Will Jackson Drake feel the heartbreak?

Jackson Drake makes his first defense of the WWE Evolve Championship against Lince Dorado, but here’s the twist: Vanity Project is BANNED from ringside! Can The Carolina Reaper do it all by himself? Or will it be a fiesta tonight?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Triple Threat: Chantel Monroe VS Kylie Rae VS Tyra Mae Steele; Tyra wins.
• Jin Tala VS Carlee Bright w/ Kendal Grey; Jin wins.
• Tate Wilder VS Edris Enofe; Edris wins.
• WWE Evolve Championship: Jackson Drake VS Lince Dorado; Drake wins and retains the title.

PLAY BY PLAY

Triple Threat: Chantel Monroe VS Kylie Rae VS Tyra Mae Steele!

Every woman in Evolve wants to challenge Kali Armstrong for that Evolve Women’s Championship, and these three are the frontrunners. The Reflection of Perfection is rolling, Smiley Kylie just got over the nightmare that is Wendy Choo, and the Olympic gold medalist is also coming off winning the LFG Season 1 Women’s Championship. But will it be a Showstopping Diva, an indie legend, or the #RedWhite&BlueChipper that heads for the top?

The bell rings and the three watch each other. Chantel ROCKS Kylie, kicks Tyra, but then Kylie & Tyra ROCK Chantel back and forth! They DECK Chantel, DECK her again, then TOSS her out! Kylie and Tyra circle, tie up, and Tyra hits a fireman’s carry takeover! The fans rally and Kylie applauds some respect. They tie up again, Tyra waistlocks, and she SLAMS Kylie down! Tyra facelocks, gator rolls, and gator rolls again. They keep rolling, Tyra powers Kylie to a cover, TWO! Tyra keeps the facelock on but Chantel runs in and sunset flips Tyra! But Kylie ghost pins Chantel! Only for Tyra to jackknife bridge on Chantel! TWO as Chantel slips out!

Chantel sits on Tyra for a cover, TWO! Kylie is there to cradle Chantel, but Tyra breaks it! The fans fire up for this exchange. Tyra whips Chantel to ropes, Chantel stops herself, but Tyra runs up. Chantel TOSSES Tyra out! Kylie waistlocks, Chantel switches and body scissors for the O’Conner Roll! TWO, and Chantel tumbles out! The fans rally, Kylie runs to DIVE! Down go Chantel AND Tyra! Kylie fires up and the fans are with her as she puts Chantel in the ring. Kylie steps in, wrenches Chantel’s arm and wrangles her, but Chantel rolls. Chantel whips, Kylie reveres, and Kylie runs up to UPPERCUT! Kylie sits Chantel down, goes corner to corner, CANNONBAL!

Kylie drags Chantel to a cover, TWO! Tyra is right on Kylie with a waistlock! Kylie fires elbows, then runs to a corner to HOTSHOT Tyra off buckles! Tyra falls, Kylie goes up, MOONSAULT! Cover, Chantel SPLASHES it! Chantel drags Kylie to a cover, ONE!! Cover on Tyra, ONE!! Chantel is frustrated already but she drags Kylie up to whip and SNAP BELLY2BELLY! Cover, TWO! Chantel has Tyra, whips her to ropes, but Tyra turns the snap into an arm-drag! Tyra CLOBBERS Chantel, CLOBBERS Kylie, then SLINGBLADES Chantel! The fans fire up as Tyra then scoops to POWERSLAM Chantel! Then a fireman’s carry for the TK- NO, Chantel lands out!

Chantel runs up, SWINGING CODE BREAKER! Chantel hurries to cover, but Kylie drags her away! Kylie and Chantel start shoving, then Chantel SLAPS! Kylie fire a forearm! Chantel fires back! Chantel blocks a kick, spins Kylie, but Tyra waistlocks Chantel to RAM her into Kylie! Kylie tumbles, Tyra GERMAN SUPLEXES Chantel! Bridging cover, Tyra wins!

Winner: Tyra Mae Steele, by pinfall

Miss America puts this one away, she has her first win on Evolve! Will Tyra being saying LFG as she goes for the gold? Or will she not break the Kali Connection?

Backstage interview with Jin Tala.

