WWE Evolve August 12th 2026

Welcome back to Evolve where we have a stacked card. Cappuccino Jones, Chazz “Starboy” Hall, and It’s GAL are in a triple threat that is hinted to be a sort of number one contender’s match, Charlie Dempsey will be taking on NOAH excursion project Ulka Sasak (I shall explain him) and we got Sloane Jacobs versus Wren Sinclair, on Wrensday of all day too! But before we get into that, let’s take a look at the greater WWE cinematic universe.

Main Event – Impact – Smackdown – AAA – Raw – NXT

POSING! CHEST POUNDING! RAPPING! SMOKE! FLASKS! It’s Evolve!

And Blake Howard and Robert Stone are both here to debut the show, but it’s putting over Timothy Thatcher for this first match.

Charlie Dempsey vs. Ulka Sasaki

Background: Okay so Charlie Dempsey is William Regal’s kid and is a sorta rough and tumble technical heel that is by definition in the nepobaby stable of second-gen wrestlers called Birthright. He’s facing NOAH standout ROTY (despite being in his 30s) ex-UFC buttwhipper Ulka Sasaki, he’s got a sorta tengu (long-nosed trickster birds is the shorthand of what they are, it’s complicated) motif and has had some success with a GHC National title to his name. He’s a really legitimate fighter but sort of scrawny and perhaps lacking that physical credibility. But two guys that have done time in NOAH who have worked in NOAH going at it again, both with real technical backgrounds as grapplers. Charlie has a weird Pollock-styled jacket, a scuzzy beard and his Daltrey-esque curls while Ulka is in a robe with and has slicked-back hair with prayer beads and some sort of baggy pants a black shirt.

The Match: Lockup into a Dempsey takeover as Ulka immediately gets a headscissors but Charlie turns that into a headlock as we have Noam Dar and Romeo Moreno (who also did time in NOAH) in the VIP Section. More grappling standstills for them both before Ulka unleashes a chop and then TAKES THE SHIRT OFF and both guys throw hands and then run the ropes into Ulka gets a hiptoss on Charlie and Dempsey responds with a chop. More of both guys slugging it out and they’re laying it in and we get some armdrags and the crowd (of 25 people) is hot for this. Sasaki takes Dempsey down and gets a grounded hammerlock and works that before beating Dempsey down in the corner. Charlie reverses a whip and sends Ulka into the corner and then bludgeons the NOAH star in the corner and gets a gutwrench for 1 and hammers the neck for a second cover and then some 12-6 elbows for 2.5. These guys are clocking each other here. Ulka reverses a suplex and then a strike combo into a driving knee and then a jump kick but he doesn’t go for a cover and the bigger Dempsey reverses a brainbuster attempt into an armwrench and works on the arm with strikes and wringing attempts and then they go to a mid-match test of strength as Robert Stone puts over Pro Wrestling NOAH as a rough training situation and how tough both guys are. Ulka gets a pin out of the test of strength and then some monkey flip stuff before Ulka tries for a Kimura and Dempsey turns that into a Boston Crab. but Sasaki turns that into a juji-gatame and then Dempsey rolls that into a German…but Ulka gets the DRAMATIC KINGS ROAD NO SELL and a rolling elbow on Charlie has a double-down. Both guys throw shots from their knees and then they get to their feet and are just tossing potatoes before Ulka gets a backslide for 2, a small package for 2 and then a schoolboy into a Rings of Saturn…but Dempsey gets his leg on the ropes. Ulka fires up and it’s a snapmare into a kick exchange to the back and front but Charlie picks the leg and stands up and we get both dudes trading slaps and then a dragonscrew, a backdrop driver and a second before Dempsey picks up Ulka for a bridging double-arm suplex for 2.8. Ulka can barely get to his feet and Sasaki gets some weak chops…but he flips out of a third backdrop driver and turns that into a sleeper! But Charlie guts it out and a Regal-Plex gets 3.

