By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 71)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed July 29, 2026, on Tubi in the United States and YouTube.com internationally
Blake Howard and Rob Stone provided commentary; no Peter Rosenberg tonight. Tubi lists this as “Season 2, Episode 22.”
* In the women’s locker room, Zena Sterling offered to be a last-minute replacement on the women’s four-person babyface team tonight, as Laynie Luck was injured last week. (I noted this last week — Zena was in the locker room with the other babyfaces, but she has been presented as a heel recently.) Don’t trust her, ladies!
1. Harley Riggins vs. Tate Wilder. Basic offense early on, and Harley hit a short-arm clothesline. Tate hit a shoulder tackle, and he clotheslined Harley over the top rope to the floor. They brawled at ringside. Tate hit a splash onto the apron at 2:30 [C]
Riggins was in charge in the ring as we returned from the break. He hit a diving forearm strike and was booed. They traded chops. Riggins hit a Lungblower and a Whisper in the Wind (yes, Blake called it that!) for a nearfall at 4:30. He kept Tate grounded in a rear-naked choke. They got up and traded punches and forearm strikes. Tate hit a back suplex and a Sling Blade across his back for a nearfall at 7:00.
Harley hit a spear. Tate hit a Thesz Press and a diving forearm strike, then a top-rope moonsault for a nearfall! The crowd was shocked at the kickout. He went for a second one, but Riggins got his knees up. Riggins hit a pop-up knee strike to the jaw for the pin! A big (and clean!) win for Riggins. Okay action.
Harley Riggins defeated Tate Wilder at 8:37.
* Backstage, Sloane Jacobs was talking to PJ Vasa, and she was laughing about how PJ took out Laynie Luck last week. Sloane put a hand on PJ’s shoulder, and PJ shot her a look, and Sloane quickly withdrew her hand. PJ made it clear she wants a title shot in the future!
* A vignette aired for “The Unknown.” She’s coming soon! (Video clips of her dark matches at NXT have appeared on Twitter/X.)
* Sam Holloway spoke to the camera backstage. He said all “his boys” have been fighting lately. He realizes he needs to step up and be the leader. He challenged CJ Valor to a match!
2. It’s Gal vs. Kale Dixon (w/business associate). Dixon’s valet still does not officially have a ring name. I’ll stick to that young Torrie Wilson comparison. Basic offense early on, and Gal hit a huracanrana. The business associate hopped on the apron, and she danced for Gal. Gal posed for her. Kale hit a chop block to the back of Gal’s knee and took control. He slammed Gal and got a nearfall at 4:00, and he kept Gal grounded. Gal hit a back suplex, and he kipped up. He hit an enzuigiri in the corner, and he flipped Dixon to the mat. Kale nailed a superkick for a nearfall at 6:00. Gal nailed a discus clothesline and a gutbuster over his knees for the pin!
It’s Gal defeated Kale Dixon at 6:44.
* Viktor Zanov and Shido Ash spoke backstage. Their paths have led them here to WWE. Again, these two started as Thatcher’s security guards.
* Adriana Rizzo interviewed Brooks Jensen at ringside. She noted he’s beaten Elijah Holyfield twice, but he had to cheat to do it. The crowd immediately chanted, “Cheater!” Jensen said some derogatory comments. Holyfield charged to the ring, and Jensen fled.
* At his desk, Foreman Timothy Thatcher said champion Harlem Riggins will defend his title in a four-way next week. In the match will be Aaron Rourke, Tristan Angels and Max Abrams.
3. Nikkita Lyons, Sloane Jacobs, PJ Vasa, and Gianna Capri vs. Wren Sinclair, Skylar Raye, Thea Hail, and Zena Sterling. Again, Zena is a late fill-in for Luck. The babyfaces came out first. The heels charged in and everyone started brawling. We got a bell at 00:11. Raye battled Gianna. Zena slammed teammate Skylar onto Gianna. Thea tagged in, charged at PJ, but bounced off her at 1:30. Lyons hit the Splits across Thea’s waist for a nearfall. The heels worked over Thea in their corner. Zena dove off the apron and onto Vasa on the floor! Skylar hit a top-rope dive onto everyone on the floor! [C]
Back from the break, the heels were working over Raye in the ring. Skylar hit an Eat D’Feat on Sloane at 3:30. Lyons hit a hard kick to the side of Skylar’s head. PJ hit a Black Hole Slam for a nearfall. Gianna made a blind tag and repeatedly stomped on Skylar in the corner at 5:30, then hit a delayed vertical suplex for a nearfall. Sloane hit a decapitating clothesline and got a nearfall. Sloane missed a Helluva Kick and nearly struck Lyons, who was on the apron!
Zena got a hot tag, and she hit a sideslam on Capri, then another one, for a nearfall at 7:30. Sloane hit an X-Factor on Zena. Thea hit a double DDT. Wren dove off the top rope, but PJ caught her by the throat. It was suddenly just Thea and Lyons in the ring as the others fought on the floor. Wren and Sloane fought to the back!
Capri grabbed the women’s title belt, but the ref saw it. Anya Rune appeared and distracted Capri. Meanwhile, Thea applied a Fujiwara Armbar on Lyons, who tapped out! Fun action. I was wrong — I assumed Zena was turning on her teammates. The four babyfaces posed in the ring. Thea Hail is clearly next in line for a title shot!
Wren Sinclair, Skylar Raye, Thea Hail, and Zena Sterling defeated Nikkita Lyons, Sloane Jacobs, PJ Vasa, and Gianna Capri in an eight-woman tag at 10:02.
Final Thoughts: An entertaining episode. As usual, in an eight-person tag match, someone barely gets ring time. When Wren Sinclair flew in at the end, it reminded me she was in the match! She was barely in it. The action was pretty good, overall. I was pleasantly surprised that Gal won clean. I would have assumed he would only win if the heel’s cheating backfired on them, but that wasn’t the case. How long are they going to wait to unveil the business assistant’s name? I know she has one on social media.
A shorter episode, coming in at 46 minutes. I’ll reiterate that they could easily pad that by several minutes with some highlight videos of Aaron Rourke, Cap Jones, Starboy Hall, Marcus Mathers, Veronica Haven, etc.
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