By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 39)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed December 3, 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, and the room is a bit darker, too.
* There was no episode last week due to Thanksgiving.
* We open with Kendal Grey cutting a promo outside, talking about her match tonight against Chantel Monroe.
1. Arianna Grace vs. Carlee Bright. A basic lockup to open, as Robert Stone grumbled about how much he dislikes Arianna’s dad. Carlee slapped her in the face, and Arianna complained to the ref. Carlee hit a dropkick. Stone wondered if Bright is jealous of Grey for winning the title; Rosenberg admonished him for stirring up trouble. They fought to the floor, and Arianna shoved Carlee’s face into the ring apron. In the ring, Carlee got a rollup for a nearfall at 3:00. Grace regained control and kept Bright grounded. Bright hit another dropkick. Arianna hit “Graceland” (placing Bright across her shoulders and slamming her to the mat in front of her) for the pin. Okay match.
Arianna Grace defeated Carlie Bright at 4:26.
* Yayne Harrison has been named a WWE ID student. He’s a tall, thin, white kid; I’m guessing 6’2″. Footage aired of Chicago-based indy star Laynie Luck winning the six-way match at Wrestling Open in Massachusetts to become the WWE ID Women’s champion, which also secured her a contract. (Seeing indy footage on WWE programming will forever be cool to me.)
* Footage aired of Jackson Drake beating Sean Legacy on NXT “Gold Rush” from New York to retain his title, as well as footage of Kendal Grey beating Lainey Reid to retain her title.
* Nikita Lyons was in the women’s locker room. Masyn Holliday and Layla Diggs confronted her. Lyons said she didn’t like their negative vibes. Lyons and Diggs agreed to have a match next week!
* It’s Gal was in the VIP lounge for our second match!
2. Aaron Rourke and Marcus Mathers vs. Mike Cunningham and Cappuccino Jones. This is at least match No. 130 of the year for Mathers. Where was Jack Cartwheel? Cap and Mathers opened, and they tied up on the mat, as Stone talked about how the ID prospects are “the best of the best.” They had a standoff at 1:30, then continued to trade reversals. Marcus hit a headscissors takedown, so Cap hit one. Redheaded new prospect Cunningham entered, so Rourke also got in. Mike hit an impressive dropkick for a one-count at 3:30. Rourke did a 619 to trip Cunningham and knock him off the second rope. He hit a senton on Mike. [C]
Cunningham and Mathers were in the ring as we returned. Rourke dropped Mike across Mathers’ knees. Marcus hit a bodyslam at 6:00 and kept Cunningham grounded. Mike hit a dropkick as Marcus was seated on the top turnbuckle, sending him to the floor. Aaron applied a standing reverse Texas Cloverleaf. Mike finally made the hot tag to Cap, who hit some clotheslines and cleared the ring. He hit a leaping neckbreaker on Rourke, then the Macchiato Driver on Mathers. Mathers hit his Ospreay-style heel hook kick to the jaw; Stone said he cringes every time Mathers hits that. Cunningham hit a top-rope double missile dropkick, then a Falcon Arrow on Rourke for a nearfall at 9:00.
Mathers hit a fadeaway stunner. Rourke hit a top-rope flipping buttsplash on Cunningham for a nearfall, but Cap made the save. Cap nailed the Decaffinator (swinging neckbreaker) on Rourke for a believable nearfall, but Mathers made the save! This has been really good, and the crowd was responding well to it. Cap hit a dive over the top rope onto Rourke, almost hitting the top rope while going over. In the ring, Cunningham hit a flying back elbow on Mathers. Marcus hit a clothesline that dropped Cunningham. Jax Presley and Harley Riggins hit the ring and attacked, and the ref called for the bell. Lame finish. Keanu Carverr hit the ring, but he also helped beat up the ID students. Carver, Riggins, and Presley posed together.
Aaron Rourke and Marcus Mathers vs. Mike Cunningham and Cappuccino Jones went to a draw due to outside interference at 11:47.
* Karmen Petrovic sat down in the VIP lounge to watch the main event!
3. Kendal Grey vs. Chantel Monroe for the Evolve Women’s Title. They locked up, and Grey backed her into the ropes. Grey easily tossed Monroe to the mat, and Chantel rolled to the floor at 1:00 to regroup. (I truly get the sense that Chantel couldn’t have stopped Kendal from tossing her around like that!) Back in the ring, Chantel hit a back elbow to the face and took control. She hit a running neckbreaker for a nearfall. Grey hit a basement dropkick at 3:30. Monroe hit a crossbody block from the apron to the floor. They fought at ringside, with Grey hitting some hard overhand chops. Monroe hit a back suplex onto the edge of the ring frame. [C]
They got into the ring, with Monroe in charge. Chantel hit a faceplant for a nearfall at 5:30. Grey ran up the ropes like she was Kurt Angle and suplexed Monroe to the mat, and they were both down. (She is so incredible in the ring, the Angle comparison is warranted.) Kendal hit some running back elbows, then a pop-up powerbomb for a nearfall at 8:00, so Chantel rolled to the floor again. Kendal whipped her back into the ring; Chantel got a rollup for a nearfall, then a superkick and a Lungblower move to the face!
Kendal now rolled to the floor, but Chantel tossed her back in. Wendy Choo suddenly appeared and pushed Chantel into the ring post and threw her into the ring. Grey did not see the interference! Grey applied an armbar submission hold, but Monroe escaped. Grey hit a powerslam for a believable nearfall, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. They fought on the ropes, and Monroe hit a Meteora for a believable nearfall at 10:30. They traded forearm strikes. Monroe hit some hard knee lifts to the jaw; she went for a move off the ropes, but Kendal caught her with a superkick. The straps came down, which can only mean the “Shades of Grey” (leaping DDT) for the pin. That was shockingly good.
Kendal Grey defeated Chantel Monroe to retain the Evolve Women’s Title at 11:31.
* Backstage, Chuey Martinez interviewed Sean Legacy and Tate Wilder. Those two will fight next week, and the winner gets a title shot against Jackson Drake. Tate pointed out that Legacy already had a shot and didn’t win it.
Final Thoughts: I loved the tag match; that’s my kind of indy-style action. Mathers is great. Rourke is really good. Cap is good. I’ve now seen three Cunningham matches, and while he’s clearly young and new to the business, I see why he got the ID contract.
I used the word already, but the main event was shockingly good. I just didn’t know Monroe could go like that in the ring. Sure, Kendal has already established herself early on, but that was a head-turning performance for Monroe. She’s not had a match anywhere close to that good so far in her Evolve career. So, a really good episode.
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