WWE Evolve April 8th 2026

Welcome to Evolve, but before we begin, here are some links if you need to catch up with what’s happening in the greater televised WWE universe.

Impact – SmackDown – Stand and Deliver – AAA – Raw – NXT

We have a title defense tonight as Aaron Rourke defends his Evolve championship against Chazz “Starboy” Hall and then the odd couple of Tate Wilder and Luca Crusifino take on Harley Riggins and Kam Hendriz. And speaking of Chazz, we start with him monologuing at the camera as he walks backstage, he knows the opportunity he has, he became a big star on the indies at 23 years old (okay what?) and now he’s in Evolve and he’s worked NXT, so Raw, SD, and WrestleMania are next. Timing is of the essence and the time for the Denim Dragon is now-but we hearing clanging and the cameraperson runs over to Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins standing over a prone Tate Wilder and Luca Crusifino with weapons in hand as they talk trash.

Snarling wrestlers! Rapping! Science! Flips! It’s Evolve!

And we have Tristan Angels walking out to the ring to a chorus of boos and we cut to an insert promo as he calls himself Mr. England and is “officially gracing Evolve with his presence” and he’s the most beautiful man you’ve ever laid your eyes upon.

Huh, wasn’t expecting him to be a generic pretty boy foreign heel, but okay!

And we have Romeo Moreno running out in a hyper fashion and “El Freestyle” (oof that nickname) has his insert promo, he’s an artist and Evolve is his canvas and he’s going to create moments and his legacy here, si se puede!

Well, that wasn’t much, but hey, he’s a babyface I guess.

Tristan Angels vs. Romeo Moreno

Background: So Tristan Angels was Nathan Angel on the British indies and Romeo Moreno was Zozaya in Europe and Japan. I know Romeo better as a handsome highflying babyface type, not really familiar with Tristan, but he seems to be a vain heel. First match in Evolve for both of them. Both are lean but in good shape, Tristan is a bit more filled out and has long blonde hair and Romeo has curly brown hair. Angels is in red and white trunks with St. George’s Cross on the kneepads while Moreno has black and white trunks in a zebra pattern? Or maybe one of those Magic Eye deals.

The Match: Romeo does some combat rolls before they lockup with Tristan pulling the hair for a takedown into an armbar but Romeo quickly uses acrobatics to counter out and goes for some gutwrench cradles as Blake Howard and Peter Rosenberg discuss if Tristan is in fact the most beautiful man in the world. Tristan with a quick schoolboy but Romeo outgrapples him before Angels gets in the ropes and gets a cheap shot from there and then a shoulderblock to send him down and he bows…but Romeo slaps him and they do a cruiser international that ends with a dropkick from Moreno and the Spaniard gets a double-leg and stomps around the ring before a running backdrop for a cover (that was an unique spot, not bad, just…new). Chops from Romeo delight the crowd but they do a rope-running sequence that has Romeo go for double boots from the corner, but Tristan catches the legs, tosses them in the ropes and gets a liver punch and then springboards for a stomp and gets 2 off of that. A Tristan knee to the ribs into some ground and pound and then a kick to the head gets boos and a brainbuster gets 2. Tristan piefaces Romeo and then calls spots as Moreo runs into a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker for 2. Tristan runs Romeo into the ropes neck first and Moreno comes back with some kicks and then a springboard evasion as he speeds up and faults to the apron, rope-assisted gamengiri but he springboards in…but Tristan catches him and drops him on the ropes and you guessed it, we go to a break! And we’re back with a resthold as Tristan has Romeo in a double-arm stretch that Moreno fights out of, I’m shocked! (Okay I’ll cut the sarcasm). Romeo tries to speed it up again but Tristan pulls up short on a dropkick…so Romeo just rolls through and attempts ANOTHER dropkick and that lands. Flying clothesline by Romeo! A second! And Romeo and Tristan jostle for a hiptoss and it ends with the Spaniard dropping Angels outside and following with a springboard plancha and then after tossing Tristan inside, a springboard dropkick for 2. Tristan stops the rally with a dragonscrew legwhip and Romeo limps into a Tristan cradle for 2. More rollup reversals before the Brit gets a half-crab but Romeo kicks free, gets his own cradle and a brainbuster gets 2.7. Romeo pops up and goes for something, but the bum leg slows him enough Angels rolls to the apron and they slug it out before Moreno drops Angels and goes for a running punt…but Angels catches and swings Moreno onto the steps, back inside and a running knee drop bulldog gets 3 for the Englishman.

**½

Well that was solid! Romeo was the face, Tristan was the heel. Angels probably gobbled up a bit too much of the match but he is the more polished talent so I don’t mind it. Lots of cheating, lots of counters, I do think we probably should have seen a BIT more from Romeo in terms of the big dramatic comeback but hey, save it for a match he wins. Compared to last weeks debuts, this was pretty solid, I get who Tristan is and I get (to a lesser degree) who Romeo is. Thumbs up!

