Can the Carolina Reaper survive two opponents at once?

While Jackson Drake won the WWE Evolve Championship in a Fatal 4 Way, he must now fight to keep it in a Triple Threat! Can he do it? Or will #HeartbreakDrake face his own heartache tonight?

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Carlee Bright w/ Kendal Grey VS Layla Diggs w/ Masyn Holiday; Carlee wins.
• Tate Wilder VS Ridge Holland; Ridge wins.
• WWE Evolve Championship Triple Threat: Jackson Drake VS Keanu Carver VS Brooks Jensen; Drake wins and retains the title.

PLAY BY PLAY

The Vanity Project speaks.

Ricky Smokes says, “Tonight, the odds are stacked against our boy, the WWE Evolve Champion, Jackson Drake, because he has to defend his Evolve Championship in a Triple Threat match against Keanu Carver and Brooks Jensen? I mean, Brooks Jensen, the kid’s a loner. A drifter.” Brad Baylor says, “Brooks, he’s unpredictable, but that kinda makes him a little bit dangerous. But lowkey, it makes him look desperate, as well.” Smokes says Jensen REEKS of desperation! But their guy, Jackson Drake, will stomp Jensen out. And Vanity Project will keep proving why they not only run WWE ID, but WWE Evolve, as well.

Bryce Donovan says, “Keanu Carver has run through the WWE ID Program like a wrecking ball. He’s got brute force, and his attitude? This man does not give a F!” Drake says Keanu still only has a snowball’s chance in Hell of taking this title. “Keanu has every intangible except for intelligence or strategy.” Drake isn’t just the champ cuz he’s a “tall, handsome, sexy, gifted tactician,” he’s calculated. He says it, then he backs it up. Just ask every single guy he has put down. Tonight may be a Triple Threat, but when it comes to him and this title, there is no threat. Jensen and Keanu aren’t getting a title shot, they’re becoming part of Jackson Drake’s history.

Carlee Bright w/ Kendal Grey VS Layla Diggs w/ Masyn Holiday!

Two duos of best buds meet, but for now it is just 1v1. It is all business as both young women are fighting for opportunities, but will it get personal? Or can both these positive personalities have a happy ending?

The bell rings, the fans rally, and the two circle. They tie up, Layla snapmares and chinlocks. Carlee slips out to hammerlock, but Layla rolls to headscissor! The fans cheer as Layla holds on tight. Carlee moves around, pops free, and she headlocks, only for Layla to slip out and hammerlock. Carlee reaches back, stands up, and she wrenches through to hammerlock. Layla throws elbows, then reaches back to fireman’s carry takeover! Layla has a leg, but Carlee goes for Layla’s leg. Layla floats around to have a REVERSE BOW ‘N’ ARROW! Carlee pries free of the facelock, hooks Layla’s arm, and kips up to arm-drag!

The fans cheer, Carlee wheelbarrows to arm-drag! Carlee runs and tilt-o-whirls to RANA, but Layla handsprings through! The fans applaud, Layla and Carlee shake hands, and they go again. Carlee waistlocks, spins Layla, then whips, but Layla sunset flips! TWO, Carlee sits on a cover, TWO! Carlee has a leg and she works to turn Layla over! Layla fights up instead, and she jumps over Carlee to body scissor roll-up! TWO, and DOUBLE DROPKICKS cancel out! Layla and Carlee both handspring up and the fans cheer! Things get moving. Layla hurdles but Carlee dodges! JUMP NECKBREAKER! Cover, TWO!

Layla stays in this but Carlee stays on her. Both Masyn and Kendal coach their friends, and Layla whips Carlee to the corner. Layla runs up, stomps Carlee, then UPPERCUTS! The fans applaud, Layla snapmares, and she KNEES Carlee in the back! And again! Layla shoves Carlee down to SOMERSAULT SENTON! Cover, TWO! Carlee stays in this but Layla stays cool. Layla drags Carlee up, whips her to ropes, but Carlee ducks ‘n’ dodges to CROSSBODY! But Layla catches her! Layla shows her power with a POWERSLAM! Then she STANDING MOONSAULTS! She gets Carlee on her back! Both women crawl, and Carlee goes to a corner.

