WWE Evolve 7/22/2026
Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2026/07/wwe-evolve-7152026.html
We are at the Performance Center. Robert Stone and Blake Howard are on commentary.
Nikkita Lyons and Sloane Jacobs meditate. SJ asks if Lyons is ready for her title defense tonight. Lyons says tonight is a lesson on karma. SJ says Lyons doesn't seem right ahead of her title defense. Lyons says she needs extra eyes on her head tonight. SJ says she has nothing to worry about.
The hosts quickly welcome us to the show.
Cappuccino Jones and Marcus Mathers vs Shido Ash and Viktor Zanov
This is the WWE TV debuts for Shido Ash and Viktor Zanov.
Vik and MM go at it. Vik pulls him down off the lock up and STO's him. The Mog Squad are in the VIP Lounge. Vik back elbows MM down. MM boots him out of the corner and top rope twisting crossbodies him. MM jumping mule kicks Vik.
Vik side headlocks Cap. Ash tags in and euros Cap. Ash monkey flips him and hip throws him. Cap face shoves Ash then dropkicks him. Cap hits punches on Ash. Vik lariats Cap down from the apron. Vik knees Cap in the gut and hits elbows on him. Vik throws Cap on a slam.
Cap dropkicks Vik. Ash karelin's lifts Cap for 2. Cap takes running corner attacks and a belly to belly suplex from Vik for 2. Vik throws Cap down backwards. MM tags in and drops his opponents. MM PK's Vik frm the apron and 2nd rope cutters him MM blue thunders Ash. Sam Holloway argues with The Mog Squad outside. MM is pushed into Cap. Ash running euros MM. MM is thrown into a Vik german and Vik pins MM.
Thoughts: It was a good debut for Zanov and Ash. They both look pretty cool and tough, they didn't botch and they had some nice throws here. Mathers still needs to work on doing more with less. It's probably not a good look for Cap that he's currently putting over new talent.
The Mog Squad point at Ash and Zanov after. Ash and Zanov go up to them and security breaks it up.
Laynie Luck talks to Anya Runa, Layla Diggs and Zena Sterling. She says tonight is her night after 10 years of the grind. She says Diggs can be first in line when she wins. Anya says some nonsense about giving her the power of friendship.
Sam Holloway vs Dorian Van Dux
They lock up and Sam shoves him back. Dux ducks a punch and Sam forearms him. Dux jumping knees him and armdrags him. Sam facekicks Dux down. Dux hits some shots and Sam release double underhook suplexes him.
Sam slams Dux and 2nd rope elbow drops him for 2. They each hit shots. Sam forearms him and double chops him. Sam misses a corner splash then hits a stiff running dropkick. Dux clubs on him on the top rope. Dux top rope superplexes him.
Dux flying shoulders him then thesz presses him. Dux samoan drops him. Dux top rope splashes him for 2. Dux boots Sam then Sam uranage's Dux for 2. They trade shots. Sam germans Dux and Dux hits a hard lariat. Dux top rope moonsaults Sam outside. They both stop each other from going on and both get counted out.
Thoughts: Dux mostly sold his leg throughout here and made Sam take a lot of moves. Dux didn't fly so much here. It was an interesting match and what we got was fine. Sam hit a nice dropkick. It would have been nice to get a true finish to this one.
Sam wants more and security stops him after.
Tate Wilder does a promo. He says Kam Hendrix and Harley Riggins have singled him out and are a constant thorn in his side. He says he thought beating Harley and going to NXT would stop this, but no. He says it's great to take up space in their heads. He says he's coming back to Evolve to face Harley next week.
Harlem Lewis comes out to talk. Lewis says he can get used to the sound of him being champ. He says he would have never envisioned being champ after 2 years in WWE. He says he was a runner up on LFG and says he stayed true to himself as it lead him to the title. He says he went to Japan for 3 months and says he thought about what it would take to break through and it was not worrying about anyone but himself. He says there's only one way his story as a champ ends in Evolve, and that's when he vacates before going to NXT full time. He says the beast is out of the cage and welcome to The Harlem Violence World Tour.