Chuey Martinez sits down with none other than the backstage attacker. He tries to be friendly but she isn’t having. He sees this is different. Jin wasn’t playing nice with the other kids, what’s up with that? Jin says she simply realized she needed ruthless aggression to get ahead, and that’s what she did. By taking people out? No, by making opportunities by any means necessary. Then what was her biggest lesson in LFG? Oh, it was all those “buddies” and “friends” in the locker room really weren’t that. She got eliminated for not being aggressive enough, so she decided to create her opportunities by any means necessary.

Kali Armstrong is the Evolve Women’s Champion, but Jin wants next. She will take that title. Well, Jin is having a rematch with Carlee Bright, what are her plans? Jin already attacked Carlee and beat her in the ring, and yet Carlee thinks she’ll get revenge? Jin will show us what dangerous really looks like. The WWE could’ve gotten the Nice Jin Tala, but now you get the Cutthroat Jin Tala instead. Chuey thanks her for her time and clearing things up. He wishes her luck, but she doesn’t do handshakes. Will Jin only make things worse for Carlee and everyone else in Evolve? Or can Carlee keep things cheery and bright?

Stevie Turner talks with Jordan Oasis in her office.

The Evolve Prime Minister just wanted to check in with The Nomad and his time in Evolve. Oasis thanks her for that, and says it’s going good. He’s just staying on his own path, not wanting to get in anyone’s way, but he will be watching the main event tonight. Jackson Drake & Vanity Project put themselves on a pedestal, so Oasis would love nothing more than to see them get knocked down a peg. And that starts with Drake losing the Evolve Championship. Stevie says she knows Vanity Project are not the most liked, and she’d love to give Oasis a shot against Swipe Right. But she also knows he likes going it alone. However, he can’t go 2v1 against them, so

Oasis has Stevie hold on. All he has to do is find a tag partner to get his hands on Swipe Right? He’ll do it. Just give him time, he made some friends on the road, so he can find a partner. Then he and that partner can have their match next week. Oasis thanks her and says she’s the best Prime Minister they could have. Stevie appreciates that. But who will join Oasis on his journey of humbling The Vanity Project?

Jin Tala VS Carlee Bright w/ Kendal Grey!

As she said herself, she was eliminated from LFG because she wasn’t mean enough. Well, you get what you wish for, Jin Tala has brought out her dark side! Will The Detonator demolish the Women’s Division? Or can Carlee avenge all of Jin’s victims?

Carlee doesn’t even wait on introductions, she just TACKLES Jin in the ring! The fans fire up as Carlee rains down fists! The ref backs Carlee off but Kendal Grey likes the aggression! The bell rings, Carlee runs up and ELBOWS Jin in the corner! The fans cheer as Carlee fires elbow after elbow! The ref counts, Carlee stops at 4, but then she stomps a mudhole in! Carlee stands Jin up, but Jin dodges to fire stomps and haymakers of her own! But then Carlee dodges to CHOP! Carlee stomps another mudhole, then fires more forearms! Jin dodges again, bails out of the ring, but Carlee pursues! Carlee SMACKS Jin off the apron, then SMACKS her off it again!

The ring count is climbing but Carlee RAMS Jin into the apron! Jin SMACKS Carlee of the apron, CLUBS her on the back, then CLUBS her again! Jin kicks Carlee, puts her in the ring, then puts her on the ropes. Jin pulls Carlee against the ropes, but stops as the ref counts. Jin YANKS the ropes to send Carlee tumbling. Jin storms up, kicks low, and the fans rally. Jin CLUBS Carlee, then talks trash right in her face. Kendal rallies for Carlee but Jin AX KICKS Carlee down! Cover, TWO! Jin seethes, drags Carlee up, then scoops. Carlee slips free and LARIATS! And DROPKICKS! Carlee storms up to whip, but Jin reverses.

Carlee ducks a lariat to JUMP NECKBREAKER! Then STANDING MOONSAULT! Cover, TWO! Jin is tougher than that and Carlee grows frustrated. Kendal coaches Carlee as she clamps on a motorcycle stretch! Jin endures, kicks around, but WENDY CHOO is here?! Kendal asks why Wendy is bothering them, Carlee lets Jin go to back Kendal up, but that lets Jin CLOBBER Carlee! Kendal doesn’t even notice, she’s too busy shouting at Wendy! Jin hits Carlee with the DIRECT EFFECT! Cover off the straitjacket suplex, Jin wins!

Winner: Jin Tala, by pinfall

Kendal realizes what happened, and then turns around to confront Wendy, only for her to be gone! Is the Sleepy Psycho the only woman on Jin’s side? Are they about to take everyone’s dreams and turn them into nightmares?

