah the ‘96 Shawn angle) while Grey gets a desperate cradle for 2 before Choo reverses for the same. More rollups as Kendal goes for a prawn cradle before Wendy reverses into a sit-out pin all for 2, they go back and forth for that before hitting simultaneous kicks and then simultaneous forearms before a double-clotheslines gives us a double-down…undoubetably. My goodness do you think perhaps we’re supposed to believe both of these competitors are familiar with each other? Slugfest from their knees into a standing strike exchange that has Kendal all wobble-legged, but Choo goes for a big head kick that Grey ducks and turns into a German. The straps are down and Kendal flies outside for a sliding ankle pick into a slingshot stomp for 2.5. Grey tries a fireman’s carry but Choo slips out and Grey ends up on the apron, big kick from Choo has Kendal staggered and Wendy drags the champ inside for a big spinning neckbreaker for 2.7. Choo goes for a full-nelson slam, Kendal tries a victory roll but Choo has it scouted and goes for the Dirt Nap again but can’t get it locked in before Kendal armdrags out and turns into the juji-gatame…but Choo keeps her hands clasped and gets a rollup for 2 to break, a flash superkick drops Choo though and Kendal goes up…and she gets cut off and a superplex lands…but Choo holds on brings them both up and gets a brainbuster (?!) for 2.9. Choo is distraught for a second before composing herself for another go at the full-nelson slam that Kendal breaks and tries for the superkick, but Choo catches and counters with a big overhand slap across the face. Another try at the spinning neckbreaker but Kendal spins with it and it’s a Shades of Grey outta nowhere for 3.

**¾

Well both women are good, I do think I preferred the I Quit match just out of a personal preference for heel/face vs. face/face matchups, but these two clearly know how to wrestle and I’m wagering from both their chemistry and commentary they definitely train together. Choo has always been overlooked for her in-ring competence and athleticism and did a good job tonight. I did roll my eyes a bit at the superplex into a brainbuster for 2 deal, but hey, this is the era we have. I might also ding it a bit for being almost too smooth at certain points. That said even in the mirror match components, they established that Kendal is faster and Choo is the better striker, and also while Wendy had sniffed out Kendal’s submissions after their I Quit Match, she wasn’t ready for her new flash finisher. CONTINUITY!

We cut to Kali Armstrong who is watching a monitor like a normal person (and is our Fightful rookie of the year! Go Kali!) and she gives respect to Kendal and knows their paths will cross again, but tonight she’s focused on Karmen Petrovic, maybe Karmen’s mad about Kali getting these title shots, but Armstrong doesn’t see what Karmen’s done to deserve them other than run her mouth. Kali’s already beaten Karmen when the title’s on the line and tonight is going to be no different. Harsher words!

Now we have a vignette of some psychic shop, we got random Egyptian stuff, burning sage, crystals, statues, it’s all very spooky! And apparently this is where Nikkita Lyons and Arianna Grace are going to get a free reading from Grace’s “giant stack of fanmail.” Anyway they get some palmistry done and apparently there is “much darkness in their lifelines.” So they do some tarot, and they get the Five of Swords, the Ten of Swords, and the Tower, and we are informed that means conflict, pain, and destruction and both Ariana and Nikkita sell big and freak out like the horror extras they are. They’re warned they must change their ways and they run screaming.

Well then.

We now go over the departing Evolve members, Eli Knight (who was here for like 3 shows), Keanu Carver, Sean Legacy, and the Vanity Project’s Brad Baylor, Ricky Smokes, and Jackson Drake.

Now, some wrestling!

Marcus Mathers vs. Braxton Cole

Background: So this is doing more to fuel the Team ID (which Marcus is part of) versus Team PC (which Cole is part of) feud. ID lost the big gauntlet match, and Marcus was the last guy for his team. Last I saw Cole he was a very generic guy with a broccoli haircut and good abs but now he’s added a gold chain and a letterman jacket, so he looks like the gestalt image of an evil fratboy. Mathers is scrawnier and has scraggly hair and some ugly tattoos, but it kinda works for the “dirtbag indie guy” look if that makes sense, a long lost member of the Rascalz.

The Match: Apparently Braxton Cole went to an Ivy League school, has a master’s degree, and only eats red meat and fruit. Cole kinda corners Marcus in the corner who slips free and gets a few shots and ducks some more before getting a few dropkicks. Cole finally catches Mathers with a double goozle and beals him in the corner where Mathers tries to go up but is tossed off the ropes and then Braxton gets a running neckbreaker. Braxton with some hammer and anvil elbows and then whips Marcus off the ropes for a clothesline. More arrogant clubbing from Braxton and then a necksnap over the ropes and then a neckbreaker back inside for 2. A standing neck crank next and then an uppercut. Another neckbreaker but Mathers gets his hands on the ropes so only Cole takes a bump, Mathers blocks a charge with his boots and then gets a springboard reverse crossbody, Mathers with some strikes, then he ducks a Cole clothesline and gets a flying forearm, springboard stunner off the second turnbuckle and a big German suplex for 2.8. Marcus is holding the neck between moves here and he picks up Cole for a big forearm and goes for a suplex but Cole reverses into a sorta…flipping suplex (Braxton picks a guy and falls forward while Marcus lands with a somersault bump) for 2. Cole with a Fireman’s Carry but Mathers gets some elbows to break, and then turns an uppercut into a backslide that goes nowhere. Braxton catches a kick and gets a sorta…enzuigiri front kick? And then a hook kick to the jaw before Marcus goes up, but here’s Kam Hendrix to distract him and when Marcus goes for the diving stomp, the distraction lets Braxton evade, Kam pops up on the apron and Marcus takes a swing at the guy before we get the most lethal finisher in WWE, the DISTRACTION SCHOOLBOY ROLLUP OF DOOM by Cole for 3.

