WWE Evolve July 29th 2026

Welcome back to Evolve as we have three matches tonight, Tate Wilder takes on Harley Riggins, It’s GAL challenges Kale Dixon, and Evolve women’s champion Nikkita Lyons teams with Sloane Jacobs, PJ Vasa, and Gianna Capri to take on Thea Hail, Wren Sinclair, Laynie Luck, and Skylar Rae. Also, shout-out to Kai Kavari who apparently has made his departure from WWE, good luck my friend. But before we go on check out what’s happening in the greater WWE landscape!

Main Event – Impact – Smackdown – AAA Verano de Escandalo – Raw – NXT

We start with the women’s locker room as Thea and Skyler are discussing if they like Nikkita (answer seems to be no) and Wren Sinclair makes her entrance to wish us all a happy Wrensday (and everybody throws up the sign) before Sinclair lets us know that Laynie is not cleared for tonight’s eight-woman tag. They discuss other options but apparently Wendy is still MIA and Zena Sterling shows up to offer her services as she’s been waiting for an opportunity. Everybody seems into and Wren wants to talk strategy.

SMOKE! RAPPING! SCIENCE! FLIPS! POSING! It’s Evolve!

Harley Riggins vs. Tate Wilder

Background: This is a LONG feud. Harley was part of Team PC in the Team ID feud and wanted to recruit Tate who turned them down and was the officiant for the big blowoff tag match and Team PC won. So with Kam Hendrix they brutalized Tate for a while and this is basically the last dregs of a really, really long in the tooth feud. Tate is supposedly on NXT now (though hasn’t been around much) and Harley is a man without a country with Kam on NXT. Tate is a highflying daredevil babyface, Harley is a big nasty heel.

The Match: Lockup into a Tate headlock and they grind that for a while as the bigger Harley tries to power out but Wilder keeps on the…wild ride (yuck yuck) and does a takeover but Riggins gets back to a standing position and uses the hair to break and get Wilder in the ropes and throws a dirty knee and a short-arm clothesline. Some chops by Harley but Tate speeds it up for a flying shoulder and a clothesline sends Harley outside and Wilder follows and they brawl. Tate flips out of a backdrop suplex and double-legs Harley into the apron before getting a diving splash from the post and we go to a break. Back with a whip and Harley backdrops Tate to the apron and then gets a rope-hung stomp to drop Tate. Axehandle drop and some grounded strikes as Harley yaps at the crowd and slugs away and silences the crowd before a chop but Tate fires back and throws rights but eats a boot on a whip sequence and then Riggins gets a backstabber and a springboard corkscrew senton out of the corner gets 2 before Harley cranks in a chinlock between some grounded strikes before Tate fires up…but Harley gets a leg drop bulldog and then a camel clutch and continues to talk trash. Wilder finally elbows out and gets a jawbreaker and a whip sets up a double-clothesline and they’re both down. Both get up and they slug it out and it goes Wilder’s way as Harley is bumping and feeding and a back suplex slam sets up a slingblade 3.0 for 2 and then calls a spot but runs into Harley’s football tackle. Tate won’t be stopped though and gets a Thesz press, a forearm drop, and the Wild Ride (moonsault) only gets 2.8. Tate keeps it up and a second Wild Ride eats a knee on it and Harley gets Shotgun (Goozle lift kneestrike) for 3.

**½

Didn’t feel quite as heated as this long of a feud deserved, but Tate is a fine underdog babyface and Harley continues to impress as a really solid physical, bully heel. He has enough flash to keep the audience engaged. Probably a tad too long for what they both could provide but a very solid match and a bit of an upset.

Backstage we have Sloane Jacobs complimenting PJ Vasa for beating the tar out of Laynie Luck and Sloane is laughing about it and is excited about teaming with Vasa, and if it goes well PJ might get an invite. PJ scoffs and says she’s here to whoop butt and if they win, she’s next for Nikkita and Jacobs knows that Lyons isn’t gonna like this.

Now we have more of Vanta the Unknown as she spookily narrates most spookily over last weeks events. Laynie losing to Nikkita, Elijah getting rolled up by Brooks, they’re letting their families and the fans down.

Sam Holloway now talking about how there is friction in ID 1.0 and how it reminds him of his football days and how after a loss everybody wanted to blame everybody else, and they needed somebody to step up. That somebody was Sam who told them to step outside and settle it. And when it was settled, everything was easier and they started winning and that’s what they need now. But Sam needs CJ Valor, they call CJ Valor a powerhouse, but Sam is the real powerhouse and he wants to meet CJ in the ring.

