WWE Evolve 5/7/2025

WWE Evolve 5/7/2025

Last week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/05/wwe-evolve-4302025.html

Next week's show is here: https://prowresblog.blogspot.com/2025/05/wwe-evolve-5142025.html

Note - WWE cut some people before this show aired including Riley Osborne, Oro Mensah, Gallus, Javier Bernal and Dani Palmer. Dani's was more of a retirement as she got injured against Kali Armstrong. I'm not sure what happened with Riley. Oro hadn't really improved much since NXT UK. Gallus was in a similar situation. I thought Bernal was doing well as a comedy guy they cut that out. 

Stevie Turner is in the ring with the wrestlers surrounding it. She says she has a big announcement and we see two titles wrapped up on a table. She says the wrestlers have been fghting for the hopes of making it to NXT. She says in addition to that, the women will be fighting to become the Evolve Women's Champion. She says in 3 weeks, the women's champ will be determined in a four-way.

She says when she asked the women to impress her, 3 stood out - Kali Armstrong, Kendal Grey and Wendy Choo. She says the fourth spot is up for grabs and she wants one of the girls to step up and take it.

She then shows the Evolve Men's Champion. She says Sean Legacy will be one of the people in the four way for the title. Keanu Carver gets int he ring as she's upset. Harlem Lewis gets in too. The Vanity Project then hit them from behind and are thrown out. Gallus then appear and fight Lewis and Keanu.

Kali and Kendal then get in the ring. They shove each other and fight. Kali clips Kendal hard as the girls seperate them.

Thoughts: It's official. We have men's and women's Evolve titles. I'm mostly curious to see how those will work with the WWE ID Titles, since champs for those are in the process of being crowed. I'd rather see them do a tournament than four-ways though. This was interesting as Gallus appeared even though they were fired a few days earlier.

We see a Nikkita Lyons tweet. She says she will stop by and show us what the buzz is about. Kendal Grey responded and says she's the benchmark of Evolve. They then announce a match is set up for them tonight. 

Chuey Martinez interviews Summer Sorrell. She says she's nervous to fight Wendy Choo but being here is a dream come true. She says she's scared but likes to use fear as her motivator. She says the temperature will heat up and these summer nights get her ready for a fight.

We get a video on WWE ID signings. They say the goal for these wrestlers is to earn an opportunity or a contract with NXT. They said Swipe Right made history by being the first Evolve competitors on NXT. They say Stevie is looking for the next prospects to bring up next. They talk about Jordan Oasis, It's Gal and Marcus Mathers

Nikkita Lyons talks to Stevie Turner in the back. She asks who Kendal Grey thinks she is. She says Kendal will get that work tonight. Stevie says they are in the main event. Zayda Steel walks in. She says Lyons will take care of Grey while Jackson Drake will take care of Drako Knox.

Zayda tells Stevie she should be in the four way for the title match. Stevie says she can't talk her way into it. Zayda says when you think Evolve, you think of her. Nikkita says Zayda has guts and heart and says The Vanity Project and Nikkita might collab if she keeps it up.

Wendy Choo vs Summer Sorrell

 

This is Summer Sorrell's TV debut. She's an attractive blonde and wears pink with some silver trim.

Summer cartwheels out of a lock-up. Choo back elbows her. Summer sunset flips her. Summer side headlocks her. Choo lariats her. Summer leapfrogs her then crossbodies her for 2.

Choo htis corner spears on her then snapmares her. Choo twists the neck with her feet. Choo back elbows her. Choo hair throws her. Summer boots her out of the corner and hits a 2nd rope diving sunset flip. Choo knees her in the face then hits a pepsi-twist lariat. Choo then does her dirt nap submission and taps her out.

Thoughts: It was a squash as expected. Summer didn't get to do much here but she didn't botch anything and she does seem to be somewhat athletic.

Choo goes to paint Summer's face but Kylie Rae comes down to stop her. Rae hits punches on Choo and superkicks her.

We see a car arrive and it's Lexis King. We go to break and Lexis King comes out. 

King says the king has finally arrived in Evolve. He said he wanted to debut in Evolve before he was such a big star as it's a portal to NXT. He says it's a place to get the spotlight on new talent and nobody knows more than him about it. He says that's why he stands here as the King of NXT. He says he's "The Portal" and says no one comes and goes from his NXT kingdom without his say.

Sean Legacy comes out. He welcomes King to Evolve. He says King may be the King of NXT but the fans decide the stars and not him. He says he's not gonna let him disrespect the people here. Sean says he's just trying to be himself and is just a kid from Augusta, GA. He said he paid his dues.

