By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 67)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed July 1, 2026, on Tubi in the United States and YouTube.com internationally
Peter Rosenberg and Blake Howard provided commentary. Tubi lists this as “Season 2, Episode 18.”
1. Layla Diggs (w/Masyn Holliday) vs. Gianna Capri. A reminder that Masyn has since left WWE. Anya Rune was in the VIP lounge. Gianna applied a headlock and threw Layla to the mat. The commentators talked about how Layla’s moonsault was “seen around the world” on social media. Layla hit a Shining Wizard for a nearfall at 1:00. Capri hit a series of knee drops across the lower back, and she planted her foot in Layla’s throat.
Capri hit a back suplex for a nearfall at 2:30. Layla hit a leg lariat and an enzuigiri. Capri grabbed Layla’s hair and threw her to the mat at 4:00. Rune stood up and made her ‘video game-style throwing’ motions. Capri no-sold it. Layla hit a Pele Kick and her pretty moonsault for the pin. Yeah… this is Rune’s version of a Danhausen curse. Not sure I like it.
Layla Diggs defeated Gianna Capri at 4:36.
* Before the women had even left the ring, Braxton Cole emerged from the back. He’s livid that his match for tonight has been made a no-DQ bout! Harlem Lewis came out and attacked Braxton, and we’re underway!
2. Braxton Cole vs. Harlem Lewis in a no-disqualification match. They brawled on the floor; they got in the ring and we got a bell at 00:23 to make this official. Braxton went to the floor and got a walking cane, and he struck Harlem with it. Harlem removed his own belt and whipped Braxton several times across the back. He hit a bodyslam for a nearfall at 3:00. Cole hit a neckbreaker from the apron to the floor, and they brawled at ringside.
Cole got a pool stick and jabbed it in Harlem’s stomach, then he used it to tie Harlem’s arms behind his back. They got back into the ring at 5:00. Braxton went back to the floor and got a mop. (They’ve already noted that Lewis previously had a job as a janitor.) Braxton cracked the mop handle over Harlem’s back, and the stick broke! Harlem hit a low-blow kick at 6:30. Harlem now struck Braxton over the back with a mop handle. Harlem hit a Jackhammer for the pin. Okay.
Harlem Lewis defeated Braxton Cole at 7:31/official time of 7:08.
* Aaron Rourke strolled to the ring with his Evolve Men’s Title over his shoulder. He said he’s out here to say “thank you” to Harlem. He noted that Harlem stood beside him when the Mog Squad attacked him. Rourke said he thinks they developed some respect for each other. The crowd chanted, “Title match!” Rourke said he’ll see if he can arrange a one-on-one match. They shook hands.
* In a video montage, Sloane Jacobs talked about how much she admires Nikkita Lyons. She said Lyons shared her knowledge, and she’s such a giver! Sloane will host a coronation party for Lyons next week! She vowed it would be unforgettable. [C]
* Chuey Martinez interviewed Kale Dixon at the entrance area. Kale said it was stupid of him to care about trying to get these fans to like him. Dixon said he turned down Division 1 baseball offers to come here. He really dislikes these fans, and he got booed. He jawed at Chuey. Chuey asked about the “beautiful woman” who was with him last week. Right on cue, she emerged. (Again, she’s like WCW-era Torrie Wilson.) She vowed Evolve is about to change forever. Cutler James came out for his match, walking past Kale and the still-unnamed blonde.
3. It’s Gal vs. Cutler James. Gal flew in out of nowhere and hit a missile dropkick. We got a bell at 00:18 to make this official. Cutler hit a faceplant for a nearfall. Gal hit a second-rope huracanrana. Cutler hit a backbreaker over his knee at 1:30. James hit a hip-toss across the ring. Cutler tied Gal in an abdominal stretch, but Gal reversed it. Gal hit some punches and some clotheslines and got a nearfall at 4:30. Cutler nailed a Buckle Bomb and a spinning, release Razor’s Edge for the clean pin. Meh; Cutler is just so … dull.
Cutler James defeated It’s Gal at 5:08/official time of 4:50.
* In the locker room, Elijah Holyfield called out Brooks Jensen. He said their “story is far from finished.” He vowed to “knock your lights out.”
* Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins spoke to foreman Timothy Thatcher backstage. (Ummm, Thatcher told us he would be gone this week on a scouting trip! Am I the only one paying attention to storylines here???) The two security guards, Viktor Zanov and Shido Ash, came up and jawed at Kam and Harley. Thatcher ‘fired’ them as security guards. Ash said that’s fine, because “they can do what we want, whenever we want.” They walked away. Thatcher muttered under his breath with good comedic timing, “I have made an error.”
4. Marcus Mathers, Sam Holloway, and Cappuccino Jones vs. “The Mog Squad” CJ Valor, Jacari Ball, and Santi Rivera (w/Max Abrams) in an elimination match. Mathers wore his Phillies blue gear. Cap wore his gold pants, and as I noted earlier this week, he is becoming former PWG wrestler The Human Tornado before our eyes. Mathers and Santi opened. Holloway slammed Santi, but he was selling a rib injury he suffered last week. Cap entered and hit a dropkick on Jacari at 2:00, and he hit a crossbody block that sent them both over the top rope to the floor.
The Mog Squad pushed Cap into their corner and started working him over. Valor hit a belly-to-belly suplex at 3:30. Mathers got a hot tag and hit some kicks, then a top-rope twisting crossbody block. He hit his Ospreay-style heel hook kick to Valor’s jaw. He nailed a corner moonsault to the floor onto the three heels at 5:00. In the ring, Jacari hit a running kick to Mathers’ jaw. Santi hit a Hart Attack clothesline on Marcus and pinned him at 5:22!
Sam got in but was selling the rib injury. Jacari hit a top-rope flying clothesline. The heels pushed Holloway into their corner. Sam hit a double clothesline, and three guys were down. Cap got the hot tag at 7:00, and he hit a pump kick on Jacari, then a swinging bulldog. Cap nailed a Froggy Brew elbow drop for a believable nearfall, but Valor made the save. They hit a team slam and pinned Jones at 8:14! [C]
Sam hit a uranage as we returned from action. It’s 3-on-1! Valor hit a Chaos Theory (rolling German Suplex) for a nearfall. Jacari hit a gut-wrench suplex, then another one for a nearfall at 10:00. Sam hit a sit-out chokeslam on Jacari, but he was too sore to make a cover! Santi hit a modified Pedigree for a nearfall. Sam hit a double chokeslam, but both heels rolled to the floor. Max hopped on the apron, but Sam knocked him back to the floor. Sam dove over the top rope onto all the heels on the floor at 12:00. However, they all got in the ring, and Valor hit a spear for the pin!
“The Mog Squad” CJ Valor, Jacari Ball, and Santi Rivera defeated Marcus Mathers, Sam Holloway, and Cappuccino Jones in an elimination match at 12:33.
Final Thoughts: A solid outing. Nothing must-see this week. The 1.0 ID roster is so much better than the 2.0 guys, so it’s frustrating to see them keep losing. And Cutler James wrestles so mechanically and with zero passion, and it’s hard to see him beating Gal, who is so funny.
I repeatedly praised Airica Demia for months and said WWE should sign her… and I am just not buying what they are doing with her. Like… does she think she has magical powers? Did they dust off their plans for Sarray and decide Anya Rune is going to do this silliness now?
And Timothy Thatcher made it clear he would NOT be there, and that’s why we needed a guest GM (who we never saw once but was referenced a few times). So why was Thatcher in his office? Little details matter. This episode was 55 minutes.
Be the first to comment