By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 81)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed October 7, 2026, on Tubi in the United States and YouTube.com internationally
Blake Howard and Rob Stone provided commentary. Tubi lists this as “Season 2, Episode 32.” This was recorded at the Performance Center in Orlando, Fla.
* We heard from both Harlem Lewis and Harley Riggins about their match at Succession IV!
* Marcus Mathers came to the ring and got on the mic. “I’m sick of being the good indy wrestler, waiting for my opportunity,” Mathers said. He’s not scared of Elijah Holyfield or DarkState.
1. Marcus Mathers vs. Cutler James. They immediately brawled, as Rob and Blake talked about how Cutler previously beat Mathers. Marcus hit a dropkick. We saw Braxton Cole seated in the VIP lounge. Cutler hit a spear, and he applied a standing Stretch Muffler! “Are bodies supposed to bend that way?” Rob Stone asked. Mathers hit his Mule Kick to the jaw at 2:30. He went for a crossbody block, but Cutler caught him and tossed Mathers over the top rope to the floor! [C]
Back from the break, Cutler was in charge in the ring. He slammed Mathers knee-first onto the mat, and Marcus was writhing in pain. Marcus hit a spin kick, then a Code Red for a nearfall at 4:00. Marcus hit a tornado DDT but was selling the left knee injury. He hit a springboard fadeaway stunner, and he shoved Cutler to the floor. He hit a running Penalty Kick on the apron, then a corner moonsault onto a standing Cutler on the floor. Braxton approached ringside and distracted Marcus. Elijah Holyfield chased Braxton to the back. Meanwhile, Cutler hit his spinning release Razor’s Edge for the pin. Good action; these two have really meshed well.
Cutler James defeated Marcus Mathers at 6:16.
2. Veronica Haven vs. Anya Rune. Again, both women have since left the ID system. Haven hit a stunner just seconds in for a nearfall, then a running knee for another nearfall, and she threw a temper tantrum, pounding on the mat. Anya hit some spinning back fists and back elbows and a diving forearm at 1:30. She threw an anime magic fireball from her hands (special effects added in post-production!), and an Eye of the Hurricane inverted DDT for the pin. Fun and silly.
Anya Rune defeated Veronica Haven at 2:02.
* Sloane Jacobs and Nikkita Lyons ran into the ring and beat up Rune. They put a trash can over her head — and it was filled with trash — so litter and debris were all over the ring. Lyons got on the mic and accepted Wendy Choo’s challenge for a match at Succession IV next week.
* Earlier today, AJ Styles walked up to Conan Lycan and Nathan Frazer, who were working out in the PC. Styles told Lycan he had the honor of telling him he was getting a WWE ID contract! Lycan was excited and is ready to go!
* The Mog Squad quartet spoke backstage. Max Abrams has no idea who he’s facing tonight. “Thatcher thinks he owns us? We own Thatcher!” Max said confidently.
* Adrianna Rizzo interviewed Cap Jones backstage. He’s ready to take down the “Jive turkeys” in the Mog Squad. (He really has morphed into 2008-era Human Tornado!)
3. Kale Dixon (w/Alix Brooks) vs. Aaron Rourke. Kale hit a clothesline at the bell and a bodyslam. They traded punches. Rourke hit a superkick and a running back elbow at 1:00. Alix reached in and grabbed Aaron’s ankle, and she choked him with a sweater. The ref called for the bell! Alix slid a chair to Kale, and he repeatedly struck Aaron across the back with it.
Aaron Rourke defeated Kale Dixon via DQ at 1:19.
* Blake Howard sat down backstage and interviewed Wendy Choo. He asked her about her absence in recent months. Wendy said she thought she was going to accomplish more as champion, and just as she really got going, “It was all taken away from me.” She fumed that Nikkita Lyons cheated to win the belt. [C]
* Laynie Luck was backstage, looking into the camera, and told us about starting wrestling at age 21 and hitting all the fun indy shows. We then heard from Vanta the Unknown.
* We saw the Mog Squad again backstage. Max Abrams wasn’t sure if he could compete. He’s showing a ‘yellow streak!’ CJ Valor agreed to take his spot! We still don’t know who will be the opponent! Out of the back came… Jasper Troy!
4. CJ Valor vs. Jasper Troy. Both are muscular, but Troy is much taller and visibly thicker, and Valor has a pretty impressive physique, too! The crowd chanted, “Jasper’s gonna kill you!” Troy hit some shoulder blocks while holding onto CJ’s left wrist. He hit a splash to the mat at 1:30. Troy caught him coming off the ropes and hit a uranage. Valor knocked Troy over the top rope to the floor! CJ hit a flying shoulder tackle from the apron to the floor. [C]
They were in the ring as we returned, and Valor hit a running knee to the ribs. He mounted Jasper and repeatedly punched him. Jasper flipped him to the mat, and he was fired up. He hit a splash in the corner, then another. Troy hit a bulldog powerslam for a nearfall at 4:30. Valor hit a Chaos Theory, then a spear for a nearfall. Troy hit a Choke Bomb, and they were both down. Troy hit a swinging uranage for the pin. Good action; Valor held his own.
Troy Jasper defeated CJ Valor at 6:02.
* Blake and Rob ran down the list of matches for next week’s “Succession IV.”
* We saw Aaron Rourke backstage, who vowed he was going to get his revenge on Kale. Harlem Lewis and Harley Riggins brawled out of the back and to ringside. Security tried to separate them. Harley hit a knee strike.
Final Thoughts: The same frustration as the past few weeks — it’s really hard to watch this show with all these wrestlers who are no longer with WWE ID. That said, I really did enjoy these matches. Marcus Mathers is so talented. He and Cutler have had two really good matches.
The episode clocked in at 44 minutes.
