By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 45)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed January 28, 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.
* Because they won a match a few weeks ago, the WWE Performance Center heels are in charge this week! They have set up a 3-on-1 match against Jackson Drake (which of course makes no sense whatsoever, as Drake is a top heel. Who are fans supposed to cheer for?) Rosenberg said it’s “an uncomfortable kind of night” with the heels in charge.
* The show opened with the WWE ID babyfaces walking into the building together. There are seven of them. (Still no signs of Jack Cartwheel; I think he missed this taping. Likewise, Marcus Mathers is absent after his ankle was ‘Pillmanized.’) A production assistant walked up to them and told most of them they weren’t booked this week.
* Backstage, The Vanity Project spoke. Jackson Drake was panicked about his match later.
* To the venue, where Kam Hendrix and Keanu Carver came to ringside, and they boasted about how great they are. More of the WWE PC heels were in the VIP lounge. Tate Wilder and Sean Legacy were already in the ring, presumably to team up. However, Kam informed them that they will fight each other. The loser has to clean the locker room; the winner will get a title shot! Harlem Lewis charged out of the back and into the ring. He wants to get into the match because he wants a title shot!
1. Tate Wilder vs. Sean Legacy vs. Harlem Lewis. Harlem immediately hit punches on his two smaller opponents. Rosenberg said the PC guys are sowing chaos, and they are out of control. Tate and Sean traded armdrags. Harlem dropped them both with a double clothesline at 1:00. Harlem hit a bodyslam on Tate, then one on Sean. Sean hit a Lungblower on Harlem. Legacy and Wilder hit a team suplex, then they hit a team clothesline to send Harlem to the floor. Sean dove onto Lewis at 2:30. Tate hit a springboard crossbody block onto them both!
Kam grabbed the mic and announced a new stipulation — weapons are allowed! Harlem had a kendo stick, and a Slim Jim table was set up in the corner. Sean hesitantly picked up a ladder; Lewis struck Legacy in the back of the head. He grabbed the chair, and he jabbed it into each of his opponents. Sean hit a drop-toe-hold to drop Harlem onto an open chair, then a Sliced Bread for a nearfall at 5:00, but Wilder made the save, and all three were down.
Wilder hit a snap suplex on Sean, who rolled to the floor. Harlem picked up the kendo stick, and he repeatedly struck both guys across their stomachs. Wilder hit a chairshot to Lewis’s back. Sean and Wilder teased putting each other through the table in the corner. Sean slammed Wilder onto a folded chair, but Lewis immediately hit a spear to send Legacy through the table. Lewis then hit a Goldberg-like Jackhammer for the pin! They kept the action going. [C]
Harlem Lewis defeated Sean Legacy and Tate Wilder to earn an Evolve Title shot at 7:55.
2. PJ Vasa vs. Laynie Luck. The WWE ID Women’s Title was not on the line. PJ easily shoved Laynie to the mat. Laynie’ is maybe 5’9″ so PJ might be 6’0″ and is thicker, too. PJ hit a uranage. She nailed a running body block in the corner, then a backbreaker over the knee, then another at 1:30 for a nearfall. PJ applied a bear hug, easily scooping Laynie into her arms. Laynie hit a stunner but sold the pain in her lower back. She hit a slingshot elbow drop for a nearfall. Laynie leapt off the ropes, but PJ caught her, hit a pop-up strike, and she hit “The Issue” (which also looks a bit like a Jackhammer) for the pin. Wow, that was completely one-sided.
PJ Vasa defeated Laynie Luck at 3:16.
* Chuey Martinez was forced to read a statement where he belittled the WWE ID wrestlers, and basically all indy wrestlers, and the fans who go to indy shows. Chuey finished, but then he crumpled up the paper and threw it at the camera, and stormed off.
* Back to the venue, Kam ordered the ref to tie Cappuccino Jones’ right arm behind his back.
3. Cappuccino Jones vs. Brooks Jensen. Brooks charged and hit some knee lifts to the gut in the corner. Cap came off the ropes, but Brooks caught him with a European Uppercut at 1:00. He slammed Cap for a nearfall. We saw Kam and Braxton Cole watching the match from the VIP lounge. Jones stomped on Brooks, mounted him, and hit some left-handed punches. Brooks bodyslammed Jones, so Cap landed on his right arm behind his back.
Jensen hit an elbow drop at 3:30 and remained in control. Cap got a Crucifix Driver rollup for a nearfall. Jones ducked a crossbody block, and he got an O’Connor Roll for a nearfall! Jensen locked in a sleeper on the mat, but Cap escaped. Cap hit a DDT at 5:30 and was fired up! Cap hit some jab punches and a Stundog Millionaire! He hit a running neckbreaker for a nearfall. Cap hit a dropkick. Jensen hit a Cedric-style Lumbar Check for the pin. Decent action. [C]
Brooks Jensen defeated Cappuccino Jones at 7:06.
4. Jackson Drake (w/Ricky Smokes, Brad Baylor) vs. Keanu Carver, Jax Presley, and Harley Riggins in a three-on-one handicap match. Presley easily shoved Drake to the mat at the bell, then hip-tossed him across the ring. Carver entered at 1:00 and also tossed Drake across the ring. Keanu hit a decapitating clothesline. Presley got in and hit some stomps. Drake fired up and hit some clotheslines on Riggins, then a Dragonscrew Legwhip. He hit a missile dropkick and a powerslam, but Keanu made the save.
“Swipe Right” Smokes and Baylor hopped on the ring apron, but Kam Hendrix and Braxton Cole beat them up. Riggins and Presley hit Unnecessary Roughness (front-and-back kicks), then Keanu hit a Pounce. Kam got on the mic and announced he is entering the match! He covered the prone Drake for the pin.
Keanu Carver, Jax Presley, Harley Riggins, and Kam Hendrix defeated Jackson Drake in a handicap match at 4:52.
Final Thoughts: Well that was a failure. The main event went as badly as I thought it might. Jackson Drake has been a top heel here pretty much since day one. Putting him into a handicap match against other heels — it didn’t work. Even with his little rally at the end, the crowd just couldn’t get behind him. This felt like a bad episode when NWO took over Nitro. Really, I’m struggling to say anything good about this episode. If I’m forced to find something good, I’d say PJ Vasa’s size and power are even more than I realized.
Obviously, I love Evolve, or I wouldn’t watch it every week. But it is frustrating to see the ID roster get decimated week in, week out without ever getting a win. The five ID wrestlers across the four matches were treated like rag dolls, thrown around the ring. If the PC guys were running a show in a high school gym, and the ID guys were running a show three blocks away, I know where I’d be — watching the ID guys.
The episode clocked in at 44 minutes. Just like last week, it feels like they missed a lot of opportunities to stretch this closer to 52 minutes, like many of the other recent episodes. Where is a funny promo from It’s Gal? Maybe a clip of where Jack Cartwheel was? A medical update on Marcus Mathers’ injured ankle? Some highlight clips? A comment from Kendal Grey? Wendy Choo? Chantel Monroe? Kali Armstrong? I hate to sound down on the product, but this wasn’t a good week. At all. A week you can skip.
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