Oh, debut rankings!

Tristan Angels: A-, very easy to get gimmick, might have to drop the pretty boy deal but he heeled it up, stayed consistent, hit his taunts and has actually credible offense to boot (coughs something about Pretty Deadly) very nice showing.

Romeo Moreno: B, athletic, has some charisma, a bit too skinny, mixed how I feel about not really giving him a massive shine in the match but the technical stuff was very clean.

Post-match we get some replays of the match as Tristan bows in victory to boos.

We cut to the locker room where Santi Rivera and Jacari Ball discuss their box jumps and It’s GAL interrupts to compliment their physiques and talks about how looking great is half the battle, and while they look great now, staying in shape is even more difficult. So because chest day is best day, It’s GAL invites the both of them to hit the gym and they both seem flattered and take him up on his offer. *sniffs* Friendship is beautiful.

And we go back to the ring where Byron Saxton (wait did they can Chuey?) introduces the newest signees to the WWE ID program. But before we introduce the talent Byron tells us these four are going to have a fourway…and whomever wins gets added to the gauntlet match next week for the vacant Evolve women’s title. We start with Gianna Capri (the former Valentina Rossi) who puts over her years training in Flatbacks, plus SHINE and in Japan, has given her “The Sauce” that she needs. Next is Sloane Jacobs (the former Notorious Mimi, who was the former…Sloane Jacobs) Jacobs talks about how she’s finally, finally back as she’s had a NXT run in the past and she’s ready to emerge where she belongs, in the Evolve women’s championship picture, she’s waited three years, so tonight, these three other girls will sink beneath her. Veronica Haven (the former Fallyn Gray and oh lord she needed to change that name) is next and she talks about how lucky she was to train at Future Stars of Wrestling, where she channeled her Ruthless Aggression into the art of pro wrestling and she just lists various promotions who gave her a shot, well that’s sweet, anyway, she’s the outcast you loved anyway, and this fallen angel was chosen to be the new WWE ID prospect. Anya Rune (the former Airica Demia) starts by calling herself an “anime girl” and I might have zoned out, but she thanks SHINE and is the “main character.” But as Byron tries to start the match PJ Vasa interrupts and tells them to cut the music cause all she sees are future victims and if any of them make it, she’ll do grave violence against them, COME GETCHU ISSUE!

Well this was…not good, god bless ‘em. Sloane was easily the best but it was a pretty generic heel gimmick.

But before the match we’re backstage in the office of THE FOREMAN Timothy Thatcher who has a high-vis jacket on his chair, various posters of old school wrestlers (Bruno! Thesz!) and a couple flashlights in his increasingly disorganized desk. He sorta messes around with his toolbox before he notices the camera and talks about how Evolve is tainted, even he has to wear a collared shirt, but he puts on the old hardhat and goes to work anyway, trying to make it the best show it can be. He puts over the new champ, Aaron Rourke, and brings up how many women are gunning for the vacant women’s belt, and as Timothy muses over Kendal vacating the belt, and how close Tyra was to winning, he decides to go for it, Tyra Mae Steele is the 7th member of the gauntlet! But he might need to make a phone call for “lucky number 8.” Oh, and since Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins ambushed Tate Wilder and Luca Crusifino to start the show, they’re out of commission for their match tonight. Thatcher is irked by these repeated attacks, and muses if it’s out of fear or jealousy, but it needs to stop, and while he can use suspensions…he don’t think Tate and Luca would like that, so when they’re healthy, the match is back on. Thatcher looks around his desk to try to remember if that’s everything, and it seems to be, so GET TO WORK!

I am BAFFLED that somehow Timothy Thatcher is a solid comedy presence, wrestling is a weird business.

Gianna Capri vs. Sloane Jacobs vs. Veronica Haven vs. Anya Rune

Background: Gianna Capri is decently tall and has a sorta Wonder Woman inspired getup, Sloane Jacobs is in purple and blue, Veronica Haven is VERY short and is rocking black and white, and Anya Rune is in red and green with a skirt and green hair and facial…markings? I know very little about any of them.

