Will the Carolina Reaper survive?

Tonight, Jackson Drake and Kam Hendrix not only battle over the WWE Evolve Championship, but perhaps for control of the entire brand!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Tyra Mae Steele VS Carlee Bright; Steele wins.
• Drake Morreaux VS Sam Halloway; Morreaux wins.
• Trill London VS Dante Chen; Dante wins.
• WWE Evolve Championship: Jackson Drake VS Kam Hendrix; Drake wins and retains the title.

PLAY BY PLAY

Team Performance Center talks backstage.

Jax Presley and Harley Riggins catch up on bench press and squat stats, but even Keanu Carve doubts the numbers. Kam Hendrix says this place has turned into a pigsty, but Harley says they’ve got it covered, if you know what he means. Kam says last week went exactly how they wanted. Harley says yeah, it was like watching the shot go in. And the moment Jackson Drake is caught slipping, Kam’s got him. Kam says tonight, he finishes the job and finally brings some star power to that Evolve Championship! Jax says Drake ain’t cutting it anymore. Keanu says time to sit his goofy ass down.

Braxton Cole shows up, says hey, but it’s a mess in here! Harley says yeah, but they’ve got a guy for that. But where’s Braxton been? Sorry, sorry, it got a bit messy in the bathroom… But is Sean Legacy gonna get here any time soon? It’s his job to take care of this. Anyway, how’s Kam feeling? Kam says he woke up feeling dangerous! The team loves it, and then Sean shows up! They all mockingly say hey to Mr. Super, and Jax says they’ve got something for him. Braxton brings in the cleaning supplies and they tell Sean to get to work. Don’t forget that spot. Team PC heads out, but will their sophomoric hazing only come back around to haunt them?

Tyra Mae Steele VS Carlee Bright!

After some time away, The Olympic Gold Medalist and the Season 1 LFG Women’s Champion is now a full-time star of Evolve! She’s looking to get some more gold for the collection, but the bubbly bestie of Kendal Grey is looking to shine all on her own. Will Evolve’s future truly be Bright? Or will Steele prove you need an iron will to get ahead?

The bell rings and the fans rally up. The two feel things out, then Steele waistlocks to SLAM Bright down. Roll to a bridging cover, TWO! Bright fights up but Steele SLAMS her back down! The fans rally, Steele SLAMS Bright again, then lets off to give thumbs up. Bright and Steele reset, go again, and Steele waistlocks. Bright switches, then trips Steele to a jackknife bridge! TWO, and Bright says she is sick of being looked down on! She belongs here! Steele never said Bright didn’t belong! They tie up, Steele wrenches and hits a fireman’s carry takeover. Then another! Steele has the legs to gator roll Bright around!

Steele floats and ties Bright up in the BOW ‘N’ ARROW! The fans rally as Bright endures, and she pries the fingers away. Bright is free but Steele clamps onto her again. Steele has the stepover, and a modified STF! The fans rally as Bright endures, and she pries the hands away again. But Steele shifts to a chinlock! Bright endures again, fights up, and the fans rally up. Steele slips behind Bright to back suplex, but Bright lands out! Bright ducks ‘n’ dodges, tilt-o-whirls and RANAS! The fans fire up but Steele slips back around to GERMAN SUPLEX! Bridging cover, TWO! Bright escapes but it’s right back to the STEELE STF!

Bright endures, Steele keeps on the chinlock, and Bright fights up. Bright fires body shots but Steele squeezes tight. Steele whips Bright away, Bright stops herself, and they collide head to head! Both women are down and the fans rally up. Steele rises first, and she hurries up to Bright, but Bright fires body shots! Bright fires haymakers, then a kick! And a CHOP! The fans fire up with Bright and she LARIATS! And LARIATS! Bright whips, Steele reverses, but Bright hits a BLOCKBUSTER! Bright hurries to a corner, climbs up top, and the fans rally as Bright CROSSBODIES! But into Steele’s arms! Steele pops Bright up, tucks her in, AIR RAID CRASH! Cover, Steele wins!

