By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 44)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed January 21, 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 more video screens were hanging on the walls in the background, and the room is a bit darker.
* Outside, Karmen Petrovic vowed she was going to beat Kali Armstrong.
* In the venue, Wendy Choo came to the ring, dressed to wrestle, and she cut a promo. She said it’s been a year, and she’s never had a real shot at the title. Kendal Grey came to the ring with the belt over her shoulder. Chuey Martinez grabbed her shoulder and told her she is supposed to take a week off. But Kendal wants to defend the title… right now!
1. Kendal Grey vs. Wendy Choo for the Evolve Women’s Title. If Grey loses, it means she’s moving permanently up to the NXT roster, right? Stone stressed how busy Grey has been and thinks this isn’t a wise decision. They immediately fought on the mat. Choo hit a running kick in the corner and a shotgun dropkick at 1:00. Kendal hit her own shotgun dropkick, and Rosenberg talked about Grey’s “natural ring intuition.” They fought to the floor.
In the ring, Choo hit a kick as Kendal was tied in the Tree of Woe, and she got a nearfall. They traded rollups and hit stereo kicks to the gut, then stereo clotheslines, and they were both down. Grey hit a German Suplex, and she peeled down the straps of her singlet. She hit a slingshot double stomp to the chest for a nearfall at 4:00. Choo hit a swinging neckbreaker for a nearfall.
Choo applied the Dirt Nap (Cobra Clutch), but Grey escaped. Grey immediately locked in a cross-armbreaker on the mat; Choo rolled over and got a nearfall. Kendal kicked her in the chin. They fought on the ropes, and Wendy hit a second-rope superplex and a brainbuster for a believable nearfall at 6:00, and we got a “This is awesome!” chant. Kendal avoided a neckbreaker and hit the “Shades of Grey” (leaping Flatliner) for the pin. That was sharp and action-packed.
Kendal Grey defeated Wendy Choo to retain the Evolve Women’s Title at 6:46.
* Backstage, Kali Armstrong said she knows she will cross paths again with Kendal, but she’s focused tonight on beating Petrovic.
* A vignette aired in a psychic office. Arianna Grace and Nikkiita Lyons were there and talked to a card-reader, who read some scary cards to them and told them to “change their ways.” They acted terrified as the lights flickered. I love Evolve, but this was awful. Maybe the worst segment I’ve seen in all 44 episodes.
2. Marcus Mathers vs. Braxton Cole. Cole wore a high school sports jacket, reminding me of Alex Riley. Wow, I didn’t realize how tall Cole is; he might be 6’2″ or 6’3″. Mathers hit some dropkicks. Cole finally grabbed him and threw him into a corner. He hit a running neckbreaker at 1:00, then some crossface blows. He snapped Marcus’s throat over the top rope, hit another neckbreaker, and got a nearfall, as he was dominating the smaller Mathers. Rosenberg talked about the feud between PC talent and ID talent.
Mathers hit a top-rope crossbody block at 3:30 and some forearm strikes. Mathers hit a German Suplex for a nearfall. Cole hit a release suplex for a nearfall at 5:00. Mathers hit a jumping boot to the sternum, then his Ospreay-style heel hook kick to the jaw. Kam Hendrix appeared and distracted Mathers! Cole immediately got a rollup for the cheap pin.
Braxton Cole defeated Marcus Mathers at 6:26.
* We saw the ID students in the locker room, looking disappointed. Cam Hendrix jumped in the ring and attacked Mathers! Footage from the locker room was shown. The door was locked! They couldn’t get out there to make the save! Hendrix put a chair around Mathers’ ankle and ‘Pillmanized‘ it! (Marcus is now in Japan on a tour with Dragon Gate, so does this also write him off Evolve for a while?)
* Backstage, Brooks Jensen was hanging out with the PC talent, and he wants revenge on the ID talent. [C]
3. Kali Armstrong vs. Karmen Petrovic. Kali has a big size advantage as they locked up, and she easily threw Karmen to the mat. Karmen got a Crucifix Driver for a nearfall at 1:00. Tyra Mae Steele was shown in the VIP lounge; Rosenberg said he has learned Tyra is in Evolve “to stay.” Karmen hit a crossbody block for a nearfall. Karmen dove through the ropes onto Kali at 3:00. [C}
Back in the ring, Kali hit a spear into the corner and was in charge. Kali hit a running Facewash kick in the corner. Rosenberg raved about Kali as a star. Karmen hit some running kicks and a Sling Blade clothesline for a nearfall at 4:30. Kali caught her and hit a powerslam. Kali ran the ropes, but Karmen sidestepped a move. Karmen hit two consecutive “Petrifyers” (spinning kicks to the head) and scored the clean pin! I didn’t expect that! Stone said it was the biggest win of Karmen’s career.
Karmen Petrovic defeated Kali Armstrong at 5:37.
* Karmen got on the mic and said, “I got next!” Kendal came out of the back and applauded Karmen. Grey said she’ll accept the match for next week.
* Backstage, the PC guys said they are in charge next week, which features a three-on-one match where Jackson Drake is at a disadvantage. (I misheard last week; I thought Kam Hendrix said it was FIVE-on-one.)
Final Thoughts: A decent episode, but at 44 minutes, was among the shorter episodes. Three matches are fine, but where were all the jam-packed backstage segments, video packages, etc.? The episode felt a bit rushed, and they easily could have added some material to show off the roster. Like so many of the PC guys, Braxton Cole is tall, muscular, and athletic. That said, I’ll choose to watch Mathers in a match over him, and that’s been the problem with the PC program.
Kendal continues to impress, and I truly didn’t rule out the possibility of her losing that belt on her way off to NXT, which clearly is coming at some point, sooner than later. Nothing must-see this week but an enjoyable watch.
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