The Match: Veronica and Anya hug it out to start while Sloane and Gianna mock this display of friendship and good sport. The heels (I guess?) try stereo sneak attacks that the face (I guess?) catch and get stereo armdrags and slug away before the heels reverse and drop them. Anya is dumped and they isolate on Veronica who uses her speed to evade and get a diving crossbody on Sloane and Gianna, but she attempts Pop Rox (seriously?) on Sloane and Gianna punches her down, but Haven keeps using her speed to evade both heels and she goes to the top again, but from a standing position Gianna gets a…standing Pele? She just kicks somebody on the top rope behind her, pretty impressive display of flexibility and balance there. But as Veronica takes a tumble Anya reappears to throw some right hands before the numbers game turns against her and Gianna drops her to the mat. Capri with a few 12-6 elbows and then a crossface forearm for a cover. Sloane then gets a headscissors on Rune and slams her repeatedly into the turnbuckle as commentary talks about how Jacobs was in the same class as Thea Hail, Sol Ruca, and Roxanne Perez…ouch…anyway it’s back to Sloane with a sidewalk slam on Anya, and then Gianna gets a split-leg drop for a cover…and Sloane pulls her off Rune and there’s dissension between the heels! Sloane goes for a cover and there’s more pushing and shoving and Anya gets some boots up and more strikes on both of them before she hits a double nogginknocker and some corner uppercuts before Anya twists Sloanes arm and gets a straightjacket takedown before ducking a Gianna punch and getting a backdrop suplex. Anya whips Capri…to the outside as she just tumbles through the ropes and it’s Sloane and Rune trading reversals until Sloane gets a German…and Haven sneaks in for a schoolgirl on bot that Gianna breaks up. Capri gets a big boot on Veronica and then hits a Moss-Covered Three-Handled Family Gradunza on Anya but Veronica breaks up the cover. Haven tries a tilt-a-whirl something on Sloane, but Jacobs stuffs it and turns it into Snake Eyes. Chopblock on Veronica and Sloane cranks in the Siren Song (Muta Lock) and Haven taps.

*

Oh that was wretched. I don’t think I totally blame all the women, four ways with wrestlers you’re not familiar with are gonna be ugly to begin with, and this agenting was not…fantastic. But my goodness this is a big indictment of the women’s indie scene in the US right now. Sloppy, slow, contrived, just all-around not great.

Well, the debut rankings.

Gianna Capri: C-, the physicality stuff might give her something, the flexibility and height are at least some sort of hook, but if you’ve trained for years with some pretty good coaches and this is where you are, I’m worried.

Sloane Jacobs: C+ by far the most impressive in the match, as maybe it’s just her familiarity with the WWE system having worked it in the past that lets her work within it better. Yet again, pretty generic heel stuff but at least she had some degree of competence with her move execution.

Veronica Haven: D, bringing up Roxanne’s name when talking about her, or even Thea Hail, oh man, there are levels to this and you see them right here. I get scrappy underdog highflyer, but she can’t fly that particularly high, she has at least the core of a gimmick but her wrestling is tentative and the athleticism just can’t survive in a promotion that has all these D-1 standouts.

Anya Rune: F-, okay this is a bit of a troll rating, but man the “anime girl main character” gave me the massive ick, just instant, full-body ick. She’s trying for a look, and it’ll certainly work on some people, but it seems unbearably indie, and other than being decently tall and having green hair, she was just…not very good at the wrestling stuff. At least her name isn’t Airica anymore.

Post-match Kali Armstrong sprints to the ring and tosses Anya Rune outside, sends Veronica flying, and Sloane Jacobs begs off before Laynie Luck jumps out of the VIP section and tries to save Sloane (who immediately bails) and Armstrong beats the tar out of Laynie. Meanwhile Nikkita, who is still in the VIP section vamps as an offscreen fan blows her hair around.

And we cut to Mike Cunningham training with Lince Dorado as Mike complains about Dorado keeping the secrets of fancy whacky lucha pinning combinations from him. Meanwhile in the background GAL, Rivera, and Jacari all do curls. Lince tells Mike he can’t show him everything, but he is willing to show him a few things as GAL and friends make noise and celebrate their massive gains. So Dorado goes over and lectures the meatheads on not being professionals in the gym, and Mike Cunningham slides in and says it would be “Main Man Energy” if him and Lince took on GAL and a partner of his choosing. It’s GAL declines the offer and instead it’ll be Santi Rivera and Jacari Ball vs. Mike Cunningham and Lince Dorado…next week!

Okay I get that It’s GAL was supposed to be the lunkhead with his goons, but honestly they just seemed enthusiastic about THEIR PEAKS while Mike and Lince seem like bitter weirdos.

And we cut to Rourke monologuing while applying his makeup about how winning a title is hard, but keeping it is even harder, and that gets a smart response from a passing Kam and Harley who tell him “he’ll need the help.” Rourke confronts them, and says that while he likes his makeup, he doesn’t need it, and he’ll beat anybody who steps to him, and that’s why he’s champ and they’re not. Rourke dares them to jump him, and when Harley and Kam don’t do anything Rourke says he has champ stuff to deal with.

Effective segment! Aaron is champ and the underdog routine can’t work anymore, so he should step to the heels. Good jerk bully stuff by the two meat bros as well.