Winner: Tyra Mae Steele, by pinfall

Bright put up a fight, but it was still a crash landing for her! Will Steele have others shouting #Mayday as she chases after the Evolve Women’s Championship?

Team ID hangs out with… The Vanity Project?

They’re all in the VP Dorm, but tensions are high. For one, what the Vanity Project is serving for drinks isn’t very good. Jackson Drake has everyone calm down. They invited Team ID in here because… Brad Baylor takes over by saying New Year, New Vanity Project, okay? They’re trying to be more inclusive, more humble. Right, they can be humble. But Brad says long story short, Drake is dealing with a lot, and they could use Team ID’s help. They all collectively need to band together to stop Kam Hendrix & Team PC. Cappuccino Jones says no thanks. After all VP has treated them the past year, and now they’re talking about banding together? No, VP needs to wake up!

Aaron Rourke says Jackson Drake as champion… He’s been good. To look at. But at the same time, the more Rourke thinks about it, the more he realizes that they can NOT let Kam be champion. So good for Drake, he actually has a brain. Eli Knight says no lies there. They can’t stand Kam, and the rest of Team PC is just unpredictable. Mike Cunningham says Kam, Keanu, and all of them could be destructive. But y’know what they don’t have? #MainManEnergy! But Team ID really should talk it out. They huddle up, Rourke brings up the smell, but Mike says that’s not really the point.

Team ID breaks the huddle and they go back to VP. Rourke says after talking it over, they are in. But not for VP’s, but for Evolve. Drake thanks Team ID for this, he and Swipe Right owe them one. The Dime Piece then steps forward and says he forgot his number in Drake’s bag. Call whenever you want, champ. Team ID heads out, and Mike says he and Eli are in, too. Oh, uh, no, they can chill back here. What? Serious? It’s like that, huh? Mike says sunglasses up mode, maybe next week, he and Eli show Swipe Right that they’re more than ready. Sunglasses down mode. The Main Man & Disrespectfully Athletic head out, will they make sure to shut down Swipe Right?

Arianna Grace wakes up backstage.

The Pageant Queen realizes she dozed off, and says she has not been able to sleep since meeting that creepy psychic lady… Nikkita Lyons is there and she’s still a bit rattled. She didn’t even realize Arianna was here. Arianna says she needs her 13 hours! Nikkita agrees, there is not enough sage in the world to clean this, it’s insane~! Nikkita clears her throat to properly sing that note. Arianna says they just have to remember: Be really nice and really kind, and basically the opposite of everything they usually do. Then they’ll be fine! They can change, right? But then Masyn Holiday & Layla Diggs walk in. Moment of truth…

Arianna & Nikkita say hi in an overly nice way, which confuses Masyn & Layla. Nikkita does her best to compliment the fur as “barely polyester.” Is that a compliment? Arianna says y-yeah! Look, ladies, they all got off on the wrong high heels. And since Arianna & Nikkita have hearts of gold and can suffer through it, let’s all put the past behind us. Sure… Masyn says they were about to film a new TikTok video. If they’re really putting the past behind them, maybe they can collaborate?  Y-Yeah! Okay, okay. Layla & Masyn show off the dance moves. Front front, back back, side, side. Got it? Yes, Nikkita is pretty sure.

Let’s go! Front front, back back, side, side! Nikkita and Arianna are a little unenthusiastic, but they’re making the effort. Will they reform their mean girl ways? Or will being nice be what kills them first?

Drake Morreaux VS Sam Halloway!

Two big men hungry for opportunities meet in the ring for the first time! But with Kam Hendrix facing Jackson Drake tonight, and Harlem Lewis waiting for the winner, who wins their way to be next in line?

The bell rings and the two circle. They tie up, Sam headlocks but Drake powers up and out. Sam RAMS Drake, but Drake shakes that off. Sam shoves Drake, Drake shoves back, then Drake ducks ‘n’ dodges to RUN Sam over! The fans fire up and Drake runs. But Sam gets up to hurdle?! And then Drake RANAS!? Drake DROPKICKS Sam in the corner! The fans fire up with Drake and he runs in at Sam to ELBOW him! Then Drake reels Sam in for a scoop and SIDEWALK SLAM! Drake then runs, and IMPLODER SPLASHES! Cover, TWO! The fans rally up and Sam fires body shots. Drake ROCKS Sam, then whips, but Sam reverses.