Carlee goes up, up, and MOONSAULTS, but she rolls through as Layla moves! Layla comes back, LEG LARIAT! Cover, TWO! Carlee survives and Kendal coaches her up. Layla is a bit frustrated but she drags Carlee up. Layla bumps Carlee off buckles, stomps a mudhole in, then goes corner to corner. Handspring and- NO, Carlee goes up! Layla hits buckles, then Carlee reels her in! TORNADO DDT! Cover, TWO! Layla survives, Masyn cheers, but Layla fireman’s carries! But Layla slips free to kick low! Layla reels Carlee in, suplexes, but Carlee slips free! Then she CLUBS Layla on the neck! BRIGHTSIDE! Cover, Carlee wins!

Winner: Carlee Bright, by pinfall

Carlee kicked things into overdrive and she takes the win! Kendal celebrates with her bestie while Masyn consoles hers. Will the future of Evolve be Bright? Or can Layla dig deep and rise back up?

Evolve returns and…

Kendal & Carlee are still in the ring, and Kendal has a mic to hype Carlee up. “Let’s go~!” The fans cheer, and Kendal says that’s how you do it! All that hard work is starting to pay off. In fact, Kendal wants to ride the momentum. She has one woman in mind: Wendy Choo! First, she wants to show up outta nowhere. She doesn’t speak, she doesn’t talk, she doesn’t move! Then she wants to smile and disappear? Lucky for Wendy, Kendal will smack that smile off her face! See, Wendy might be the creepiest person we’ve ever seen, but when Kendal is done with Wendy, she’s going right after the WWE Evolve Women’s Championship!

The fans cheer and Kendal says she’s the only woman who can beat Kali Armstrong! And it doesn’t matter where it is or when it is, because Kendal will be ready whenever it is! That title will be hers! The fans applaud, but here comes the champion! “Hey, Kendal, you got a lot of fire in you. And I can give you that. And you out here talking all big and bad, making yourself sound real tough, huh?” Kendal says, “I am tough!” Kali says, “Well, I’ll tell you one thing. Before you call yourself putting my name in your mouth, calling your shot at my title, just make sure you get past Wendy Choo first. Cuz I promise you, if she don’t break you, I WILL! Cuz I’M DIFFERENT!”

Kendal says bring it! She’s ready! Wait, Tate Wilder and Ridge Holland brawl out onto the stage! Security and other Evolve stars have to hurry out here, Stevie Turner rushes out here and says if they wanna prove themselves, then just get in the ring and prove it! The fans cheer as a ref gets in the ring and the ladies exit. Ridge SMACKS Tate off the apron, then puts him in the ring. The Modern Day Cowboy wanted his fight with the “Steam Pig,” and now he’s got it! But will he win it? Or will he regret it?

Tate Wilder VS Ridge Holland!

The bell rings and Tate runs up to fire hands! The fans cheer Tate on, Ridge shoves him away, but Tate fires more shots! Ridge picks Tate up to RAM him into a corner! Ridge RAMS Tate again and again, then KNEES him low! Ridge ROCKS Tate, Tate ELBOWS Ridge, but Ridge ROCKS Tate again. Ridge headlocks, Tate powers up and out, and things speed up. Tate DROPKICKS Ridge! Then he DROPKICKS Ridge again! Ridge tumbles out and the fans fire up! Tate slingshots to PLANCHA! Down goes Ridge and the fans cheer Tate on! But then Ridge POSTS Tate! The fans boo while Ridge snarls, and Evolve goes to break.

