By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 11)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed May 14, 2025, on Tubi in the United States and YouTube.com internationally
Peter Rosenberg and Robert Stone provided commentary. I will reiterate what I wrote from the prior episodes — the curtains at the Performance Training Center are dropped, making the venue seem smaller and more intimate. There are only two or three rows at ringside, so we only have maybe 150 or so people present.
* The show opened with a recap of last week, including Prime Minister Stevie Turner unveiling the new title belts.
1. Keanu Carver and Harlem Lewis vs. “Gallus” Mark Coffey and Joe Coffey (w/Wolfgang). Again, awkward to see wrestlers here who have since been released, like Carver. He’s got massive size and a presence to him, so I’m surprised he got cut before really getting much of a chance. Carver and Lewis rolled to the floor and attacked Gallus as they walked to the ring; we had a bell at 0:30 as they brawled in and out of the ring. Carver hit a snap suplex in the ring on Joe at 2:00. Harlem hit a bodyslam; Keanu made a blind tag and they glared at each other.
Robert Stone said if they could get on the same page, they could be a great tag team. Mark got a hot tag and hit some clotheslines, then a back suplex on Carver for a nearfall at 4:00. Carver and Lewis argued some more, and Lewis hit a clothesline to the back of Carver’s head! He took out his own partner! Gallus immediately hit a team German Suplex for a nearfall, but Keanu kicked out! However, Joe Coffey hit a clothesline for the pin.
Joe Coffey and Mark Coffey defeated Keanu Carver and Harlem Lewis at 4:58/official time of 4:29.
* Backstage, Sean Legacy approached Timothy Thatcher and asked him to be in his corner tonight. Legacy said he thinks he’s earned Thatcher’s respect. Thatcher was hesitant but agreed. [C]
* Backstage, Chuey Martinez sat down with Edris Enofe, who wore a nice suit. Enofe has been out with a shoulder injury for seven months. Edris said he “looks at it like a blessing in disguise,” and he’s ready to show the world that he’s more than just potential. Chuey stressed that Enofe is going out solo, and not teaming with Malik Blade anymore. (I really like when tag teams just break up; they don’t always have to fight each other.) He put over the WWE ID prospects. A well-done segment.
* Masyn Holiday and Chantel Monroe talked in the locker room. Masyn seemed to urge her to work harder to step up.
2. Kali Armstrong vs. Masyn Holiday. I’ve said it before, but Kali is a good mix of Bianca Belair and Jaida Parker; I’m really liking her confidence, and she clearly has a size advantage on most opponents. Kali was in Lakers purple-and-gold, while Masyn wore a black top and bottom. A quick tie-up and a standoff. Masyn hit a crossbody block for a nearfall. Kali hit a pop-up forearm strike at 1:30, then some shoulder thrusts in the corner, and a bodyslam. Masyn hit a dropkick for a nearfall. Kali hit a powerslam. She ran the ropes and hit a flying shoulder tackle for the pin. Kali is raw, but the potential is really there.
Kali Armstrong defeated Masyn Holiday at 3:35.
* Kali got on the mic and said she’s a difference-maker, and in a few weeks, she’s going to be a history-maker when she becomes the inaugural women’s champion. That brought out Zayda Steel, who is not dressed to wrestle. Zayda said Kali is delusional. This then brought out Chantel Monroe, who berated Zayda. Kylie Rae then came out; she said “she’s been going through a lot lately” with Wendy Choo. she noted there is one spot open in that four-way. Zayda cut her off, so Kylie punched her, and all four women brawled. Kali hit a Gorilla Press, tossing Chantel over the top rope onto Zayda and Kylie! Kendal Grey snuck in and attacked Kali! [C]
* Keanu approached Stevie in her office, and she agreed to let him have a singles match against Harlem Lewis next week!
3. It’s Gal vs. Javier Bernal. Gal wore his body-building medals around his neck. Again, Bernal has grown his hair out, and he seems to be an emo rocker now; he’s no longer “Big Body Javy.” Stone says it shows Bernal “has a few screws loose.” Javier hit a huracanrana and a dropkick, then a top-rope crossbody block for a one-count at 1:30. Gal nailed a discus clothesline for a nearfall and some stomps. Bernal hit a backbody drop and a dropkick in the corner, then a swinging Flatliner for a nearfall at 3:30. He got a rollup out of nowhere for the pin!
Javier Bernal defeated It’s Gal at 3:58.
* Gal immediately beat up Bernal after the bell.
* Backstage, Stevie Turner offered Nikkita Lyons a spot in a play-in match for the women’s four-way. Lyons turned her down! She said to call her once a champion has been crowned.
* Chuey then talked to Kylie Rae backstage, and Kylie is in the ‘play-in match’ next week against Chantel Monroe, Aria Bennett, and Zayda Steel. The winner of that Fatal Four-way is in the four-way for the inaugural title.
* We then saw Stevie Turner sign LFG trainee Troy Yearwood to an Evolve contract. Gal came up to them and was angry about his loss. Troy and Gal traded words.
4. Lexis King vs. Sean Legacy (w/Timothy Thatcher). Standing switches to open, and they twisted each other’s left arm. Legacy knocked him down with a shoulder tackle at 2:00. He hit a dropkick and some loud chops and was in charge early on. Stone reiterated that Legacy is the only announced competitor in the four-way for the inaugural men’s title. We went to a commercial break at 3:30. [C]
When we returned, Lexis was hitting spin kicks to the spine. He tied Legacy in a bow-and-arrow on the mat. The commentators announced the winner of Keanu vs. Harlem will be in the four-way. Legacy dove through the ropes. He went for a springboard move into the ring, but Lexis caught him with a superkick at 5:30, and he bent Sean backwards over his knee. Legacy hit a running kick for a nearfall. King applied a half-crab but Sean escaped and hit an enzuigiri in the corner. Sean hit a springboard 450 Splash for a nearfall at 8:00.
Legacy got King on his shoulders, but Lexis reached out and grabbed the top rope to escape. King hit a Lungblower to the back for a nearfall. Legacy got a backslide, but King escaped. They got up and traded chops and forearm strikes. King hit a superkick; Legacy hit a mid-ring Spanish Fly, and they were both down. The Vanity Project ran to ringside and attacked Thatcher! Legacy hit a dive to the floor onto all of them. As he re-entered the ring, Lexis hit a running knee to the side of the head, then a twisting neckbreaker for the pin.
Lexis King defeated Sean Legacy at 10:56.
* Backstage, someone had attacked Brinley Reece! She was down on the floor and selling pain in her arm!
Final Thoughts: A really good main event; it was one of the better main events in recent weeks. A good episode overall. I think last week’s episode and this one are from a new taping. One of the big differences is that we haven’t seen them use the “VIP lounge” at ringside to showcase wrestlers.
It is still going to be awkward to see a lot of wrestlers who have been released (Bernal, Gallus, Carver) since this taping took place. I’ll reiterate the quality of the livestream on Tubi. This episode clocked in at 52 minutes, making it the longest one yet.
No live stream on You Tube for the second week in a row. I tried to access Tubi (it’s free) but it wasn’t showing up. Probably because it doesn’t run on a web browser – I can be corrected on that one. Mobile device is not an option for me.
I don’t think Keanu Carver was one of the wrestlers released from the WWE. He was upset that some of the wrestlers he liked to compete with ended up getting the “future endeavors” treatment. Plus, unless Wikipedia is lying through its teeth, he’s still on WWE’s roster especially Evolve’s.
Didn’t like 1/3 of this roster get cut last week?