Sam hurdles again, and this time he BOOTS Drake down! The fans fire up while Drake is dazed. Sam watches Drake rise back up, and he CHOPS Drake in the corner! The fans fire up for that one! Drake staggers to another corner but Sam is on him for another CHOP! Drake CHOPS back! Sam ROCKS Drake and Drake stumbles against the ropes. Sam CLUBS Drake, has him in another corner, then runs up, but Drake dodges the splash! Drake runs up on Sam, but Sam SWATS the lariat to then underhooks, and BUTTERFLY PLEX into buckles! The fans fire up and Sam drags Drake to a cover, TWO! Drake survives and the fans rally up.

Sam seethes while Drake rises up. Drake goes to a corner, Sam runs in, but Drake ELBOWS him away! Drake then DUMPS Sam to the apron, and runs to BOOT him down! Sam hits the floor and the fans fire up again. Drake rises up, storms over to bring Sam back up, but Sam HOTSHOTS Drake! Drake sputters but Sam LARIATS him down! Sam then lines up the shot for the step-up ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO! Drake survives again and Sam grows frustrated. The fans rally up as Sam and Drake go to corners. Sam runs in, but Drake dodges! Sam crashes ‘n’ burns out of his dropkick and the fans rally up again!

Drake rises, spins, and BOOTS Sam down! The fans fire up while both men are down! Drake pushes back up and the fans rally. Drake ROCKS Sam, Sam ROCKS Drake, and repeat! The shots go back and forth, Sam CHOPS and CHOPS but Drake CHOPS and UPPERCUTS! Drake fires shots, then runs, but into a DROPKICK! Drake is sent outta the ring! The fans rally as Sam rises, and Sam builds speed! Sam FLIES! Down goes Drake and the fans fire up again! Sam rises up, puts Drake in, then climbs the corner! DIVING- NO, Sam has to roll through the stomps! Drake hits the YODELING LARIAT! And then the guzel! Shove and YODELING LARIAT AGAIN!! Cover, Drake wins!

Winner: Drake Morreaux, by pinfall

The Bayou Badass gets a big win, and then he boogies in celebration! Chuey Martinez has the fans make some noise, and Drake gives him some beads. Chuey says he likes that! Drake’s stacking up some wins, the Bayou is proud of him. With momentum comes opportunities. Team PC wants him to join up, what’s up with that? Drake says he doesn’t know what’s up with those dudes, but they don’t represent the whole Performance Center. But if we wanna talk The Bayou… Well, here’s the plan. Drake will get himself into contention, come get that Evolve Championship, and bring it home to Baton Rouge for the biggest crawfish boil party you’ve ever seen!

The fans cheer and Chuey would love to be part of that! Drake keeps on winning, but will the good times continue to roll all the way to the top of Evolve?

Team PC continues to mess with Sean Legacy.

They drop more things on the floor and use the classic, “Missed a spot!” Braxton even knocks the trash can over. But then Team ID walk in and Keanu asks what they think they’re doing. Wanna throw hands right now? Cappuccino Jones says relax, they’re not here to fight. They wanna help Sean clean. Rourke says yeah, that’s what solidarity looks like. Team ID is in this together. Well, fine! Just make sure it’s super clean for Kam’s victory party. They’re gonna get that champagne flowing. Harley says he’s got the ick just looking at them all. Jax says enough distractions, time to get Kam ready. Team PC heads out and Team ID gets to work.

