By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 52)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed March 18, 2026, on Tubi in the United States and YouTube.com internationally
Peter Rosenberg and Blake Howard 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. I’ve also noted that the background has changed, as we have more video screens hanging on the walls in the background, and the room is a bit darker, too. Again, Tubi lists this as “Season 2, Episode 3.”
* These episodes usually aren’t posted until 7 p.m. CST, but I noticed it was on the Tubi website early today!
* Backstage, “The Vanity Project” Jackson Drake, Ricky Smokes, and Brad Baylor reminisced about their run in Evolve.
1. Kam Hendrix (w/Harley Riggins) vs. Dante Chen. They locked up, and Kam has a significant height and size advantage. Chen hit several armdrags. They brawled on the floor, and Hendrix threw him into the ring post. In the ring, Kam hit a clothesline for a nearfall at 2:30. Chen hit a German Suplex and a superkick. He clotheslined Kam to the floor, then dove through the ropes onto him at 4:00. He hit a springboard knife-edge chop to the skull. Riggins jumped in, but Dante chopped him. However, it allowed Kam to hit a uranage for the tainted pin.
Kam Hendrix defeated Dante Chen at 4:36.
* Kam and Harley leaned into the camera and taunted Tate Wilder, whom Kam beat up last week.
* Evolve “foreman” Timothy Thatcher was at a desk backstage. He said that in two weeks, some new European talent will be debuting (Mike D’Vecchio with a new name will undoubtedly be one of them!). It’s Gal walked in, and they talked.
* A vignette aired with Braxton Cole, who boasted about playing football at Brown University. He is “Straight A’s in every way.” Very smarmy.
2. Laynie Luck vs. Zena Sterling. The commentators immediately discussed how the women’s title is now vacant, and these two are trying to impress and seize an opportunity. They immediately traded rollups on the mat. Laynie stomped on her gut and got a nearfall at 2:30, and she tied up Zena on the mat. Zena hit a back suplex and they were both down. They got up and traded forearm strikes. Zena hit an inverted DDT for a nearfall. Laynie hit a spin kick and a Death Valley Driver for the pin!
Laynie Luck defeated Zena Sterling at 4:40.
* Lince Dorado was outside and about to get in his car. Mike Cunningham ran up to him and talked about how he grew up watching Lince, which seemed to annoy Dorado. Mike said he wanted a match. Dorado agreed.
* Cappuccino Jones came to the ring, dressed in his street clothes and sipping on a coffee. He said Aaron Rourke will win the title from Jackson Drake tonight. He then switched to talking about Brooks Jensen. He said Brooks has made an issue between them personal, and Cappuccino wants to “whoop his ass.” Brooks Jensen emerged from the back. He said Jones just “ended your career.” That will take place next week!
* Chuey Martinez sat down with Luca Crucafino. Again, Luca has essentially copied Angelico’s gimmick, as he’s now a laid-back dancer at the discotheque. I’m not feeling this gimmick at all…
3. Jackson Drake (w/Ricky Smokes, Brad Baylor) vs. Aaron Rourke for the WWE Evolve Title. As was the case last week with the women’s championship, if Drake wins, he will vacate the title, as he’s moving to the NXT brand. Rourke got some quick rollups in the first minute, and Drake rolled to the floor, showing his frustration. [C]
They were back in the ring when we returned from the break. Rourke hit a back suplex at 1:30, and he applied a leg lock around the neck. Jackson applied a half-crab and also stomped on Aaron’s head. Drake hit a Russian Leg Sweep for a nearfall at 3:30. Drake hit a double stomp to the back, then a fisherman’s suplex for a nearfall. Drake stood on the ropes; Rourke hit a 619 to trip him at 5:30. Aaron hit a superkick and a release German Suplex, and he was fired up.
Rourke hit a Frankensteiner out of the corner and an Eat D’Feat for a nearfall. Drake hit a German suplex into the corner. Aaron hit an STO uranage and a Vader Bomb-style elbow drop for a nearfall at 7:00. They traded chops on the ring apron. Drake suplexed them off the apron to the floor! Ouch! They both got back into the ring before being counted out. Drake hit some Yes Kicks, and he jawed at Aaron. “You don’t belong here,” Drake shouted at Rourke. Aaron applied a half crab at 9:30, and he stomped on Jackson’s head! Drake hit a neckbreaker over his knee and a running penalty kick for a one-count.
Aaron hit a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall. Drake’s elbow accidentally struck the ref. Baylor and Smokes immediately jumped in and hit the Super Swipe (team swinging uranage) for a believable nearfall at 11:00, and the crowd popped for Rourke’s kickout. Rourke flipped Jackson to the floor onto Baylor and Smokes. Rourke then hit a corner moonsault onto all three. In the ring, Jackson nailed a Burning Hammer and a running knee to the side of the head for a nearfall. Jackson was shocked that Rourke kicked out! Drake went for a move off the ropes, but Rourke caught him with a spear. Rourke hit a second-rope Molly-Go-Round for the pin! New champion!
* Aaron Rourke defeated Jackson Drake to win the WWE Evolve Title at 13:07.
* The crowd chanted, “You deserve it!” All the babyfaces in the locker room came out to celebrate with Rourke.
Final Thoughts: A really strong main event; that flew by. Certainly one of the better main events out of 50+ episodes. Rourke is a bit of a surprising choice to become champion, as I don’t think he really has a high winning percentage in Evolve. However, he’s a really good worker, and the crowd has gotten behind his character. All the PC guys are going to have size and weight advantages on him, so he’s going to remain a plucky underdog champ, too.
The other two matches were fine. Zena has been there long enough that I’d like to see longer matches to see how good a worker she is. The new gimmick for Luca isn’t working for me. They should have just entirely given him a new name — I think a lot of people wouldn’t have even guessed this guy was Tony D’Angelo’s fixer/attorney just a few months ago.
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