Evolve returns and Ridge has Tate in a corner. Ridge brings Tate around to HEADBUTT, and Tate staggers away to ropes. Ridge runs up, but Tate TOSSES him out! Tate then KNEES Ridge in the ropes! Tate ROCKS Ridge, Ridge takes a swing, and Tate dodges, but the SOUTHPAW LARIAT finds him! Ridge storms in and rains down HEADBUTT after HEADBUTT! Cover, TWO! The fans rally up for Tate but Ridge storms up. Tate fires body shots! Ridge kicks Tate, but Tate eggs him on! Ridge winds up, Tate fires body shots in return! Tate whips, Ridge reverses, and Tate hits buckles! Then Ridge OVERHEAD BELLY2BELLY SUPLEXES!

Tate staggers up, Ridge is on him, GERMAN SUPLEX! Tate tumbles away, but Ridge drops a KNEE on his head! The fans rally while Tate flounders, but Ridge OVERHEAD BELLY2BELLY SUPLEXES again! Cover, TWO! Tate shows that toughness, but Ridge drags him up again. Ridge snapmares and ELBOW DROPS! The fans rally for Tate but Ridge brings Tate up. Ridge scoops Tate, gets running, but Tate slips free! Tate kicks low, throws hands, haymaker after haymaker, then he whips. Ridge reverses again, and he SPINEBUSTERS Tate! Ridge grabs a leg, turns Tate over, HALF CRAB! Tate endures, reaches out, and fights his way forward!

The fans rally as Tate fights to the ROPEBREAK! The ref counts, but Ridge drags Tate back! The fans boo but Ridge pulls Tate’s leg! Tate fights and turns around, then kicks at Ridge! The fans rally as Tate kicks free! Ridge staggers, Tate comes back, but Ridge TOSSES him to the corner! Tate BOOTS Ridge, goes up, up, and CROSSBODIES! Cover, TWO! Ridge survives to then scoop and SLAM! ELBOW FLOP as Tate moves! Ridge hobbles, runs up, but Tate dodges! Ridge hits buckles, Tate stomps him and CHOPS him, then fires haymakers! The ref counts, Tate winds up, and Tate LARIATS! But then Ridge HEADBUTTS!

Ridge puts Tate in a corner, ROCKS him, then checks his teeth. Ridge snarls, whips, but Tate reverses! Tate BACKDROPS Ridge! The fans cheer as Tate gets around Ridge to hit a BIG back suplex! Tate goes up, up, and SECOND-ROPE SWANTONS! Ridge staggers up, blocks a kick, but not the ENZIGIRI! Roll-up, and deep, TWO! Ridge escapes, wrenches Tate, and scoops for another POWERSLAM! Ridge runs to RAM Tate into a corner! Ridge shouts for it, and he hits the SIN BIN CANNONBALL! Then he gut wrenches for the POWERBOMB! Cover, Ridge wins!

Winner: Ridge Holland, by pinfall

Ridge finally gave Tate the fight he wanted, and he just served him the loss! Will the Steam Pig just build a head of steam until he’s going for some gold? Can the Cowboy get back on the horse and try again?

Aaron Rourke & Marcus Mathers speak.

The Dime Piece says, “I know what you’re thinking. Aaron Rourke, Marcus Mathers, two complete opposites. But actually, we’re a lot more alike than people think. I mean, we come from the same independent promotions, like Beyond, Wrestle Open, ETU. And I mean, I always thought you were cool.” Philly’s Finest says thanks, and he always thought Rourke was cool, too. They just never really talked. And then they both got WWE ID’d, they wrestled at the same shows, then in WWN. Then they knew there was something going. Chemistry! Instant click.

So what can you expect out of this duo? Grit. Uniqueness! Determination! Aerial artistry and action! Maybe even perfection. So you’ll never know what they do, because they will stop at nothing to Evolve.

Jamar Hampton talks with It’s Gal backstage.