Aaron Rourke (c) vs. Chazz “Starboy” Hall – Evolve Championship

Background: Rourke is our babyface champ, recently winning the belt, he stands for truth, justice, and the fabulous way. Starboy of course is a recent pickup and very, very flippy.

The Match: Before the match we see Brooks Jensen sprawled in the VIP section and we quickly begin with a lockup that Rourke uses to take down the smaller Hall Hall makes his feet and Aaron drives him to the corner and Starboy turns that into a springboard armdrag but Rourke stays on his challenger with some amateur takedowns. Chazz tries some acrobatics to make space but the champ keeps pace with that too and we do a cruiser sequence with some cartwheels, evasions, and quick covers and bridging reversals before Rourke lands with a low dropkick. An anklepick by Rourke as he keeps aggressive but Chazz squirms out and tries a leapfrog that Rourke catches into a fireman’s carry but Starboy slips out again and gets the champ’s hand for a springboard armdrag and a handspring evasion into a dropkick that sends Rourke powdering. As Aaron heads back inside they call spots and do a sequence on the apron that ends with a Starboy high kick and another dropkick as Rourke jaws at Brooks…and when he turns back around Starboy hits him with a pescado as Jensen runs his mouth…and Cappuccino Jones runs out to brawl with Brooks to the back as we go to a break. Back inside as Hall is in control with chops but Rourke immediately floats over a corner charge and lands a big dropkick and then a pump kick for 2. Handstand knee drop and a little style from the champ as Hall tries throwing hands as the bigger Rourke is grinding him down. Chazz attempts a victory roll but Rourke holds on with a wheelbarrow full-nelson before Starboy finally armdrags out, Starboy tries to get Rourke tangled in the ropes but Aaron gets a rope-assisted enzuigiri and then a corkscrew Vader Bomb for 2. Starboy starts squirming so Rourke stomps away and drops an elbow and follows up with a split-leg moonsault but the Denim Dragon gets his feet up and Rourke bounces across the ring. Both guys slug away with it going Starboy’s way as he vaults over Rourke to hit a spinning heel kick, dodge a corner splash, and then land a springboard dropkick, but Starboy can’t land Sliced Bread, so he attempts a moonsault press…and Rourke catches that only for Starboy to turn that into a Tornado DDT for 2.6. Starboy goes up but Rourke cuts him off and gets a big kick and a hand stand frankenstiener and tries a backdrop suplex that Chazz turns into a headscissors takedown…and Rourke just handsprings forward to evade it. Leg lariat attempt by Rourke but Chazz gets a matrix evasion into a Pele kick and Aaron drops to a knee. Starboy rebounds off the ropes and Rourke catches him for a full-rotation blue thunder bomb for 2.8. Aaron goes up, but it takes a bit too long and Hall gets a front handspring backflip kick to send Rourke outside and lands the Sasuke Special on Aaron. THE STRAPS ARE DOWN as the Denim Dragon is Starboying up! Aaron back inside and Hall goes for a Shooting Star Press but Rourke rolls away so Chazz comes up short, but he switches into Sliced Bread, lands it but no cover as Starboy then gets a standing corkscrew moonsault and still no cover as he goes up again…and Rourke cuts him off but Starboy blocks a superplex and lands a sunset flip powerbomb…and Rourke just flips out and lands on his feet. Running somato into the corner, ushigoroshi, and Aaron goes up and hits Over The Rainbow for 3.

**¾

Wait why did I enjoy this when Rourke basically gobbled up all of Starboy’s offense and outclassed him? Well cause…that’s the point of the match, Aaron is the champ, sometimes the champ should mostly dominate his opponent, and in this case where Aaron totally outclassed Chazz in physicals (Starboy is SO small) and technique, and Rourke isn’t that behind in speed or athleticism either. I wish there was a bit more convincing setup to the heat, but Starboy was credible enough as a guy who could squirm out of all of Rourke’s stuff until he hit a wall and the champ obliterated him. Basically an extended semi-squash, I think shave 2-3 minutes off and it’d be a lot better, but I enjoyed this quite a bit!

Post-match we get the code of Evolve upheld as a handshake between the competitors and Rourke stands tall in the ring.

And we cut backstage as Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins begrudgingly give respect to the champ for his skills…and Harlem Lewis wanders into frame and says that the champ is still ducking him.

Well that’s Evolve ladies and gentleman nothing super crazy but they continue to build and develop feuds (imagine that, building new feuds and expanding on character development every week). Next week we get a new Evolve women’s champion, or maybe not as Thatcher might add 12 more competitors and it’ll be a two week gauntlet match. The Foreman is pretty excited about this whole thing after all.

Thanks for reading, commenting, and just following along this silly little show.