By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 53)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed March 25, 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 4.”
* Tate Wilder was in the ring, and he’s angry at the PC heels. Kam Hendrix came out of the back and confronted him. Kam and Harley Riggins sent a new guy into the ring to fight Tate!
1. Tate Wilder vs. Kai Kavari. Kai was in a recent 10-man tag, so this is just his second televised match. They brawled, and Tate hit a back suplex. Kai hit a suplex for a nearfall at 2:00. Tate hit some running back elbows and a twisting suplex, then a top-rope moonsault for the pin. Basic but fine.
Tate Wilder defeated Kai Kavari at 3:35.
2. Lince Dorado vs. Mike Cunningham. Jha’Quan McNair was shown in the VIP lounge for this match. Standing switches to open; Mike is taller and visibly stronger. Lince hit some armdrags and a dropkick. Cunningham hit a shoulder-breaker over his knee, then a dropkick that sent Lince to the floor at 2:00. Mike hit a twisting plancha to the floor. In the ring, Cunningham hit a hard clothesline for a nearfall. Cunningham hit a spinebuster for a nearfall, and he danced a bit, then hit some jab punches to the jaw. The commentators questioned Cunningham’s showboating.
Dorado hit a spin kick and a Lungblower to the back, then a flipping dive through the ropes at 6:00. In the ring, Dorado hit a top-rope crossbody block and switched to a cross-armbreaker. They got up, and Lince hit a spin kick to the head and a Lethal Injection for a believable nearfall. Cunningham hit a second-rope Falcon Arrow for a believable nearfall. However, just seconds later, Dorado got a rollup for the clean pin. Cunningham was baffled by his loss. That was pretty good action.
Lince Dorado defeated Mike Cunningham at 8:14.
* Chuey Martinez interviewed Lince at ringside. He put Mike over as “hungry” and “full of potential.” Cunningham walked up and thanked Lince for the match. “At the end of the day, I don’t lose, I only learn,” he said.
* Backstage, Evolve foreman Timothy Thatcher was at his desk. He has a foreman construction hat on his desk to hammer home the point. Thatcher announced an eliminator gauntlet to determine a new Evolve Women’s champion. Next week will be a four-way, and the winner will enter the gauntlet LAST. The four participants will be Laynie Luck, PJ Vasa, Nikkita Lyons, and Wendy Choo.
3. Masyn Holiday vs. Kali Armstrong. I am pretty sure Masyn is out with an injury, but these matches are probably close to two months old at this point. This one might be short. Kali scooped her up at the bell, slammed her into the turnbuckles, and hit some blows to the ribs. Kali hit a running spear into the corner. The commentators wondered why Kali isn’t in that four-way to get the last slot in the gauntlet. Kali hit a powerslam. She ran the ropes to pick up speed, hit her flying shoulder tackle, and scored the pin. Masyn didn’t land a single move.
Kali Armstrong defeated Masyn Holiday at 1:11.
* Another vignette with Ivy League graduate Braxton Cole, who also boasted about his wealth. He definitely oozes heel charisma and arrogance.
4. Cappuccino Jones vs. Brooks Jensen. Cap had a coffee cup but no title belt. (Will the commentators acknowledge that he lost it? My guess is the commentary hasn’t been dubbed in this week.) Cap immediately hit some jab punches. (A strange edit to show the crowd. Interesting. Cap clearly slipped on the ropes, and I think they made a strategic edit.) Cap hit a dropkick that sent Brooks to the floor. [C]
As we returned from a commercial, they were fighting on the ring apron. Brooks trapped him in the ring apron (a la Fit Finlay) and unloaded some punches at 1:30. Jensen hit a clothesline that sent Cap from the turnbuckles to the floor. Jensen hit some blows as they fought on the floor. He hit a hard European Uppercut to the back, then pushed him back into the ring at 4:00.
Jensen worked over Cap’s neck between his ankles. Cap, who has a bloody mouth, hit a springboard back elbow at 7:00. Cap hit some jab punches. He hit a running crossbody block as Jensen was against the ropes; they both flipped over and fell to the floor. The ref leaned over to admonish them, but they both shoved the ref! The ref immediately called for the bell! Jensen hit Cap with his bullrope after the bell.
Cappuccino Jones vs. Brooks Jensen went to a no contest via a double DQ at 7:56.
* Thatcher and Kali Armstrong spoke in his office. He told her to refocus on what she wants — to be the champion again. Thatcher added her to the four-way match, making it a five-way!!
* Aaron Rourke came to the ring in a long, flowing silver robe and the WWE Evolve Title belt around his waist. Rourke said the crowd knows him as a “confident dimepiece who isn’t afraid to be himself.” But he recalled being a shy kid who just wanted to bring his action figures to school. He talked about being teased, which made him “hate who he was.” He said Ric Flair inspired him to dress in a robe like this one, and his favorite wrestler is Charlotte Flair. He said he decided to “break the mold and make my own.” He told the crowd, “Don’t be anyone other than yourself.” He said he wants people to see him as outlandish and different … but that’s why we love him. He said he’s “privileged” to be the champion, and he got a “you deserve it!” chant.
* Backstage, Harlem Lewis was watching the screen, and he said Rourke should enjoy holding that belt while he can, because it “soon will be mine.”
Final Thoughts: I was watching the indy show when Aaron Rourke was handed his WWE ID contract. He broke down into tears and pounded on the mat in excitement. If he already knew he landed the deal before that moment — wow, he’s a great actor. I wrote at the time — and several times since — that Rourke is an above-average speaker, and he can take the crowd on an emotional rollercoaster.
So, it’s no secret he’s gay. He’s never directly said it in a WWE promo, but everyone understands it. I see him as someone who can just really inspire a lot of gay youth — he’s not ashamed of who he is, he’s proud of it. He talks about the challenges he’s faced and how he’s overcome them. Quite frankly, I can’t think of a better babyface than that in 2026. A good promo that really established who he is. I don’t know how to write it… he’s just more than “an openly gay wrestler.” He’s someone that the WWE universe can rally around.
The Dorado-Cunningham match was the best here. Nice to see Kali Armstrong reestablish her dominance, too.
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