Gal is pacing, and Jamar tells Gal to relax. But Gal says they gotta bring the “Stud-o-meter” to Evolve! Jamar asks what that means, and Gal says he’ll explain. Just look at Jamar. With those ferocious biceps and his insane bench press, he’s a 10 on the Stud-o-meter. Oh, okay, Jamar gets it now. So then let’s rank off the two “d-d-d-dummies” we just heard from. Marcus Mathers is fantastic. What? KIDDING! He’s a 3 at best. Jamar agrees. And what about Aaron Rourke? More like “Aaron Dork!” That’s a 2.5! Jamar says yes, and that’s at best. They’re so weak and frail, they’re bound to fail. Now Jamar’s getting it!

Jamar and Gal shake hands and Jamar says time to hit the gym. Gal agrees to that. But will Mr. Mint Condition and his new friend have to eat those words when Mathers & Rourke return to Evolve?

WENDY CHOO ATTACKS KENDAL GREY!

Kendal screams for Wendy to get off her but she’s already in the Dirt Nap clutch! Security rushes over, but Wendy’s already put Kendal to sleep! The Sleepy Psycho laughs, having silenced her new target. Will Kendal wake up, afraid to live a nightmare?

Keanu Carver speaks.

He’s right behind the stage as he says, “Look, I’m not going back to the streets. This is about taking what’s mine! Get that camera out my face!” The Alpha Male pushes past the camera to gorilla, ready to carve his path to the top. But will he finally prove himself as THE Alpha Male? Or will there be another roadblock to the title? We find out in our main event, after the break!

WWE Evolve Championship Triple Threat: Jackson Drake VS Keanu Carver VS Brooks Jensen!

Evolve returns as The Lost Cause makes his entrance, followed by the Carolina Reaper. The rest of the Vanity Project stays in the back out of respect for their boy, as they’re confident he’ll handle this all by himself. The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who is really the man around here!

The bell rings and Drake talks trash on Keanu, before he fires off on Jensen! Keanu brings Drake around but Drake CHOPS, CHOPS, and CHOPS! But Keanu shoves at Drake for Jensen to CLOBBER! Then Keanu LARIATS Drake up and outta the ring! The fans cheer as Keanu and Jensen stare down. The fans are on Keanu’s side but Jensen shove shim. Keanu comes back to RAM Jensen! Jensen shakes that off, then he runs to RAM Keanu! Keanu nods and the fans fire up. Jensen pie faces Keanu, but Keanu pie faces back! They RAM shoulders again and again, then they RAM, RAM, and RAM! Jensen gets in Keanu’s face, but Drake SHOVES Keanu into Jensen!

Drake CHOP BLOCKS Keanu’s leg! BLINDSIDE LARIAT! Keanu bails out, but Jensen trips Drake! Jensen rains down fists of fury! And he KICKS Drake! Jensen puts Drake in a corner, then CHOP LARIATS! Then CHOP LARIATS again! Drake pushes past, but Jensen CHOP LARIATS against the ropes! Jensen whips, then he scoops and POWERSLAMS! The fans are torn but Jensen has Drake on the ropes again. Jensen runs, slides, and UPPERCUTS! A shoutout back to his teaming with Briggs, but then Keanu POUNCES! PERIOD! The fans fire up and Keanu CLOBBERS Drake in the ring!

Keanu runs corner to corner, BACK BODY BLOCKS Drake, then throws elbow after elbow! Jensen runs up, Keanu dodges, but Jensen gladly LARIATS Drake! Keanu then fireman’s carries Jensen! Drake storms up, but Keanu scoops him, too! POWERSLAM FORWARD THROW COMBO! Cover on Drake, TWO! The fans rally behind Keanu and he drags Jensen up. Keanu whips Jensen, Jensen reverses, and Jensen LARIATS in a corner. Jensen keeps moving, but Keanu RAMS Jensen into the corner! Keanu RAMS Jensen again, Drake DROPKICKS Jensen, then rolls up Keanu! TWO, and Keanu scoops again! But Drake slips free to DROPKICK!

