By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 29)
Taped in Orlando. Florida, at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed September 24, 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 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’ll reiterate that the background has changed in this latest taping, as we have more video screens hanging on the walls in the background.
* The show opened with Prime Minister Stevie Turner announcing that Tubi will host “Evolve: Succession” on Oct. 15, and both the men’s and women’s titles will be on the line. (I read that some matches were taped Tuesday before NXT, and my guess is that will be the Succession show, based on what is about to unfold.)
* Kendal Grey came to the ring and got on the mic. She boasted that she beat Wendy Choo and made her say “I quit,” and that her “hard work is finally paying off.” Kali Armstrong came to the ring with her title around her waist. Kali said she knew that Kendal was going to be coming for a title shot. Chantel Moore came out and she joined them in the ring. Kendal said Moore had her title shot, “and you dropped the ball.” Stevie Turner came out; before she said a word, Kali said she didn’t want to defend her title in a triple threat — she wants just one opponent. Turner agreed, and she said Grey and Monroe will face each other in a No. 1 contender’s match… tonight. [C]
* In the kitchen area, The Vanity Project was hanging out when Stevie Turner walked up. Jackson Drake wanted to know who he would be facing at Evolve: Succession. She said Keanu Carver will face Brooks Jensen in a No. 1 contender’s match. The Chase U music played in the background, and Stevie told Swipe Right It sounded like they had somewhere to be.
1. “Swipe Right” Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes (w/The Vanity Project) vs. “Chase U” Kale Dixon and Uriah Connors (w/Andre Chase). Kale and Smokes opened, and Ricky slapped him in the face. Chase U hit stereo dropkicks. Uriah hit a guillotine leg drop on Baylor for a one-count at 1:30. Swipe Right missed stereo dropkicks, and that got a laugh from the crowd. On the floor, Baylor hit a clothesline on Dixon, and Swipe Right began working him over in the ring. Ricky hit a snap suplex for a nearfall at 3:00. Kale hit an enzuigiri, and he made the hot tag to Uriah.
Connors hit an enzuigiri. He hit a dropkick on Smokes, then an OsCutter. Kale hit a Blue Thunder Bomb. Uriah hit a flipping dive to the floor on both heels. Back in the ring, Uriah hit a Swanton Bomb for a nearfall at 5:00. The heels pushed Connors to the floor. Baylor hit a powerbomb on Kale for a nearfall, but Uriah dove in for the save, and all four were down, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Baylor hit an enzuigiri. Chase U hit a team powerbomb-and-neckbreaker combo on Smokes, but Baylor made the save. Uriah dove onto Jackson Drake and Bryce Donovan; Robert Stone was livid, saying they hadn’t done anything. In the ring, Swipe Right hit the Super Swipe (team windup uranage) and pinned Uriah. Good, fast-paced action.
“Swipe Right” Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes defeated “Chase U” Uriah Connors and Kale Dixon at 7:22.
* Drake got on the mic and he turned to Donovan and said, “That’s how you take care of business,” and he reiterated that Bryce “fumbled” last week. The crowd booed Jackson. Drake said he doesn’t want to face either Brooks Jensen or Keanu Carver. He told Bryce to “fix it” for him. Bryce was clearly unhappy.
* In the locker room, Harley Riggins and Jax Presley (the football players who appear to both be 6’4″) boasted about how many reps they did in the weight room today. One of them checked their phones and learned that Adrenaline Drip (Jack Cartwheel and Cappuccino Jones) had requested a rematch against them.
* Chuey Martinez was elsewhere in the back. Several women were in the background. He walked up to them and asked which woman was winning the No. 1 contender’s match. Nikita Lyons didn’t care who won because she should be the No. 1 contender. Chuey walked up to Wendy Choo, who said, “This is going to be harder than I thought,” and she walked away. The crowd reacted to hearing Wendy actually speak! [C]
* Backstage, Stevie Turner was talking to It’s Gal, when Ridge Holland stormed into their meeting. He was livid that he wasn’t in the No. 1 contender’s match. Tate Wilder walked in; Stevie asked him if he wanted a rematch against Ridge. Tate said he doesn’t want it yet… because he’s not ready.
* A video package aired for Keanu Carver. He vowed he’s going to smash Brooks Jensen! That match will be next week! And it’s time for the main event!
2. Kendal Grey vs. Chantel Monroe in a No. 1 contender’s match. They traded reversals on the mat, and Chantel hit some kicks in the corner. (She needs to change her last name before going to NXT; no way can she also be a Monroe there.) Kendal hit a second-rope crossbody block at 1:30 and some armdrags, and she targeted Chantel’s left arm. Chantel rolled to the floor and called for a timeout. Back in the ring, Chantel hit a neckbreaker in the ropes. She hit a hard knee lift to the jaw for a nearfall at 4:00, and she targeted Grey’s neck.
Monroe hit a running, flipping neckbreaker and got a nearfall, then a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall at 5:30. She applied a leg lock around the neck and kept Grey grounded. Grey hit an overhead release belly-to-belly suplex, but she sold the pain in her neck. She nailed a swinging powerslam for a nearfall. She leapt off the ropes, but Monroe caught her with a kick. Monroe slammed her to the mat for a nearfall at 7:30. Kendal hit a top-rope Spanish Fly for a believable nearfall. She went to a cross-armbreaker in the middle of the ring, and Monroe tapped out. Carlee Bright — who we hadn’t seen the whole episode — ran in to celebrate with Kendal, who looked shocked she had won.
Kendal Grey defeated Chantel Monroe to become No. 1 contender to the WWE Evolve Women’s Championship at 8:52.
* Kali Armstrong emerged from the back and applauded Grey as we went off the air.
Final Thoughts: Yes, I did see on Wednesday morning that someone who attended the NXT taping said that Kali Armstrong faced Kendal Grey in a match taped before the show went live on CW (no, I didn’t see who won, and I don’t want to know.) But, when this show began with that opening segment, I assumed that Kendal was winning to lead to that match taped Tuesday night. The Swipe Right match was fun, and it was no guarantee they would win… with the in-fighting in The Vanity Project, they easily could have lost.
The episode clocked in at 44 minutes, on the shorter side of these episodes.
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