Sean says he loves this and says he will stand up for the people in the back. King says to defend himself in the ring against him next week. They shake hands on it and Sean says that sounds super. King pulls him in. He says Sean has a long way to go to become a king.

Kendal Grey is being checked on in the back. Carlee Bright comes in and says she hopes hse's ok. Kendal says she's okay and says nothing will stop her from competing in the main. Carlee says she will have her back and Kendal says she wants to go at it alone.

Keanu Carver talks to Stevie Turner in the back. He says he's not going out like that after what Gallus says. Stevie said Gallus left and Keanu says he's tracking them down. Harlem Lewis comes in and says he will find them himself. They argue over who will get them and Stevie says they can fight Gallus in a tag match. Neither wants to team together and Stevie says they will team together if they want a piece of Gallus. 

Jackson Drake vs Drako Knox

Drake has Vanity Project with him and we get a cool swipe right camera effect.

Knox backs up Drake in the corner. Drake turns him around there. Knox drops him with a shot then side headlocks him. Knox shoulders him over. Drake trips Knox then misses a corner charge. Drake comes off the 2nd rope and is caught with an exploder. Knox hits a corner lariat.

Drake back elbows him for 2. Drake side headlocks him. Knox throws him down by the arm then back body drops him. Knox hits forearms then slams him. Knox knees him in the gut then sliding lariats him for 2. Drake flatliners him.

Drake blocks a sliding lariat and crucifixes him for 2. Drake hits a step up enzugiri. Drake handsprings and is caught with a spinning blue thunder variation for 2. Knox hits a big lariat. Drake pulls the beard then hits a handspring cutter. Drake flying knees him and wins.

Thoughts: It was average. Knox's big lariat was the highlight here. There was nothing wrong with it but it wasn't outstanding or memorable. They also only had a limited amount of time here. 

Chuey Martinez talks to Javier Bernal. JB is dressed up like a punk rocker. He says it's a different look from usual. He says he was injured and isn't Big Body Javi anymore. He says he doesn't think he ever was him. He says he went to a metalcore show and said he screamed and didn't get judged. He said the others gave him energy and his anxieties washed away. He says he felt like who he was supposed to be. He says he wants to bring that version of Javi to Evolve and says he feels comfortable in his own skin.

It's Gal walks in. He mocks Javi and says nobody cares about any version of Javi. He says Chuey should be interviewing him. Javi says he thinks he just found his new opponent.

Thoughts: Javi was fired a few days ago, so I'm not expecting a follow-up on this.

Lexis King talks to The Vanity Project in the back. They say the ladies must love the King and say his beard looks crispy. King says they looked crispy too a few weeks ago. They say they are excited to see him knock Sean Legacy's head off and they tell him to let them know if he needs anything.

Nikkita Lyons vs Kendal Grey

Grey limps in and holds her taped up knee. We get a big match intro in the ring for this one. NL hits kicks to the knee. Grey back elbows her and escapes a slam. NL shoulders her over. NL chops her in the corner. Grey hits a big chop then trips her. Grey basement dropkicks her.

NL bangs Grey's leg off the apron then forearms her. NL then split drops her on the apron. Grey's knee is banged off the mat. NL wraps Grey's leg around the middle rope then uses the ropes to stop down on the back of it. NL goes for a single leg crab.

NL hits a nice spin kick then she kneebreakers her on the knee. NL butt drops the leg on the bottom rope. Grey's knee is banged off the mat. Grey sunset flips her for 2. Grey misses an enzugiri. Grey hits chops. NL blocks a dropkick then catapults her into a half-crab. Grey ropebreaks.

NL misses a splash. Grey hits shots to the gut and then chops. Grey does a rolling armbar. NL picks her up to get out. Grey gets on her back with a sleeper. Grey knees her out of the corner then 2nd rope flying back elbows her for 2. Grey tries to use the ropes but slips due to her knee. NL then hits a vader bomb and wins.

Thoughts: I liked this one. Lyons attacked the knee and Grey did a good job of selling it. Lyons wasn't the cleanest worker at times but it made sense and it was a solid main overall.

Kali Armstrong then runs out and stomps on Grey's knee. She then ddt's the leg and does a stretch muffler to it. Refs then come to break it up.

Overall thoughts: It was a good show overall. The was main was solid. They are continuing the slow push for Harlem vs Keanu and Kali/Grey. The Kylie/Choo feud isn't over. Summer Sorrel debuted but didn't get a lot in. Lexis King appeared and we got some stuff with Javier Bernal and Gallus that likely will run into issues as both parties were fired this week. It was a decent show overall and I'd give it a 6 out of 10. There's nothing you really need to see here though.