***½

Yeah that RULED. I admit this is absolutely my style of match and you can tell both guys are buddies as they ripped each other apart here. I think it lacked that 3rd gear to really be elite, but two dudes just trading hard holds and hard strikes is my thing and these guys delivered in spades.

Post-match Charlie gives Ulka love and they hug it out.

Brooks Jensen is backstage watching the match and he immediately puts it over as a masterpiece to some bored trainees who after Jensen talks about back in his day say that he’s 23. Brooks says he’s 24 and that’s beside the point and Brooks buries highfliers and those that use NEPOTISM like that Elijah Holyfield guy and Elijah immediately pops up in an elevator that Brooks is waiting for and Jensen hightails it while the rookies block Elijah.

Just cause we know the payoff doesn’t mean it isn’t funny.

Wren Sinclair vs. Sloane Jacobs

Background: Wren is the goofy sidekick of NXT women’s champion Kendal Grey (did you know she’s awesome and the future and amazing, if not, watch Evolve, they shill her very hard) and is the WWE Speed champion. She’s a goofball and switches between hyperactive clumsy dork and rock solid retro babyface (her big comeback spot is a diving crossbody). Sloane Jacobs is…the goofy sidekick of Evolve women’s champion Nikkita Lyons. She’s sorta a preening sycophant who is clearly annoyed by Lyons hippie nonsense. She’s the Siren and plays herself up as a second-chancer who has been dropped from developmental before and is willing to do anything to stick around. Both of them had a heated exchange in a match two weeks ago (okay, “two weeks ago”) where they brawled to the locker room.

The Match: Before the match starts, Sloane says that this is gonna be great cause she’ll beat Wren and also the audience will have a very important guest as Nikkita Lyons will be in the VIP Section. Sloane sucks up some more on the mic as Lyons makes her entrance. WRen with some quick technical stuff with snapmares and armdrags and cranks in a double-wristlock and then a standing armbar as Wren is in total control. Sinclair to a headlock and more armwork. Wren establishes more technical mastery as she does a corner leapfrog, pulls up short on a whip, and then gets an one-handed bulldog as she’s in total control against Sloane. Sloane throws a strike and Wren gets a double-leg and some ground and pound but gets hit in the ropes with a knee and a Sloane neckbreaker on the ropes as she poses and we go to break. Back and we have Sloane with a neck crank that Wren is fighting out of and gets a few pin attempts and Wren tries to be sneaky but is caught in Jacobs legs and is driven into the turnbuckle before eating a lariat for 2. Sloane with some elbows and a catapult necksnap as Jacobs continues to work the spine. Cover for 2 by Sloane and then a top-wristlock as commentary goes over that Sloane was in the same class as Roxanne Perez, Sol Ruca, Nikkita Lyons, and others who uh…have already made it. Sinclair elbows out of the hold and an armdrag gives her space, overhand chop from Wren and then a few strikes as Jacobs pinballs into a sloppy slam and then a Stinger splash, double-arm suplex, and an X-Factor gets 2. Wren keeps moving but a high kick by Sloane staggers her for a rope-hung whiplash for 2.7. Sloane looks at Nikkita ringside for guidance and that lets Wren attempt her Final Wrench (Cattle Mutilation) but the double chickenwing turns into a necksnap as Sloane runs into the ropes. Jacobs with an O’Connor Roll into a Japanese Cradle but Wren turns that into the Final Wrench and Sloane taps.

**¼

A bit too long, a bit too sloppy, but commentary (which is touch and go for Evolve) did a great job putting over that Sloane was too desperate to get Nikkita’s approval. They should have both sold the neck and arm more but it was a totally fine TV match between two acts I really enjoy. Absolutely acceptable wrestling. And a good win on Wrensday.

Post-match Nikkita confronts Wren in the ring and says that since Wendy Choo is still MIA, the spirits tell her nobody is worthy of a title shot and this summons Thea Hail who does an Ultimate Warrior sprint to the ring and drops Lyons to throw hands. Nikkita gets bailed out by Sloane and Thea tells us that as the DAD and the Father Figure (uhhh) that she’s Nikkita’s next challenger and it’ll go down next week, Hail Yeah~!