Lotta yapping there, but three pretty effective sentiments character/feud wise.

It’s GAL vs. Kale Dixon w/ Unnamed Business Associate

Background: So Kale made his return to wrestling after a NXT jaunt as this arrogant ex-jock with his blonde Business Associate (Kylee Quinn who is the former Meghan Walker) and they’re evil hot people. And It’s GAL is a boisterous vain dude who also wants to be an Evil Hot Person but always gets rejected. It’s GAL mostly just seems to want a friend but is mostly a schlemiel.

The Match: Hard lockup and it goes Kale’s way who talks trash in the corner but misses a strike and we get a takedown anyway as Kale poses but gets rolled up for 2 and now It’s GAL gets a takedown and some pushups and does his own posing. Headlock and an international that ends with an It’s GAL headscissors and a leg lariat as “Big Daddy Red” gets distracted by Unnamed Business Associate who does some gyrations on the apron, but It’s GAL is immune to the charms of women and does his own posing in response and eats a chopblock, a lifting reverse DDT and then some ground and pound from Kale. Some kicks and strikes as It’s GAL is on the ropes and a high back elbow gets 2 for Kale and a back suplex and a chop to the back has It’s GAL stinging before a thrust kick gets 2. It’s GAL fires up with some chops but a neckbreaker takes him down for a cover and Kale cranks in the chinlock. It’s GAL punches out of another back suplex attempt and then turns a cazadora into a bad flatliner that has Kale reeling. It’s GAL gets a three bump comeback into a kip-up and then a flying kick sets ups an iconoclasm and a big-boot for 2 before getting a fireman’s carry…but Kale rakes the eyes, slips out and a superkick gets 2.7. Some gloating by Kale sets up a falling splash which whiffs and It’s GAL removes the elbow pad for a discus lariat and then the Dummy Buster (fireman’s carry gutbuster) gets 3.

*½

Pretty awful match, hilarious finish. It’s GAL is a mega-loser and I think the first time he ever hit his finish. Kale is not any good at all and his boring Unnamed Business Associate and him need an immediate refresh. Still, It’s GAL might actually get something going here, and the goof deserves a bit of shine considering his usual entertainment.

Viktor Zanov and Shido Ash have a vignette. Shido explains that they may have different background but they’re cut from the same cloth. They’re both expert judoka, the difference is that Shido is Egyptian and Viktor is Austrian (wait huh?). Viktor says that Shido used to be his enemy and Zanov wanted to break him, but now they’re aligned and they’re here together. They think the same, they train the same, they win the same.

Judo Dorks might be a bit generic, but I’m a sucker for the implacable heel butt whooper squad and this was solid stuff.

Adriana Rizzo is here to interview Brooks Jensen, Rizzo lets us know that Brooks has beaten Elijah Holyfield twice…but he cheated both times and ergo, is a cheater. Rizzo demands an explanation and Brooks is aghast! His mama told him that’s just hearsay! The Bad Man that hails from Ala-bam-bam-bam-bama is 2-0 against a Holyfield and Elijah is a disgrace to his family name and he should go back to nepo-land and cry to his daddy and Brooks freaks out cause here’s Elijah with violence on his mind as security slows him down and Brooks runs away.

My goodness Brooks entertains me so, yes it’s obvious nostalgia bait but he’s such a glorious dirtbag heel and I’m glad this feud is continuing.

Now we’re in the office of THE FOREMAN Timothy Thatcher which is apparently now a locker room with Regal and Finlay posters on the walls, ladders, a hardhat, construction cones, and a rotary phone and THE FOREMAN lets us know that it’s official as new Evolve champion Harlem Lewis is defending his title in a fatal foreway. Aaron Rourke, the prior champ. Tristan Angels, vain and arrogant. And Max Abrams, who is also vain and arrogant, but he has a squad of goons in the Mog Squad and it’s going to be NEXT WEEK!

Well that’s coming up soon!

Zena Sterling, Skylar Raye, Thea Hail, and Wren Sinclair vs. Sloane Jacobs, Nikkita Lyons, Gianna Capri, and PJ Vasa.