Ridge Holland finds Tate Wilder backstage.

Yorkshire Grit wants the Cowboy to relax, he’s not here to fight. Ridge was ruminating on what they both said last week, and he wanted to find Tate to talk man to man. Tate says no worries, he appreciates this apology. People say what they don’t mean all the time. That’s just it, Ridge isn’t apologizing. Ridge knows Tate has his return match tonight, and Ridge can’t wait for Tate to prove him right: Tate doesn’t belong in this business. Tate says after he gets his hand raised, then they can step into the ring. Ridge chuckles and says Tate won’t win, and he won’t get his match, because Tate is beneath Ridge. But see you around, cowboy.

Ridge heads out, Tate gears up. Will Tate show he can get wilder than the former Rugby player? Or is Tate already taking Edris Enofe too lightly?

Tate Wilder VS Edris Enofe!

Wait, Edris’ new song is just a rock opera version of George Frederic Handel’s Messiah, with the “Hallelujah! Hallelujah!” over and over. Well, is Edris going to make himself the savior of Evolve?

The bell rings and the two tie up. They go around, end up in a corner, then they go along the ropes into another corner. Edris ends up on top, and he SLAPS Tate! Tate SLAPS back! The fans fire up, Tate dodges to wrench and wristlock. Edris pulls hair, Tate shakes that off, and Tate wrangles Edris for a top wristlock. Edris fights up, trips Tate, and he top wristlocks in return. The fans rally, Tate kips up, then Tate wrenches and DROPKICKS! Edris flounders, the fans fire up with Tate, and Tate runs up to jump on Edris in the corner! Tate rains down fists, the fans count, but Edris stops him at five! Edris puts Tate up top, but the ref counts.

Edris slowly lets off, but then he SHOVES Tate, only for Tate to BODY SCISSOR THROW Edris up and out! Tate hurries back up, but Edris runs up! Tate jumps the sweep to PENALTY KICK Edris! Then APRON SHOOTING STAR to the floor! The fans fire up as this cowboy goes extreme! Tate puts Edris in, goes up top, and he leaps, into a DROPKICK! Cover, TWO! Tate survives the antiair but Edris rains down fists! Edris digs his knee into Tate and rains down more shots! Edris stomps Tate, but Tate ROCKS Edris! Edris BODY SHOTS, HOTSHOTS, and then BLINDSIDE LARIATS! Edris clamps on with a seated stretch and rains down elbows!

Edris then puts on the chinlock but the fans rally up. Tate endures, fights to his feet, but Edris CLUBS him down! Edris stomps Tate, then smothers him in the mat. Edris rains down forearms to the back! Edris tells the ref that Edris decides when this is down. Edris takes off his own armband, and he wants to choke Tate with it?! The ref stops that, Edris lets him have the armband, but he has the other one! Tate fights that off, arm-drags and ELBOWS Edris! Then ELBOWS him again! And again! The fans fire up and Tate has Edris for a kick, facelock, and suplex! Edris fights free, runs up, but blocks a kick! Tate ENZIGIRIS!

The fans fire up with Tate and he goes up right up top! MOONSAULT FLOPS as Edris moves! Edris hurries to straitjacket Tate, EN PASSANT! Cover, Edris wins!

Winner: Edris Enofe, by pinfall

Ridge was right, Tate did not get his hand raised. Edris may have taken a pawn off the board, but will he crown himself king soon enough?

Wait! Dante Chen is back! The Singapore Warrior tells Edris to relax. He congratulates Edris on the win, that was impressive. And after thinking about it the past couple of weeks, Edris was right. So Dante wants to apologize, for this! Dante DECKS Edris! The fans fire up as Edris tastes his own medicine! Will Dante’s comeback story overlap and overtake Enofe’s?

Keanu Carver speaks.

“Ey, Thatcher! You wanna step up for them ID kids, right? Well that’s why you got your ass stomped out! And the only reason I didn’t end your career is cuz of Sean Legacy trying to step up and act like a superhero. Boy, you ain’t no superhero, you a Goofy! You want me to get you a cape or something, boy? I’ma tell you one time and one time only: You better play with somebody less dangerous, shorty, before your ass ends up on that medical table, right next to your mentor! I’m putting the entire ID program on high alert. I ain’t gonna stop until I hunt every last one of y’all down and send y ‘all packing!” The Alpha Male wants more prey, but will Super Sean stop him first?