Keanu tumbles out, Drake wants Jensen to hold on, but Jensen runs up! Drake DUMPS Jensen out, catches his breath, and decides to build speed! Drake FLIES and he takes down his challengers! The fans are torn but Drake grins, “How do you like me now, Orlando?” Again, the fans are torn, but Evolve goes to break.

Evolve returns, Drake KICKS Keanu, but Keanu just snarls. Drake KICKS again, and again, and again, but Keanu doesn’t fall! Then Keanu blocks a kick to reel Drake into a fireman’s carry! But Drake fights to the apron and HOTSHOTS Keanu! Jensen WHEEL KICKS Keanu down! Drake TOSSES Jensen, then SENTONS onto Keanu! Cover, Jensen leaps from the top, but Drake moves! Jensen SPLASHES Keanu! All three men are down and the fans rally up. Drake and Jensen stand up, but Drake SUPERKICKS Keanu first! Jensen decides to BOOT Keanu to the outside! And then Jensen blocks a kick to spin Drake!

Jensen ROCKS Drake, reels him in, and then lifts, but Drake fights it! Drake wrenches free to ROUNDHOUSE! Drake then hooks Jensen up for a FISHERMAN BUSTER! Cover, TWO! Jensen writhes, but Drake PLANCHAS onto Keanu! The fans are torn as Drake takes Keanu down, then hurries back in after Jensen. Drake fires a forearm, but Jensen fires back. Drake fires another forearm, but Jensen UPPERCUTS! Drake HEADBUTTS again and again, then kicks. Jensen blocks, he spins Drake, then ripcords, but Drake ducks the Southern Lariat! Drake handsprings, but Jensen catches him to a torture rack!

Keanu is back in right as Jensen hits the INVERTED G T S!! Cover, TWO!! Drake survives, Jensen is beside himself, but Jensen TOSSES Keanu back out. Jensen storms over to Drake, drags him up, and CHOPS him! Drake sputters, Jensen ROCKS him again! But Drake kicks a leg out! Drake CLUBS Jensen, Jensen fires a forearm, and they brawl on their knees! The fans fire up as Keanu returns! Jensen and Drake both know they’re in trouble, and Keanu fires forearms on them both! Keanu scoops Drake to FALL AWAY SLAM! Keanu then SAMOAN DROPS Jensen! The fans fire up for Keanu and he brings Drake up.

Drake SOBATS Keanu, SOBATS Jensen, then he runs, only for Jensen to pop him up! Keanu POUNCES Drake outta the sky!! The fans fire up as Keanu then SPINEBUSTERS Jensen! Cover, TWO!! Jensen survives and the fans are stunned! The fans rally up behind Keanu as he rises up. Jensen flounders to ropes but Keanu brings Drake up. Keanu torture racks Drake, for a BURNING- NO, Drake lands out! Drake BOOTS the lariat away, SWEEPS the legs, then runs to STANDING SHOOTING STAR! Cover, TWO! And Keanu holds onto Drake! Keanu stands up, but Jensen waistlocks!? GERMAN SUPLEX FALL AWAY SLAM COMBO!!

The fans fire up as Jensen flounders away to a corner. Jensen dares someone to get up! He winds up that left arm, and he runs up on Drake! Drake dodges, then ENZIGIRIS! Jensen flops out to the apron! Drake focuses on Keanu as both men stand. ENZIGIRI! Keanu stays up!? The fans fire up and Drake is in disbelief! ROUND- NO, Keanu gets under to then Electric Chair Lift! Jensen is up top! WHEEL KICK DOOMSDAY!! Jensen crawls to cover Drake, TWO!! Drake survives again! The fans fire up as Jensen now goes up the corner. Drake tumbles to the outside, but Keanu ROCKS Jensen! Jensen ROCKS Keanu!