Background: So this is a big match between four faces and four heels, due to medical availability we’ve had some swaps but here’s the rough rundown. Zena Sterling was a LFG standout and is now sorta faltering and has been trying for an opportunity for a while and been shutdown, strangely Laynie is hurt and she’s available, odd. Anyway Zena is blonde with a bob cut and has baggy pants and a black top that is artfully cut up. Skylar Raye is another LFG prospect and she’s smaller and is more bubbly than Zena with black and sunset colored gear. Thea Hail has been a hyper super energetic prospect on NXT forever as a teenager into her early adulthood, she’s loud and energetic and caffeinated with black and red gear. Wren of course is the leader of the WrenQCC and is Kendal’s lil buddy, she’s the most experienced in the match by a mile as she’s in her 30s and has been running around the indie scene for a spell, dark heair and black and white gear with lots of fishnets. The heels are Sloane Jacobs, the champions herald and a super pale redhead sycophant with maroon and gold gear. Nikkita Lyons, the Evolve women’s champ and a hard-hitting delusional hippie influencer who follows cosmic guidance (and also cheats like mad) in red and black harlequin gear. Gianna Capri is part of the recent group of women’s ID talent and she’s a loud Italian-American bully with red gear. PJ Vasa is a surly powerhouse of Samoan descent who has challenged for the title before and is a big, scary monster, The Issue is in a black and red bodysuit as the heels are mostly aligned, color wise.

The Match: We start with a big brawl between heels and faces and it’s Sloane and Wren in the ring as Sinclair comes up short on a rope-run and brings in Skylar Raye for a quick pin…but she gets kicked down and Gianna comes in and eats an enzuigiri but Zena comes in for a double-shoulder, Sterling slams Skylar on Capri for a pin and then gets 2 but a headlock is broken with a hairpull and Gianna brings in PJ to work Zena but Sterling slips out and brings in Thea. Hail is apparently DAD (Dangerous and Devious) and that’s a terrible nickname, but Hail dodges a PJ stomp as she stays mobile but gets whipped into the corner and Nikkita comes in to beat down the much smaller Thea who gets slammed down and leg-dropped for 2. A Nikkita powerbomb is turned into a kimura by Thea but Gianna breaks it up and it’s a PIER SIX BRAWL! The heels are tossed outside and Thea gets a top, Skylar gets a plancha and the faces all pose as we go to the break. Back in with Skylar Raye working Nikkita’s arms but the Big Kat drops her with a punch and tags in Sloane Jacobs and they work a reversal sequence until Skylar hits Eat Defeat and La Mistica but she doesn’t cover and goes at the heels on the apron and gets booted down and Jacobs brings in PJ Vasa to work over Raye. Blackhole Slam gets 2 and then Nikkita comes in with a kick and some posing as Skylar tries to break free and eventually gets a sunset flip, but Nikkita gets the tag to Gianna who comes in to stomp down Skylar in the corner with an extended leg choke. Delayed suplex for 2 and in comes Sloane Jacobs who gets a hanging Devil’s Kiss into the turnbuckle before cranking in a double wristlock on Skylar but Raye breaks free and almost makes the tag but Sloane whiffs a boot (that almost hits Nikkita who is very upset) and it’s hot tag Zena! Clotheslines for everybody! Back suplex slam on Gianna! Suplex on Sloane! Tilt-a-whirl slam on Gianna, fireman’s slam on Gianna! But Jacobs breaks it up with her own fireman’s but Thea tags in and Sloane doesn’t notice as she hits the X-Factor on Zena. Shining wizard from Thea but she’s booted down by Gianna and in comes Nikkita for a double brainbuster but Thea hits a double-DDT as a counter. PJ Vasa comes in and catches a flying Wren Sinclair off the top, and then grabs Wren with a double-goozle but Skylar breaks it up with a crossbody. Back to Nikkita and Thea who slug it out and a double-headbutt drops them both and Wren brawls with Sloane backstage. Gianna Capri tries to sneak in with the belt for an illegal shot but is cut off by Anya Rune who attempts a hadouken (sigh) and that distracts Capri for a Thea Hail baseball slide. Lyons tries to capitalize with a crucifix pin but it only gets 2 and Thea tries the kimura, Lyons breaks, Nikkita attempts the Throat Chakra spinkick but Thea ducks and rolls into another kimura and Kita taps.

**¾

Well this was VERY frantic. But it was mostly well-organized and setup future feuds down the line, as this sort of thing should. Too busy and sloppy to be good, but it was fine and that’s…fine (I need a thesaurus). It was energetic and busy and I appreciate watching these matches and seeing the Wren Sinclair level acts do like 3 things and take zero bumps cause they are too important for the show (but we love you Wren). No issue with Lyons tapping to Thea as a title feud here.

Well, that was Evolve, we got some stuff next week (Harlem defending against Rourke, Angels, and Max) and probably other things too. But this was a solid enough show and it had both enough and the right amount of yap. Short backstage vignettes are how you do it, I tell ya what.

Thanks for reading and keep on evolving you Evolvemaniacs.