But in steps It’s Gal! And he says, “Dummies, dummies, dummies. You look more at home cleaning than you do in the ring. I love it!” Rourke says he’s already had enough! He doesn’t get where Gal gets off thinking he’s so much better than them. He is the most egotistical, selfish, self-centered A-HOLE on this entire roster! Gal could be helping them, but no, It’s Gal is just above that. Do you think Rourke looks good cleaning trash? Then how about he takes this orange piece of garbage out next week? Does that work for Gal? Rourke says they’re gonna be here helping Sean before the main event, so Gal can do them a favor by getting out!

Gal flexes and leaves, and Team ID gets back to work. Will the Dime Piece make sure Mr. Mint Condition gets this work next Wednesday?

Trill London VS Dante Chen!

Inspired in part by the Charismatic Enigma, this eccentric star is ready to show the world his true self. But will he not just keep it real with us, but keep it Trill with us? Or will the Singapore Warrior show Trill still has to level up first?

The bell rings and the two tie up. Dante wrenches and wristlocks but Trill reaches for ropes. Dante keeps Trill back, but Trill just goes to the other side. Trill uses the ropes to flip through, then he wrenches back. Dante wrenches, slips around, and waistlocks to SLAM Trill down! Dante pushes Trill to a cover, ONE! Trill and Dante reset and the fans rally up. They tie up again, and Dante goes right at the arm. Trill fights up, the fans rally, and Trill whips. Dante RUNS Trill over, then keeps moving. Trill stays low, hurdles over, but Dante ducks ‘n’ dodges to SHOULDER TACKLE! The fans fire up while Trill writhes.

Dante drags Trill up, scoops, but Trill slips free. Trill waistlocks, Dante bucks the O’Conner, and Dante runs up, only for Trill to juke! Trill leaps over, handsprings through, but he stumbles a moment. Dante whips him but Trill reverses and dosidos for the arm-drag! The fans cheer as Trill has the armlock. Dante endures, fights up, and the fans rally up. Dante powers Trill to ropes, whips him away, but Trill ducks ‘n’ dodges to springboard, but Dante catches him! HALF NELSON SLAM! The fans rally while Dante shakes out his arm. Dante drags Trill up, scoops, and then SLAMS! Dante runs to ELBOW DROP! Cover, TWO!

The fans rally as Trill toughs it out. Dante stalks Trill to a corner, whips him corner to corner hard, then keeps on him. Dante whips Trill back into the corner, then whips him corner to corner. Trill reverses, runs up, but Dante BOOTS him! Dante then reels Trill in, lifts, and RUNNING BACK SUPLEXES! Cover, TWO! Trill survives and Dante is a bit frustrated but the fans rally up. Dante stalks Trill, brings him around, but Trill fires body shots. Trill fires haymakers, but Dante DECKS him in return! Dante drags Trill around, reels him back in, back suplex, but Trill lands out! Trill waistlocks, Dante switches, but Trill victory rolls it! TWO!!

Dante fireman’s carries Trill, but Trill fights free! Trill shoves, dodges, and goes up, up, WHISPER IN THE WIND! The fans cheer the clear shoutout to Jeff Hardy, and Trill hurries back up! Trill takes aim, SWANTON- NO, Trill has to roll through as Dante moves! Dante runs up, but Trill SUPERKICKS! Trill then goes up, FLYING SUNSET FLIP! TWO, but Trill fires fast hands! Dante shoves Trill to SUPERKICK him down! The fans fire up as Dante storms over to Trill. Dante snarls as Trill slowly rises up. Trill shoves Dante, but Dante BOOTS Trill right back down! Dante powers up, and he waits on Trill, for the GENTLE TOUCH!! Cover, Dante wins!

Winner: Dante Chen, by pinfall

Trill tried but he could not score against Dante Chen. Dante still shows respect to Trill by helping him to his feet, and the fans applaud the sportsmanship. Dante is the Evolve gatekeeper, but did Trill at least earn his respect?

Kendal Grey and Karmen Petrovic have a Faceoff!

The WWE Evolve Women’s Champion sits across from her next challenger, and she says she doesn’t want this to be a whole thing. They’ve been cool, right? Karmen did her thing, Kendal did her thing, both on NXT and Evolve. But now, Karmen wants Kendal’s championship, and when that title is on the line, Kendal doesn’t care who you are or what your background is. Because when you step into the Grey Area, you don’t walk out the same, and you definitely don’t walk out with her title.