The Vanity Project walks ‘n’ talks.

Ricky Smokes doesn’t get it. They’re supposed to wait around until Jordan Oasis begs someone to be his tag partner? Brad Baylor says facts, how’re they supposed to lock in? So not sick. Zayda Steel says what matters is Jackson Drake defending his title. They gotta be there for bro. Yeah, and they’d love to be there, but that contract. Jackson says it’s a stupid contract! But he says he’s got this, gang. He is THE Evolve Champion for a reason. V’s up. Vanity Project locks in for Heartbreak Drake, and Smokes says that was cold. Bryce takes back his sunglasses from Smokes while Jackson heads out. Can the Carolina Reaper remember how to do it all by himself? Or are we about to be Lucha Lit?

Edris Enofe barges into Stevie’s office!

He shouts for Stevie and she says, “Edris! Left the door unlocked again, did I?” Edris says he knows she saw what happened! Dante brutally and maliciously assaulted him! Yes, right in the dome. Absolutely awful. Yes! Awful! But didn’t he do the same thing? Stevie rather enjoyed seeing Edris’ comeuppance. Oh, so it’s funny now? No, it’s fair play. Fair? More like favoritism! What does he mean? He means she’s biased! She has an issue with Edris, and no issue showing it. First off, she is his boss, she will not let him accuse her of anything less than doing what’s best for Evolve. Well, he sure has a hard time believing it.

Stevie says how about this then? Next week, Edris VS Dante! How is that for unbiased? He says for sure. Then get out of her office. Edris leaves, will he be the Epitome of Excellence after all?

WWE Evolve Championship: Jackson Drake VS Lince Dorado!

Heartbreak Drake pinned the Golden Lynx in their Triple Threat Play-In that would then allow Jackson Drake to win the Fatal 4 Way. However, Lince got back at Drake by pinning him in their Six Man Tag, bringing us to this 1v1. Will Lince make history by already becoming the second-ever WWE Evolve Champion? Or will the Carolina Reaper be too spicy even for this luchador?

The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see which way history moves!

The bell rings and the two circle. They feel things out, tie up, and Drake headlocks. Lince powers up and out, Drake runs him over to cover, ONE! Drake mocks the “Lucha! Lucha!” chants, then knuckle locks with Lince. Drake waistlocks, wrenches to a hammerlock, but Lince reaches back to flying-mare! The fans fire up, Drake runs up, but Lince wrenches, ELBOWS, and hops up for the IRON OCTOPUS! Drake endures, Lince pushes him to a cradle, TWO! Lince runs up, Drake puts him up top, but Lince BOOTS him! Lince FLYING ARM-DRAGS, then runs to tilt-o-whirl RANA! Drake tumbles out, Lince builds speed, and he fakes Drake out!

The fans fire up as Lince handsprings and lands, then taunts Drake. Drake is on the defensive as Evolve goes to break.

Evolve returns, Lince has Drake’s arm but Drake pulls the mask! Drake whips, Lince reverses, and Lince DROPKICKS Drake down! Cover, TWO! Drake toughs it out and goes to a corner, but Lince runs in. Drake dodges, rolls, blocks a kick and puts Lince up top to SHOVE him to the floor! The fans boo but then Drake DIVES to take Lince down! The fans boo but Drake rains down shots on Lince. The ring count climbs, Drake puts Lince in at 3 of 10, then stalks him to a corner. Drake CHOPS, RAMS into Lince, then RAMS him again! Drake wrenches and hits a BIG back suplex! Then a basement BOOT! Cover, TWO!

The fans rally but Drake keeps close to Lince. Drake stands on Lince’s hand! The fans rally, Drake stomps Lince’s fingers! The fans boo but Drake soaks up the heat. Lince fires body shots and forearms, then runs. Drake sets up but Lince KICKS the backdrop away! Lince CHOPS, runs again, but into a SNAP POWERSLAM! Cover, TWO! Lince is still in this and Drake grows frustrated. Drake clamps onto Lince with a Bully Choke and puts on the pressure. Lince fights up, the fans rally, but Drake CLUBS Lince. Drake snapmares Lince then KCIKS him in the back! And CHOPS! But Lince CHOPS and ROCKS and CHOPS again!

