By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 83)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed October 21, 2026, on Tubi (YouTube internationally)
Blake Howard and Rob Stone provided commentary. Tubi lists this as “Season 2, Episode 34.”
* I inaccurately thought that last week’s “Succession IV” was going to be the conclusion of matches from this taping. However, Airica Demia (formerly Anya Rune in WWE ID/Evolve) recently indicated she has several matches left that haven’t aired. BUT, Veronica West (who wrestled as Veronica West in WWE ID) said her last match has aired. Point being, it appears they did a taping between West leaving and Demia leaving. SO, we perhaps have several weeks of episodes ahead filled with wrestlers who are no longer under contract.
* Footage aired of last week’s “Succession IV” special episode.
1. Chazz “Starboy” Hall and Cappuccino Jones vs. “The Mog Squad” Jacari Ball and Santi Rivera. Cap and Jacari opened and immediately traded rollups. Hall got in and hit a running Shooting Star Press. Hall and Jones hit stereo dropkicks, and the heels rolled to the floor at 2:30. In the ring, Hall hit a deep armdrag on Santi and twisted his left arm. The heels started stomping on Hall and took control. [C]
The heels were still working over Starboy as we returned from the break. Jacari hit an impressive dropkick at 5:00. Santi tied up Hall’s left arm on the mat. Santi hit a pop-up neckbreaker for a nearfall. Jacari hit a Stinger Splash at 6:30. He hit three consecutive gutwrench suplexes on Chazz and got a nearfall. Starboy fired up and hit some kicks, but he couldn’t tag out. Seconds later, Cap finally got the hot tag at 8:30, and he hit a dropkick in the corner on Ball. He hit a top-rope double crossbody block, then a Michinoku Driver on Rivera for a nearfall. Cap missed a top-rope Froggy Brew elbow drop.
Ball hit a German Suplex, but Chazz hit a running Shooting Star Press to break it up. Chazz hit a double Pele Kick, and he was fired up! Cap hit a flying crossbody, then sent both himself and Rivera to the floor! Cap hit a flip dive to the floor. Chazz hit a Sasuke Special dive at 10:30! Cap hit the top-rope Froggy Brew on Rivera for the pin; at the same time Chazz hit a Shooting Starboy Press on Ball. That was awesome — that’s one of the very best matches we’ve seen on Evolve.
Chazz “Starboy” Hall and Cappuccino Jones defeated “The Mog Squad” Jacari Ball and Santi Rivera at 10:52.
* Adrianna Rizzo interviewed the winners at ringside.
* Backstage, Aaron Rourke stared into the camera and talked about his match tonight against Kale Dixon. He said they hadn’t gotten along for some time. Rourke said Kale hides behind Alix Brooks, but he doesn’t need to hide behind anyone.
* A nice vignette aired for Elijah Holyfield. Of course, some footage of his dad in there, too. He’s ready for both Marcus Mathers and Braxton Cole!
2. Skylar Raye vs. Sloane Jacobs. Sloane has the height advantage; they had a clean tie-up, and she threw Raye to the mat. Raye applied a headlock and dragged Sloane to the mat. Skylar hit a huracanrana, then a shotgun dropkick at 1:30. She hit a bulldog for a nearfall. Sloane yanked her off the second rope, and Raye crashed to the mat. Sloane immediately hit some elbow drops and got a nearfall. Jacobs choked her in the ropes and got another nearfall. She hit a second-rope elbow drop for a nearfall at 4:00. Jacobs hit a backbreaker over her knee. Skylar hit a tornado DDT out of nowhere for the pin!
Skylar Raye defeated Sloane Jacobs at 4:50.
* Footage from Reality of Wrestling aired, where “Lady Bird” Monica Monroe defeated Laynie Luck to not only win the WWE ID Women’s Title, but also earn an ID contract. (I previously reviewed that ROW show.)
* Backstage, Alix Brooks and Kale Dixon looked directly into the camera, and they promised they were going to show the world what they can do.
3. Aaron Rourke vs. Kale Dixon (w/Alix Brooks). Rourke grabbed him and hit a German Suplex. The ref called for the bell at 00:07. Standing switches and some basic action. Rourke hit a Lungblower to the chest, then he clotheslined Kale to the floor at 1:30. Kale got back in, but Rourke clotheslined him back to the floor, then he dove onto Dixon. Back in the ring, Rourke hit a Russian Leg Sweep for a nearfall. Kale threw Rourke throat-first across the middle rope, and he immediately hit some blows to the back. [C]
Back from the break, Kale was hitting some blows to the back and applied a rear chin lock, keeping Aaron grounded. Aaron applied a half-crab. Dixon escaped and hit some stomps in the corner, then a backbreaker over his knee for a nearfall at 4:30. He hit a back suplex and remained in charge. Rourke hit a chin-breaker, but Kale hit an STO uranage. Rourke hit a Frankensteiner, and they were both down at 6:30. They got up and traded punches.
Rourke hit a roundhouse kick and a clothesline, then a leg lariat and an Eat D’Feat, and he was fired up! He did a handspring-into-a-forearm strike, then a second-rope flying Lungblower to the chest for a nearfall at 8:00. Aaron hit a running knee. He blew a kiss at Alix, then hit some more kicks on Kale. Kale hit a discus forearm strike for a nearfall. Rourke hit a pop-up powerbomb for a believable nearfall; he was shocked he didn’t win there, and the crowd chanted, “That was three!” Rourke went to the top rope, but Alix shoved him off to the mat! Dixon immediately hit a discus punch for the tainted pin! Good action.
Kale Dixon defeated Aaron Rourke at 10:17/official time 10:10.
Final Thoughts: “Succession IV” was a bust with some shockingly short matches. Tonight’s opener was a far more entertaining match than anything last week. Starboy is so talented, he could be one of the rare guys under 5’10” to break out onto the main roster.
Likewise, that main event was better than anything last week. Rourke had just one or two appearances on NXT, and I am fearful that WWE has already given up on him. I certainly hope not, as I think Rourke is really talented and has the potential to be a real underdog and role model… in a way that, say, Anthony Bowens just didn’t connect in the same way.
A top-notch episode. I was really down on the product after last week. But I’ve just decided I’m not going to vent anymore about the talented wrestlers who are already cut, and just enjoy what’s to come. This episode clocked in at about 45 minutes.