Keanu ROCKS Jensen again, climbs up, and Keanu SUPERPLEXES! But Drake springboards in! SWANTON BOMB onto Keanu’s back! But Keanu tumbles outside! Drake is frustrated, but he kips up and runs! Drake DIVES, but into Keanu’s hands! WAR HAMMER!! Drake is down and out on the ground! Keanu then scoops him to put on the finishing touches! But BRYCE runs out here and he saves Drake! Bryce POSTS Keanu, then BOOTS him down! The fans boo, but so much for doing this on his own! Bryce tells Drake to get up, but Jensen BOOTS Bryce! But Drake rolls Jensen, TWO! Drake comes back to BOOT!

Drake runs, but Jensen dodges! SOUTHERN LARIAT!! Cover, BRYCE DRAGS JENSEN OFF! The fans boo but Bryce saves Drake again! Jensen is furious, but then Bryce and Jensen hand fight! Drake storms up, Jensen ELBOWS Drake! Bryce UPPERCUTS Jensen, UNALIVING from Drake! Cover, Drake wins!!

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

The rest of Vanity Project runs out here to celebrate with their guy! But everyone knows that it took big bad Bryce to bail Drake out multiple times. Will the Wild Card always be the king so long as he has his ace in the hole?

Stevie Turner finishes watching.

“What a great show. Gosh, I’m brilliant!” The Evolve Prime Minister then double checks things for next week, and surprise! A purple sticky note is right on top of her folder. “I QUIT MATCH!” and a creepy smiley face. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to realize this is a message from Wendy Choo. Stevie says that’s not a bad idea. But when and how did she put this here…? Will the Sleepy Psycho AND Kendal Grey get what they want for next week? Or is this going to be more than Kendal bargained for?

My Thoughts:

A great Evolve here, though maybe with some predictable outcomes as well as some odd surprises. Carlee VS Layla was a very good opener, a good friendly match at that, and good win for Carlee. Good promo from Kendal to call out Wendy, and even from Kali to put it forward that maybe the winner of Kendal VS Wendy does get next. Wendy attacking Kendal as “challenge accepted” was pretty good stuff, and great little bit at the very end to have Stevie find that note from Wendy. Kendal VS Wendy in Evolve’s first I Quit match, that’s some great stuff, can’t wait to see it.

I also like the innovation (at least within WWE style booking) to have a brawl just spill out as if from nowhere to make an “impromptu” midcard match. So many times these days, and over WWE’s history, we have had things make “impromptu” openers and main events, but we hardly get something made randomly in the middle of the show. Matches in the middle may not be advertised, but I like that Evolve gave us a reason why this one is sudden. Granted, we knew Tate VS Ridge was coming so they did their best to switch things up on us. Ridge winning makes sense, Tate is not just newer to this, but he’s smaller. Plus, Ridge needs something to justify keeping him around.

Very good promo from Mathers & Rourke as they stick together as a duo here in Evolve. And very good promo from Gal & Jamar to not only counter that promo, but to also solidify their own team. I still don’t know why they gotta be the Heels, but the “Stud-o-meter” is certainly a more Heel thing to do. Maybe they can spin that around where fans start to like the Stud-o-meter ratings. And either way, we’ll get a great match from Mathers & Rourke as the indie hybrid types VS Gal & Jamar as the body builder types.

And great stuff with the title match tonight. Good promo from Vanity Project to open the show and hype the main event, and good promo from Keanu right before the match. Great match, with both innovation in combination moves, as well as the “one man is outside” trope WWE likes using. But I should’ve known that in the end, someone from Vanity Project would help Drake win, and it fits that Bryce did it. They can spin this so that the group thinks Bryce did it because he thinks Drake couldn’t win on his own, and then Bryce is like, “I don’t think that, I KNOW that!” Boom, Bryce and Drake can start feuding to tear Vanity Project apart.

My Score: 8.6/10