By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 79)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed September 23, 2026, on Tubi in the United States and YouTube.com internationally
Blake Howard and Rob Stone provided commentary. Tubi lists this as “Season 2, Episode 30.”
* Tonight is a women’s showcase! They have promoted it the past two weeks. We know Nikkita Lyons will defend her belt against Skylar Raye, and Vanta the Unknown will make her televised in-ring debut (we know she’s had some dark matches).
1. Sloane Jacobs vs. PJ Vasa. Sloane immediately jumped on Vasa’s back and tried a sleeper, but PJ easily flipped her to the mat. Vasa hit a clothesline, then she hip-tossed Sloane across the ring. Vasa went for a Vader Bomb, but Sloane cut her off. Sloane choked her in the ropes, as Rob Stone noted that Sloane is competing all over the country every weekend [C]
Sloane hit a splash off the ropes as we returned from the break for a nearfall at 2:00. Vasa got up and hit some punches, then a running body block. She scooped Jacobs up and hit a Samoan Drop for a nearfall. However, Sloane got a rollup, grabbed the ropes for added leverage, and scored the flash pin!
Sloane Jacobs defeated PJ Vasa at 3:10.
* Vasa beat up Sloane some more after the bell.
* Kale Dixon and Alix Brooks spoke backstage. Alix was disgusted with Aaron Rourke for getting involved in her business recently.
* Zena Sterling came to the ring, and she was dressed to wrestle. She got on the mic and said “Say hello to the real Zena Sterling.” She said when she first got here, she thought she had to be nice and sweet so people would like her. Not anymore! She said being nice “got me pushed to the back.” So, she’s not trying to impress the fans anymore. She said a few words in Ukrainian. She’s going to watch the main event from the VIP lounge. She issued a warning to everyone in the women’s locker room… more words in Ukrainian!
* A vignette with Anya Rune aired.
2. Vanta the Unknown vs. Veronica Haven. This is likely the last WWE Evolve match for Haven, who has since left the ID program. She came out first; the commentators immediately pointed out she didn’t have her fallen angel wings. I’ll reiterate she’s only about 5’2″, so she looks absolutely tiny compared to Vanta. A clean tie-up to open, but Vanta immediately tied up the left arm. Veronica hit a headscissors takedown, but Vanta rotated and landed on her feet.
Vanta stomped on Haven and kept her grounded, then threw her shoulder-first into the corner and got a nearfall at 2:00. Vanta applied a top hammerlock. She hit a hard stomp on the sternum and cranked on Haven’s left arm. She pulled back into a modified Fujiwara Armbar, with Haven shrieking in pain. Haven finally submitted.
Vanta the Unknown defeated Veronica Haven at 3:17.
* Laynie Luck charged into the ring. Vanta avoided a few blows, but they both landed a few strikes.
* Kali Armstrong was backstage and stared into the camera. She was happy that an all-women’s Evolve episode was taking place. She talked about her career and her athletic background.
* Backstage, Nikkita Lyons ordered Gianna Capri to go out and introduce her. Capri came out and came up with some silly nicknames for Lyons.
3. Nikkita Lyons vs. Skylar Raye for the WWE Evolve Women’s Title. A clean lockup to open, and Lyons has a significant height and overall size advantage. She pulled Skylar to the mat and tied up the left arm. Skylar hit a Claymore Kick, then a Meteora into the corner for a nearfall at 2:00. Skylar applied a headlock and kept Lyons grounded. Lyons crashed shoulder-first into the corner. Raye hit a splash to the floor on Lyons at 4:00, and she was fired up as we went to a break. [C]
In the ring, Lyons stood on Raye and hit the splits across Raye’s body, then choked Skylar in the ropes. She hit a Samoan Drop and switched to a Dragon Sleeper at 5:30, and the crowd rallied for Skylar. Skylar tried a cross-body block. Lyons tied her in the Tree of Woe and hit some kicks to the ribs. Skylar hit a top-rope crossbody block at 7:00, and they were both down. Skylar hit some shoulder tackles, then a double knee drop to the ribs for a nearfall at 8:30. Lyons nailed a sit-out powerbomb for a nearfall, but she missed a Vader Bomb. Skylar hit a tornado DDT for a nearfall. They traded rollups. Raye missed a frog splash! Lyons immediately hit a spinning skull kick and scored the clean pin. Good action.
Nikkita Lyons defeated Skylar Raye to retain the WWE Evolve Women’s Title at 10:25.
* Wendy Choo snuck into the ring, grabbed Lyons, and put her in the Dirt Nap (sleeper on the mat), then she held the belt above her head as the show faded to black.
Final Thoughts: It’s just Bizarro World, watching Evolve right now. It just shows that those who were putting together the shows and booking the feuds weren’t on the same page as those deciding who stays and who goes. It’s a pretty sad conclusion to the show, seeing Wendy Choo holding that belt up high. I don’t know if these are the last matches from this taping or not… but there’s a pretty good chance we never, ever see a payoff of Wendy’s attack on Lyons.
This is really tough to watch Wendy Choo, PJ Vasa, Zena Sterling, Anya Rune, and Veronica Haven, as they have all left the WWE system. I really liked all of them and saw a lot of potential in them. Rune and Haven were literally there for a few months; WWE gave up on them far too quickly.
A good main event. I’m not the biggest fan of Lyons, but she has undeniable charisma and a unique look. A short episode, at just 44 minutes.