Brooks Jensen is leaving the building and brushes off an interview and dashes to his truck and speeds off as he notices an irate Elijah Holyfield sprinting after him and he accelerates and flees.

Okay, Elijah being on-sight for Brooks is nice. Looking forward to the third match.

Laynie Luck is in a pre-tape and she talks about how she lost to Nikkita in a title match, but even worse she got beatdown by PJ Vasa post-match. Vasa might view Luck as a punching bag but Laynie is going to prove her wrong and in two weeks, when Luck is cleared, she’s going right through Vasa.

Next week it’s CJ Valor and Sam Holloway! And also Cutler James vs. Marcus Mathers! And Thea Hail challenging Nikkita Lyons for the Evolve Women’s Championship! Evolve!

We have Adriana Rizzo interviewing Evolve Champion Harlem Lewis in the VIP Section as they exchange cigars. Rizzo says that winning a title is one thing, but keeping it is another. Harlem knows that one of the guys in the main-event might be his next challenger and also, he’s a sucker for a good fight.

It’s GAL vs. Cappuccino Jones vs. Chazz “Starboy” Hall

Background: It’s GAL is a cocky goof who is jacked up and in love with his physique. He’s Big Daddy Red and is tanned, jacked, and ready to attack. Jones is a highflying babyface who maybe is embracing a bit of a heel side, he’s now dressed as a 1970s cop show informant. Chazz Hall was an indie standout as a teeny-tiny highflyer, he’s sort of a San Francisco hippy type and he has beef with Jones for costing him a match and is being a bit of a jerk about it but also has a point.

The Match: It’s GAL starts with a schoolboy and then collides Chazz into Jones for another pin attempt. More of It’s GAL as he takes down bot of the smaller guys and gets a pushup taunt but eats a double hiptoss and Jones and Hall trade rollups…but It’s GAL runs in for a double-pin and then throws strikes in the corner. It’s GAL runs Jones and Hall into each other but falls victim to a suplex…and we have Starboy with a running SSP for 2 on Cap. Cruiser stuff from Hall and then some trickery has a few accidental moves and then Jones comes out the corer with a headscissors and a slam…but It’s GAL breaks it up to eat a dropkick and then an inside-out crossbody…but Starboy hits a backflip kick and then a Sasuke Special on everybody into a break. Back in and Hall gets a standing skytwister press of GAL but Jones breaks it up and both cruisers brawl and do a sequence…but the bodybuilder runs in and then catches Cap for a Blue Thunder Bomb and Starboy breaks that up for a pin and then a sliced bread/kick combo for 2.5. Chazz beats down both guys but It’s GAL comes back…only to come into a double-superplex attempt that Big Daddy Red shuts down and a missile dropkick takes both guys out. More triple-team trickery has all three doing counters and evasions until Jones gets the Decaffinator (somersault neckbreaker) into a Froggy Brew (frog splash elbow drop) gets nothing as It’s GAL tosses Jones and steals the pin.

**½

Triple threats are choppy as a rule and this didn’t violate that. But it didn’t overstay its welcome and it set up a Cap/Starboy match and It’s GAL continued his…win streak of sorts. Clunky but tolerable.

Post-match It’s GAL crows about how he’s on a crazy win streak and this win means he’s on top of WWE ID. He’s seen Harlem’s abs, and they’re in frame…cause GAL is on the top of his game. Meanwhile Jones and Starboy are irked by the trash talk and eats a double-dropkick from the cruisers…but both of them continue to brawl before a very reluctant handshake has them at peace…maybe.And both jam out to Starboy’s music and it’s all good?

I enjoyed this! They set up a LOT of stuff and it was a pretty fast-paced deal with very efficient matches. I get why everything happened and dug it

Next week it looks to be “The X-Factor” CJ Valor vs. “Hardway” Sam Holloway, Cutler James vs. Marcus Mathers, and then Nikkita Lyons defending the Evolve women’s title against Thea Hail. Well…uh, please read next week regardless.

Thanks for reading, and keep on evolving my evolvemaniacs.