The fans rally, Lince whips, Drake reverses, and Drake ELBOWS Lince down! Cover, TWO! Lince survives but Drake storms up on him. Drake facelocks, fireman’s carries, but Lince fires elbows! Drake pos Lince up, Lince RAN- NO, Drake blocks the rana to bring Lince up! Lince fires hands and he SPIKE-RANAS! The fans fire up while both men are down! Lince and Drake crawl, they go to ropes, and they rise up. Lince rallies on Drake with forearm after forearm! Then he blocks a shot to CHOP! Lince whips, Drake reverses, but Lince handsprings, STUNNER! Drake rebounds, comes back, but Lince gets around to CLAW the back! And BACKSTABBER! Cover, TWO!

Drake survives, but Lince has the ARMBAR! Drake clasps hands fast, stacks Lince, TWO! Lince has the ARMBAR!! Drake flails, reaches out, ROPEBREAK! Drake survives by a literal foot and Lince lets him go. Drake bails out but Lince drags him up. Drake HOTSHOTS Lince away! Drake runs up, Lince SUPERKICKS him down! Lince goes up, the fans rally, but wait! Vanity Project’s music hits? But they can’t come out here! It’s a fake out! Drake GAMANGIRIS! Then a GUT BUSTER DROP! And then the POWERBOMB! High stack, TWO!! Lince survives, even with the musical distraction.

The fans rally up, Drake aims from a corner, and Drake runs in for the UN- NO, Lince victory rolls, crosses the legs, TWO!! Drake escapes but Lince CHOPS! Lince runs, but Drake BOOTS him! Drake runs, Lince BOOTS back! Lince runs, Drake fireman’s carries! But Lince slips free, shoves Drake to a corner, but Drake goes up and over! Lince SUPERKICKS again! Lince runs, rolls, goes up, reels Drake in, BRAINBUSTER! The fans fire up and Lince aims from a corner. Drake rises and Lince runs in, SHOTEI!! Shoutout to Liger! Lince goes up, up, and SHOOTING STAR PRESS!! But Drake flounders out of the ring again!

Lince is beside himself as Drake escapes! Lince hurries to build speed, and he DIVES again! Down goes Drake at the ramp! Lince hurries back as the fans rally for “LUCHA! LUCHA!” Lince puts Drake in the ring, but wait! Smokes is UNDER the ring! Smokes anchors Lince, Drake hits the UNALIVING!! The fans boo but Drake just hits another UNALIVING!! Cover, Drake wins!!

Winner: Jackson Drake, by pinfall (still WWE Evolve Champion)

Drake retains, but the answer is simple: He could NOT do it on his own! They pulled out quite a few tricks to take down Lince Dorado, but BROOKS JENSEN attacks Drake?!? And then he LARIATS Drake inside out! The fans are stunned as the former Culling member just ruined The Vanity Project’s fun! Is Jensen about to Evolve?

My Thoughts:

A very good Evolve, with both predictable outcomes yet surprising story beats. The Triple Threat to open was very good, but Tyra being the LFG Season 1 winner, she was gonna get that win. She may not be ready for NXT, but they could really build her up here in Evolve and make her a champion. Jin Tala had a good promo, and I like that they’re using the reason she was eliminated from LFG as motivation behind a Heel turn. Wendy Choo showing up during Jin’s match was a surprise, but it seems like we’re pairing Asian Heels together, so not that surprising. But having Wendy back Jin up will definitely help Jin in the long run, she can learn a lot from Wendy.

Good promo from Ridge and Tate, good match from Edris and Tate, and it fits that Edris won. Edris needs to stay strong given this is all still part of his return story. Dante getting even with him was good stuff, and Edris complaining to Stevie was a good touch. Edris VS Dante will be really good, maybe even main event worthy. Good promo from Keanu Carver to put Sean Legacy on notice, that’s a match that could also be main event worthy. And good promo from Oasis with Stevie, I feel like the mystery partner should be Marcus Mathers to help him stay strong in Evolve, too.

Good promo from Vanity Project to remind us of the ringside ban going into the main event. And while there was the parallels to Kali VS Natty on paper (Evolve Day One superstar VS a long time established name), Jackson is the much more Heel character given he needed his crew to save him. What’s wild is Brooks Jensen showing up. He gets taken out of The Culling not for story reasons like a reunion with Briggs, but because he either just isn’t cutting it or he’s going to help bring Evolve up. At least he’s a Face by default going after Vanity Project, that’ll make for something interesting.

My Score: 8.5/10