*¼

Well Braxton at least has a bit of personality now, even if he seems to be a budget Christopher Nowinski, still an evil Ivy League jock is…it’s like the foundation work of a real gimmick. That said, there’s a song I’ve been wearing out recently, and part of the chorus goes “What if I held the key, would you jump with me and rewind? / Take me to 2005” and well…this certainly came STRAIGHT out of 2005, the OVW special with an ‘indie guy’ who did 18 months in ROH on the other side. Marcus Mathers offense being so delightfully…medieval is charming, he’s doing reverse crossbodies and flying forearms like an 80s babyface, but he’s firing up all proper like. I continue to see a bit of something in Marcus in the scrappy alternative coded underdog babyface. Additionally considering how horrendous I thought Cole was last-time this might be a generous rating as he’s been upgraded to “tremendously green.”

Post-match Kam chopblocks Marcus and that lets Braxton hit a fireman’s carry side slam on the guy…and Team ID have been locked in the locker room! They can’t help! Oh the humanity! Kam pillmanizes the leg with a diving stomp of his own.

We have Team PC members Harley Riggins, Jax Presley, Brooks Jensen, and Keanu Carver all celebrating, but Keanu keeps eyeballing Brooks and doesn’t seem to care for his presence (which to be fair, Brooks really doesn’t belong in this squad). Jensen reiterates that next week they have ‘control of the show’ and Jensen wants revenge for his loss to Cappuccino Jones in the gauntlet match and vows to knock his head off his shoulders and that gets Keanu’s approval.

Another Harlem Lewis vignette, where he lets us know that he doesn’t care that those Team PC “stooges” are running the show next week, cause he’s only got eyes for Jackson Drake, and since Drake is going to be there next week, Lewis will be there next week.

Kali Armstrong vs. Karmen Petrovic

Background: So Kali’s beaten Karmen before, but Karmen is back and is a bit uh, shall we say…heelish. Kali of course now is a full babyface, but she’s still aggressive and feisty. Kali has the size, explosiveness, and strength advantage, but Karmen has a sword, and karate of course.

The Match: Kali powers Karmen around three times to start before Petrovic unleashes a kick flurry in the corner to get a bit of space. Karmen turns a Kali clothesline into a crucifix for a quick pin and then gets some bodyscissors into a full-nelson with her legs as we get a quick cut to Tyra Mae Steele in the VIP section ringside (hey she’s still alive!). Kali bridges back for a pin but Karmen twists that into a Gedo clutch for a quick pin before Kali powers out…but Karmen gets a back kick out of the corner and then a tilt-a-whirl crossbody for another quick cover. Karmen goes for an armbar and keeps her feet active so Kali can’t break out. Armstrong finally makes her feet and throws a knee to the gut but before she can get anything going Karmen goes for an O’Connor roll, but Kali hangs on…and when Armstrong charges at Karmen the Canadian ducks and Kali tumbles outside to set up a Karmen tope. And yes, this immediately sets up a commercial break! Back from the break and back inside as Kali gets some shoulder thrusts to a cornered Petrovic, and a beautiful full-speed charge as Kali dashes across the ring to the opposite corner, pops off the first buckle and flies in for a shoulder to the gut. (We also get a quick cut of what happened on the break, as Kali took out a diving Karmen with a right hand and then did an inverted body slam.) Karmen is selling in the corner and Kali hits a brutal facewash, another corner charge eats a knee from Karmen and then a springboard kick out of the corner, Kali tries again and eats buckle which gives Karmen the space for a high-elbow and a few flying forearms before an Eat Defeat and a sliding kick to a downed Kali. A slingblade (of sorts…) gets 2 for Karmen and then the Canadian goes for a brainbuster but Kali breaks free, and when Karmen goes for another springboard back kick Kali catches her for a powerslam but Karmen slips out the back for another O’Connor roll for 2, and with the kickout Kali sends Karmen off the ropes for a scoop powerslam which Karmen sells like a crumpled toy. Armstrong sets up the Kali Connection (the POUNCEEEEE!) but Karmen once again sidesteps sending Kali rebounding off the ropes, Petrovic with the Petrifier (540 kick to a kneeling opponent) and a second one gets 3.

**½

Okay, so if 75% of Karmen’s offense wasn’t absolutely soft and unbelievable this would be MOTN. It still might be MOKPC but that isn’t saying much. I really did like the psychology, Kali is stronger, so Karmen kept trying roll-ups, but the only real way for Karmen to get consistent offense was to use her superior evasive footwork (from her karate background) to turn Kali’s terrifying straight line speed (from track and field) against her. Even moments where Karmen needed to get three counters before she could properly start her comeback is how people of this size difference should work. But seriously, if you’re going to be a karateka, you can’t be throwing these super weak forearms and kicks the whiff half the time. Kali of course might be the real deal, dare I say she reminds me of 2022 Bron Breakker and is probably better on the mic than he was at that time. Karmen…well she got moved to Evolve for a reason and I hope she can tighten up her offense cause she was good at the other stuff.

Post-match Karmen says that’s her biggest win in Evolve and that the “gold-blooded” (uh, is that her nickname?) is the number one contender for the Evolve woman’s championship and she’s calling out Kendal Grey! Who of course obliges her and is willing to accept that match next week, cause she’s a fighting champion!

But we cut to the Team PC locker room, where Kam Hendrix in fact tells us that we won’t be getting that match, cause they run the show (did you know that Team PC runs the show next week? I didn’t pick up on that). Keanu says that what happened to Mathers is just the start, cause it’s going to be a full-on nightmare next week…where Team PC runs the show.

See you all next week! Where I don’t know who is going to run the show!