Aaron Rourke comes out. He says it's hard to see the title on a different shoulder and congratulates him. He says he knew he would be his toughest challenge and he proved it. He says just because Lewis won the battle, doesn't mean the war is over. He says Lewis is not unbeatable and the title looks better around him. He says they should have a rematch now.
Tristan Angels comes out. He says those two make him sick. He says it's time that AR's underwhelming title reign is over and that he was mediocre. AR asks about his title reign...and says he never had one. Angels tells Lewis not to get too comfortable as he is here to collect his rematch. He says he is owed this as Mr. England is the only one who is qualified to sit on the throne.
Max Abrams comes out. Max says that's enough. He says this whole thing is pathetic. Max says he mogs all of them. Max says they are standing next to a true chad. Max congratulates Lewis but says it's time The Mog Squad take the title and...AR hits Max. All 4 men fight. Angels and AR are sent out. Lewis then ends up lariating AR down. Lewis then tells Thatcher to line them up and he will knock them down.
Kale Dixon and his girl do a photoshoot. It's GAL interrupts in a speedo. He says he's got the one thing that could make it better and says let's do a swimsuit calendar. Kale says he'd like to see him across the ring from him so he can rack up anther W. Gal says he just wanted to be friends then poses for photos.
Elijah Holyfield vs Brooks Jensen
BJ slides out to stall to start. BJ forearms him out there and Eli shoulders him over in the ring. Eli lariats him for 2. Eli forearms him down. BJ double throat thrusts him and enzugiri's him. BJ emerald flowsion's him for 2.
BJ hits euros, leg kicks and knee drops. BJ neckbreakers him. BJ elbows him in the face and hits a crossface shot. BJ is swept on the 2nd rope and goes into the buckles. BJ takes off the top buckle and Eli rolls him up for 2. Eli shoulders him over and gut punches him. Eli spinebusters him.
Eli hits mounted corner punches. Eli prevents himself from going into the exposed buckle and flying shoulders BJ. Eli backrolls BJ, BJ reverses it and pins him.
Thoughts: It was a shorter battle but it worked out well. Eli had good looking offense and was explosive and BJ cheated to win.
We get a video of a new girl talking with space graphics and black and white filters. She talks about the unknown.
Sloane Jacobs does the intro for Lyons ahead of her match. She says to prepare to be blessed and puts over Nikkita Lyons.
WWE Evolve Women's Title - Nikkita Lyons (c) vs Laynie Luck
Gianna Capri is in the VIP Lounge.
Lyons takes down Luck and hits mounted forearms. Lyons throws her in the corners. Lyons misses a corner spear. Luck superkicks her outside. We go to break and return. Luck yells at Sloane outside and hit shots on Lyons. Lyons headbutts Luck in the gut and throws her into the steps.
Lyons boots Luck in the head and suplexes her for 2. Lyons running forearms Luck then reverse bronco busters her in the corner. Luck rolls her up for 2. They trade forearms. Luck boots Lyons in the head and double stomps her on the apron for 2.
Luck tornado ddt's Lyons for 2. Lyons blocks a slingshot sunset flip and grabs the ropes. Luck step up enzugiri's Lyons. Luck is up top and Lyons runs the ropes to knock her down. Lyons spin kicks her in the face and pins her.
Thoughts: It was average. Luck got enough offense in and Lyons did her signature stuff. There wasn't a good enough story here and I didn't buy that Lyons was losing this one.
PJ Vasa runs in and corner splashes Luck. She then samoan drops her. Gianna Capri gets on the apron. PJ chairs Luck's ankle. Skylar Rae and Wren Sinclair come out but get blocked. Thea Hail then comes in and we get a 6 girl battle. The faces get the heels out.
Security tries to stop this. Timothy Thatcher comes out and signs an 8-woman tag match for next week.
Overall thoughts: It was one of the better Evolve episodes. Zanov and Ash had a good debut. Holloway/Dux was fine. Holyfield/Jensen worked out well and was okay for what it was. The main was average. Things just clicked and moved well for the most part on this show and they had a variety of different wrestlers here. I'd give this a 6 out of 10 as it was a decent show. I'd say Jensen/Holyfield was the best match on this.
