By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 5)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed April 2, 2025 on Tubi in the United States and YouTube.com internationally
Peter Rosenberg and Robert Stone provided commentary. I will reiterate what I wrote from the previous 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.
* We saw a video package on both women in the opening match.
1. Brinley Reece vs. Zayda Steel. This is Zayda’s Evolve debut, and I consider her an absolute star. They locked up and appear to be roughly the same height but Brinley has more size. Jackson Drake was in the VIP lounge and watching. Quick reversals that highlighted Brinley’s cheerleading background. Zayda stomped on her in the corner and kept Reece grounded. Brinley hit a back suplex at 3:30. Reece nailed a spinebuster and was fired up. She hit a cartwheel-into-a-lariat for a nearfall. Zayda got a rollup with a handful of tights for a believable nearfall. Brinley hit a TKO Stunner for the pin. I liked that a lot.
Brinley Reece defeated Zayda Steel at 5:09.
* Swipe Right came to ringside and carried Zayda to the back.
* Backstage, Zara Zakher and Kylie Rae spoke, and Rae was doing her breathing exercises. When Zara mentioned Wendy Choo, Kylie began to hyperventilate! Kylie said she doesn’t want to even look Wendy in the eye! Amusing.
* A Keanu Carver video package aired, then one for Luca Crucafino.
2. Keanu Carver vs. Luca Crucafino. Luca hit a running back elbow and got a nearfall. He tried a slingshot move but Carter caught him and clubbed him with a forearm, and he took control and kept Luca grounded. He hit a diving forearm at 3:00. Luca hit a Samoan Drop and a Lawbreaker (Lungblower to the chest), then a running knee for a nearfall. Carver hit a Monty Brown-style Pounce but only got a nearfall; I thought that was it. Keanu hit a twisting Bulldog Powerslam for the pin. Actually more competitive than I expected, based on Keanu’s quick wins so far.
Keanu Carver defeated Luca Crucafino at 5:05.
3. Chantel Monroe vs. Masyn Holiday. We have seen Monroe before; she looked at herself in a mirror as she walked to the ring and she wore pink. Holiday also had a prior match; she wore mostly black. Masyn immediately hit some armdrags; she has a bit of a size and I presume strength advantage. Chantel worked Masyn’s left arm. Masyn hit a bodyslam for a nearfall at 3:00. Monroe got a rollup with a handful of tights for the cheap pin. Passable.
Chantel Monroe defeated Masyn Holiday at 3:26.
* Chuey Martinez interviewed Monroe at ringside. She asked him if he was surprised she won again, because she isn’t. “All I do is win.” Her style of speaking, her cadence, is all NXT-era Sasha Banks.
* Dani Palmer and Kalli Armstrong sat down across from each other backstage. Palmer apologized for accidentally striking her on a moonsault to the floor recently. They argued. Dani said she is saving it for the ring. It got heated quickly. They will fight next week. [C]
4. Harlem Lewis vs. Joe Coffey. We had a bigger ring intro than the other matches, noting this was our co-main event. They worked over each other’s left arm and hit some armdrags. Harlem hit a clothesline to the back of the neck and some stomps. Coffey hit a back suplex at 3:00 and they were both down. Coffey hit a flying shoulder tackle, then a double-jump crossbody block for a nearfall. Coffey hit a crossbody block that sent them both over the top rope to the floor at 4:30, and they began trading forearm strikes. The ref was counting! They both got back in. (This had a double count-out vibe.) Harlem hit a Jackhammer-style suplex for the pin. Good brawl. [C]
Harlem Lewis defeated Joe Coffey at 5:16.
5. Wendy Choo vs. Kylie Rae. Kylie came out first and the commentators noted she has competed in the NWA and TNA (I didn’t expect the NWA mention!) Kylie immediately applied a leg lock around the neck. They traded some mat reversals, and Wendy crawled and chased Kylie, who was freaked out. Kylie hit a dropkick. Wendy snapped the back of Kylie’s neck on the top rope at 2:00. Wendy snapped Kylie’s neck between her ankles. (Rosenberg said he’s never seen that before; he apparently has never watched a Zack Sabre Jr. match!)
Wendy tied up Kylie on the mat and ripped at her mouth. Kylie hit some clotheslines and was fired up, and she hit a rolling cannonball for a nearfall at 4:00. Kylie got a rollup for a nearfall. Wendy applied a standing Dirtnap (Cobra Clutch), and she hit a back suplex. Kylie nailed a buzzsaw kick, but Wendy sat up in a creepy fashion. Kylie locked in a Crossface! Choo escaped, and she hit a full-nelson slam. She reapplied the Dirtnap, this time on the mat, and Kylie passed out. Really good for the time given.
Wendy Choo defeated Kylie Rae at 6:14.
Final Thoughts: A solid show. Zayda looked good in her debut here, and the double main event matches were both good. Kylie and Wendy showed they are both polished talents. The Masyn-Chantel match was kept short and basic, as I assume they both have had very few matches in front of fans. The episode clocked in at 49 minutes; the prior episodes have all been in the 46-47 range, so technically I think this is the longest yet.
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