By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 35)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed October 29, 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. As previously noted, the background has changed in this latest taping, as more video screens are hanging on the walls in the background.
1. Jin Tala vs. Masyn Holliday. Tala is among the recent cuts since this was filmed. Jin appears a bit taller and stronger, and she tied up Masyn’s left arm. Masyn hit a crossbody block for a nearfall at 1:30. Jin choked her in the ropes and tied her up on the mat. She hit a spin kick for a nearfall at 3:30. Holliday hit a Rude Awakening standing neckbreaker, then a splash to the mat for the pin! That finish came out of nowhere.
Masyn Holliday defeated Jin Tala at 4:14.
* Big Jahh, the YouTuber, came out and danced with Masyn. Seriously, why is he here?????
* A Tate Wilder video package aired. He’s thrilled about his first big win! [C]
* Another vignette of Wendy Choo lying down on a couch at a therapy visit. She’s talking in complete sentences now. Will we meet her psychiatrist? Choo said she feels like she can finally be herself.
* When we returned, Chuey Martinez was in the ring and he introduced three new ID prospects! They all wore nice, black suits. Mike Cunningham is a white man with curly red hair; he said he was trained by Cody Rhodes at the Nightmare Factory and he’s had just 50 total matches. Jha’Quan McNair is a short Black man. Eli Knight, one of my favorites, was the third ID prospect (and the only one of these three I know). He talked about working with Booker T in Reality of Wrestling, and also training with Ace Steel. Out of the back came Brooks Jensen and he was being disruptive. He stepped up to Cunningham and got in his face. “You can talk to me when you’ve hit puberty, kid,” Jensen said as he dismissively patted Cunningham on the chest. Cunningham wants a match! “Don’t make me embarrass you,” Jensen replied to him.
* Another sit-down video package with Aaron Rourke. He talked about how Trish Stratus and Lita were his idols growing up. Rosenberg called him “flamboyant” … really guys, it’s okay to say he’s gay. It’s who he is and he doesn’t exactly hide it.
* Backstage, the four remaining remembers of The Vanity Project were talking to Prime Minister Stevie Turner. Jackson Drake said he refuses to wrestle Keanu Carver. She replied that Keanu is cleared to wrestle, even with a cast on his arm. (I’ll reiterate that Zayda Steel was among TVP; she has since left the WWE ID program. Stevie has left too.)
2. Laredo Kid vs. Marcus Mathers vs. Tate Wilder in a three-way. They all traded rollups just seconds in. Marcus and Laredo traded chops, and Laredo hit a moonsault elbow drop, then a second one for a nearfall at 1:30, but Wilder made the save. Stone said this one “is a locker room sellout.” Mathers hit his mule kick on Wilder, then his top-rope twisting crossbody block on Laredo Kid. Laredo hit a brainbuster on Mathers, and we went to a commercial at 3:00. [C]
Laredo Kid hit a chop, and the crowd chanted “Uno mas!” He clotheslined Tate to the floor, then he dove through the ropes onto both. Mathers hit a running Penalty Kick on the apron on Laredo. Wilder hit a running Shooting Star Press from the apron to the floor! We got a “this is awesome!” chant. Tate rolled Marcus into the ring and got a nearfall. They did a Tower of Doom spot out of the corner at 5:30, and Laredo got a nearfall on Tate, but he missed a moonsault.
Mathers hit his Ospreay-style spin kick to the jaw, then his fisherman’s buster for a nearfall, but Tate made the save. Marcus hit some loud chops on Tate. They did moonsaults off the middle rope and both landed on their feet. Tate dropped Laredo with a forearm. Tate hit a twisting neckbreaker. Mathers hit a 450 Splash on Laredo. Tate hit a top-rope moonsault to pin Mathers. A fun, fast-paced match. Tate clearly has some athleticism.
Tate Wilder defeated Marcus Mathers and Laredo Kid in a three-way at 7:55.
* Backstage, Chanel Monroe spoke about Wendy Choo and belittled her. She’s ready for a match against her.
* It’s Gal once again did a goofball segment and he ranked legendary WWE tag teams. The Steiners are like him, muscular, and make his list. The Dudleys are next on his list, but he thinks they should have spent more time in the gym. He needs to find a new ‘pump partner.’ (His last one, Jamar Hampton, has left WWE.)
* A video montage aired of the feud between Jack Cartwheel and Cappuccino Jones and Jax Presley and Harley Riggins.
* Footage aired of Kendal Grey winning the Evolve Women’s Title from Kali Armstrong. Grey and Carlee Bright then came to the ring. She was greeted with a “You deserve it!” chant. She talked about the challenge of beating someone who has been so unbeatable so far. She said she was the only woman on her high school wrestling team. PJ Vasa (LFG’s P-Nasty) ran in the ring and beat up Bright and Grey.
Final Thoughts: Eli Knight was a no-brainer signee to the ID program, and that is the notable highlight of this episode. I just watched him hit an incredible moonsault on Reality of Wrestling, and he hits a pretty Shooting Star Press, too. The Mathers three-way was fun; the Tala-Masyn match stayed basic, and they did fine for what they tried.
This episode really felt like a soft reset, even more so than last week. We had lots and lots of video segments and introduced a lot of wrestlers. But like I said before, it sure is hard to watch an episode where so many competitors are already gone. The episode clocked in at 45 minutes.
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