Karmen tells Kendal she’s been watching Kendal go from quiet underdog to confident champion. And while Karmen loves that for Kendal, Kendal is already looking past Karmen. Which is ironic, since people used to do that to Kendal. But Karmen wants Kendal to keep looking past her. Kendal’s got a lot of things going on both here and on NXT, which is where Karmen steps in. Karmen’s got a lot of victories under her belt, which is why she has this opportunity. Kendal can keep underestimating Karmen all she wants, but the title will be hers.

Kendal says she’s not underestimating Karmen, she knows this will be a battle. But Kendal walks into every match knowing that she will walk out of it the winner. Karmen’s had big wins, Kendal will give her that, it’s why they’re sitting here. But Kendal vows to walk in and walk back out THE Evolve Women’s Champion. The battlelines have been drawn, and it is a countdown to the match next week. Who will stand atop Evolve as THE Alpha Female?

BREAKING NEWS for Evolve!

It has been a great first year, and in three weeks, we mark the end of Season One! Wednesday, February 25th, will be the Season Finale, a big night indeed. And then on the very next Wednesday, March 4th, it will be the Evolve Season Two premier, with SUCCESSION II!! Both the Men’s & Women’s Evolve Championships will be on the line next month, but who will be the champions and who will be the challengers by then?

Backstage interview with Kali Armstrong.

Chuey Martinez is with the Pride of Inglewood and brings up her surprising losses as of late. What is on her mind right now? Kali says honestly, she’s just disappointed in herself. She’s not used to racking up losses. She’s #TooStrongArmstrong, the Difference Maker! She doesn’t let chicks like Karmen get to her, but she admits she has to get that dog back. The dog that got her to USC, that had her running circles around these chicks on her way to becoming champion. Maybe Kali just needs to go back home to remember who she is and where she came from. Will reconnecting with Cali help that Kali Connection power back up?

WWE Evolve Championship: Jackson Drake w/ Swipe Right VS Kam Hendrix w/ Jax Presley & Harley Riggins!

Speaking of championships, Team PC earned this opportunity for the #AlwaysLit top prospect, and then even abused their power to rough Heartbreak Drake up last week. But will the odds still be stacked in Kam’s favor? Or will the Carolina Reaper find a way to survive another week?

The introductions are made, the belt is raised, and we see who is truly the star of Evolve!

The bell rings and Kam shows off some rope-a-dope as he circles with Drake. They tie up, are in a deadlock, but Kam’s size helps him push Drake to a corner. Kam gets in Drake’s face, talks a lot of trash, but lets off with a smirk. Drake shoves Kam back! The fans rally up and Kam nods. Kam and Drake reset, then Drake goes for a leg. Kam headlocks to counter but Drake fires body shots. Drake powers up, drops down, but Kam RUNS him over! Kam swaggers and taunts Drake, not even taking this seriously. Drake is annoyed as he and Kam reset. Drake calls for a Test of Strength and Kam says okay, sure.

Kam reaches out, but Drake kicks low! The fans cheer the oldest trick in the book. Drake headlocks but Kam powers up and out. Jax & Harley trip Drake up! The ref reprimands while Kam goes to run, but then Swipe Right trips Kam up! The fans cheer as Drake gets around, waistlocks, but Kam bucks the O’Conner. Drake kips up but Kam DROPKICKS him out! Kam pursues Drake, but then Swipe Right AND Jax-Harley rush over! They start arguing, but the ref decides to EJECT Jax & Harley! The fans cheer that, but then he tells Swipe Right, they’re OUT, too! The fans boo, but at least this means it’ll truly be 1v1 when Evolve returns from break!

