By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 43)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed January 14, 2026, 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’ve also noted 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.
* Kam Hendrix was outside with the PC guys as the show began; he sure is acting like the ringleader of that group. Then, Jackson Drake, Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes entered the building and were approached by Aaron Rourke, Eli Knight and Cappuccino Jones. Those six argued, but no punches were thrown.
1. Kendal Grey (w/Wren Sinclair) vs. Kali Armstrong vs. PJ Vasa in a Triple Threat for the WWE Evolve Women’s Title. In the VIP booth was Karmen Petrovic. Kendal jumped on Vasa’s back, but PJ shrugged her off. Kendal and Kali each hit a dropkick on Vasa, then they hit stereo dropkicks to send Vasa to the floor at 1:00. Kendal and Kali then traded punches. On the floor, Kali speared Kendal, but PJ then speared Kali! [C]
They were in the ring as we returned from the break. PJ got both women across her shoulders; Kendal escaped, but PJ hit a Samoan Drop on Kali. Kendal hit a German Suplex on PJ, and she applied an ankle lock at 3:30. Kali splashed onto them, and they were all down. They all got to their feet, and Kali hit some punches on PJ, then a spinebuster on Grey, then a powerslam on Vasa. Kali began running the ropes to build up speed. However, Kendal hit a second-rope flying Flatliner on Kali for the pin! That was a sprint!
Kendal Grey defeated Kali Armstrong and PJ Vasa in a Triple Threat to retain the WWE Evolve Women’s Title at 4:39.
* Chuey Martinez interviewed Karmen in the VIP booth, and she belittled Kali for blowing another opportunity. Kali charged at Karmen, but was held back by security.
* Another video montage for Trill London. He is a former NFL player. (I seem to recall he lost a quick match in the first three episodes of Evolve under a different name.) Yes, I looked it up on a commercial break, and he lost quickly to Keanu Carver.
2. Timothy Thatcher vs. Charles Dempsey. This has been simmering for a few weeks; last week, Dempsey finally convinced Thatcher to accept his match request. Stone immediately talked about Dempsey’s run in NOAH (I love this, by the way.) They tied up each other’s left wrists. Thatcher tied him in a Surfboard, and they traded intense reversals on the mat. (We now see Drake Morreaux and Carlee Bright in the VIP lounge.) Thatcher applied a Fujiwara Armbar, but Dempsey got a foot on the ropes at 3:00.
Thatcher snapped the left arm backwards. Dempsey grabbed the left leg and snapped it up over Thatcher’s head, and he applied a modified Muta Lock. Nice! Dempsey hit a gutwrench suplex at 6:00, and he hit some European Uppercuts, then he tied up the legs in a modified Figure Four. Rosenberg said it was like “watching a chess game.” Back on their feet, Thatcher hit a belly-to-belly suplex. Dempsey again tied him up on the mat. (More footage of Carlee in the VIP booth, making some great facial expressions to the action.)
Dempsey hit a Dragonscrew Legwhip at 9:00 and twisted that knee. Thatcher escaped and applied a cross-armbreaker; Dempsey went back to an ankle lock. Thatcher went to a hammerlock on the mat, but Charlie escaped. They traded European Uppercuts. They both fell through the ropes to the floor at 11:00, and they traded more blows on the floor. The ref was counting! He warned them to “bring it back in.” Dempsey rolled back in. As Thatcher entered, Dempsey hit another European Uppercut, then a butterfly suplex for a believable nearfall. Dempsey hit a German Suplex with a high bridge for a nearfall. Dempsey locked in a Fujiwara Armbar, and Thatcher tapped out! Very well done; fans of this style will LOVE this.
Charles Dempsey defeated Timothy Thatcher at 12:08.
* A video package aired for Harlem Lewis. He noted he’s been training in Japan for the past two months and has learned a lot.
3. “The Vanity Project” Jackson Drake, Brad Baylor, and Ricky Smokes vs. Aaron Rourke, Eli Knight, and Cappuccino Jones. We now have Laynie Luck in the VIP booth. Rourke and Smokes opened; these two have battled multiple times in the New England scene. Baylor and Cap Jones got in and traded quick reversals, and Cap hit a dropkick for a nearfall at 1:30. Eli tagged in and hit a rolling splash to the mat on Brad for a nearfall. Jackson entered and dropped Eli with a shoulder tackle. Eli hit a leg lariat to the chin.
Eli hit a doublestomp on Ricky’s back. Eli nailed a flip dive to the floor at 3:00 on Drake. However, Smokes and Baylor attacked Eli on the floor. They began working Knight over in their corner. Drake hit a senton for a nearfall at 4:30. Ricky hit a basement dropkick. Drake hit a German Suplex for a nearfall. Ricky hit a flying kneedrop for a nearfall at 6:00. Eli finally hit a second-rope crossbody block on Ricky. He made the hot tag to Cap, who hit a clothesline on Baylor and a big back-body drop on Drake.
Drake hit the Macchiato Driver for a nearfall. Rourke hit an Eat D’Feat. Jackson hit a Roderick-style double knees. Baylor hit a shotgun dropkick on Eli. Cap hit a half-and-half suplex on Baylor, then the Decaffinator (swinging neckbreaker) on Drake at 8:00. Baylor hit a neckbreaker over his knee on Cap. Jackson nailed his running knee on Cap for the pin. A strong indy-style six-man tag and I love it.
“Vanity Project” Jackson Drake, Brad Baylor, and Ricky Smokes defeated Aaron Rourke, Eli Knight, and Cappuccino Jones at 8:41.
* Kam Hendricks, Keanu Carver, Harley Riggins, Jax Presley, and Braxton Cole emerged from the back. Because they won the gauntlet match a few weeks ago, Kam has earned a title shot against Jackson Drake! He said when they run the show, he is making a 5-on-1 handicap match where those guys all get to beat up Jackson Drake! Then, the following week, he’ll cash in his title shot on Jackson in a singles match!!
Final Thoughts: A thoroughly enjoyable, fast-paced hour of wrestling. A really good, energetic opener and main event, with an impressive mat-based battle in the middle. I’m not a big fan of the VIP lounge — they dropped it for a few tapings — but it does find a way to get people on the show. I truly have no complaints about this show. The episode clocked in at 51 minutes.
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