Evolve returns and Kam fires hands and kicks! Kam ROCKS Drake, wrenches, then mule kicks and SUPER PUNCHES! Cover, TWO! Drake is tougher than that but Kam stalks him. Kam clamps on with a chinlock and he thrashes Drake around. The fans rally as Drake endures. Drake fights up, only for Kam to THROW him down by his hair! Kam then clamps onto Drake with a COBRA CLUTCH! Drake endures, the fans rally again, and Drake fights back up. Drake RAMS Kam into the corner! Drake is free, he dodges a shot, and he ENZIGIRIS! Kam flops onto ropes and Drake gets moving, CALF KICK!

The fans fire up for Drake as he and Kam get back up. Drake KICKS Kam, KICKS him again, and winds up to KICK- NO, Kam blocks that one! Drake SLAPS Kam, Kam SLAPS back! Kam back suplexes, Drake lands out, and Drake BOOTS Kam away! Drake goes up but Kam ROCKS him! The fans boo as Kam spins Drake around and climbs up. But Drake fights the lift with elbows! The fans rally as Drake turns things around, SUNSET FLIP- NO, Kam holds onto ropes! Kam throws down hands, but Drake Alabama Lifts! Kam fights that to lift, but Drake slips out! Drake ROUNDHOUSES then GERMAN SUPLEXES! Bridging cover, TWO!

Kam survives and the fans can’t believe it! Drake snarls, takes off the wrist tape, and he drags Kam up. Kam BODY BLOWS! Kam ROCKS Drake with a haymaker, then ROCKS him again! Drake rebounds, Kam stands him back up, and then Kam runs, but Drake hurdles! Kam hits the ref!! UNALIVING!! Everyone is down and the fans are freaking out! Tate Wilder hurries out here to check on the ref! The Modern Day Cowboy isn’t sure what to do, but then Team PC attacks Drake! they all stomp away! The fans boo but then TEAM ID rushes out here! The fans fire up as Legacy, Halloway, Cappuccino & Rourke fight off Jax, Harley, and Braxton!

But wait, that leaves Keanu for last and he goes after Halloway! Keanu DECKS Rourke, DECKS Cappuccino, then DECKS Legacy! The fans boo as this is just chaos! Swipe Right rushes back out here to tip things back in ID’s favor! The fans finally cheer for Swipe Right, and then Rourke helps out with a CODE BREAKER! Sam TOSSES Keanu, but then things spill out of the ring! Swipe Right tell Legacy to get SUPER! Legacy FLIES out onto everyone else! Kam runs up but Swipe Right dodge to double kick low! Then they get Kam with the DOUBLE STOMP DDT COMBO!! Swipe Right tells Jones to top it off! FROGGY-BREW!!

Drake gets moving, UNALIVING!! Tate gets the ref back in as Drake covers, DRAKE WINS!!

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

Can you believe it?! For the first time since he won this championship, the fans are happy to see Drake KEEP this championship! And as for the rest of the roster, it was perhaps choosing the lesser of two jackasses. But then Jones makes sure Drake knows, he owes him one. Just know that Jones is coming for the belt. Drake leaves it at that, but clearly the walls are closing in. Harlem Lewis, Cappuccino Jones, and more, will the Carolina Reaper be able to Unalive them all?

My Thoughts:

A very good Evolve, even though most of this was kinda filler. Steele VS Bright was a really good match, and a really good win for Steele. Drake Morreaux getting back in action and winning again was also good, he could actually join Tate Wilder as a WWE PC guy who is a Face, unlike Team PC. Trill VS Dante was really good, but why did we hype up Trill like that only for him to lose? That’s a very confusing move. Really funny promo from Arianna and Nikkita trying to be nice, and you can just tell they’re gonna snap forcing themselves to be nice.

And very good “Faceoff” from Kendal and Karmen, nothing powerful, and I don’t really see Karmen winning the title next week. Knowing that we’ve got the “season finale” and Succession II, that feels like where the titles change. To that point, I did NOT think Drake was making it through tonight, but great stuff with Team ID and Vanity Project putting their differences aside. They didn’t mention Harlem Lewis by name but he did win that match last week, so I would think he gets his shot at Succession II, with Cappuccino Jones and the rest following that, but I guess we’ll wait and see.

My Score: 8.7/10