A Fatal 4 Way determines the #1 contender!

Just as we will be, Aaron Rourke will be watching tonight’s Fatal 4 Way #1 Contender’s Match to see who comes after his WWE Evolve Championship!

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Karmen Petrovic VS Nikkita Lyons; Karmen wins.
• It’s Gal VS CJ Valor; CJ wins.
• WWE Evolve Championship #1 Contender’s Fatal 4 Way: Brooks Jensen VS Kam Hendrix VS Tristan Angels VS Dorian Van Dux; Tristan wins and will challenge for the title.

PLAY BY PLAY

Kam Hendrix & Harley Riggins arrive backstage.

The blue chip bullies are bragging about how good it felt to put Tate Wilder back where he belongs: the medical room! Kam says Harley would’ve won that match, but- Harley says no, Kam doesn’t need to do that. Harley was dominating the whole time, but it was just a slip up. Kam says doesn’t matter, they put Tate down, they won the fight. Yeah, Kam cooled Tater Tot’s goofy ass off. But they’re done with that mad guy sad guy, and there is nothing stopping them from taking the top spot in Evolve, especially after Kam wins tonight’s #1 contender’s match. Where else would they rather be?

Harley says when they ran the show for that one night, they got amazing numbers. Now imagine if they were doing that every single week! They’d set records every week! Harley says tonight is a formality. Kam’s got Brooks Jensen and those European dudes, then it’s just Kam 1v1 with Aaron Rourke. Is Kam ready to bring Mr. Showtime out? Oh, yeah. Because it’s time for Lights, Kam, Action! Confident as ever, will Kam defy the odds and make himself the one? Or will that big ego only weigh him down?

Karmen Petrovic VS Nikkita Lyons!

What started as disrespect in the gym turned into a brawl to close last week’s episode, and now into a match to open this week’s episode! The Blackbelt helped Wendy Choo & Laynie Luck handle #BigKatKita and Sloane Jacobs, but can she end the fight on her own? Or will #NikkitaMultimedia go viral with another win?

The bell rings, the two step up, but then Lyons backs off! Lyons uses the ropes as defense and tells Karmen to cool it. Lyons comes back, circles with Karmen, but then bails out of the ring. Lyons says she’s still not ready. The fans boo but Lyons returns. Each woman tests the waters with kicks, Karmen ducks one but so does Lyons. They each avoid a sweep and the fans cheer. Lyons offers a handshake but Karmen doesn’t trust it! Karmen kicks the hand, then slips around to headlock. Lyons lifts but Karmen thrashes the hold. Lyons powers up but can’t power out as Karmen still holds on tight! Lyons tries one more time, but Karmen just grinds her down.

Karmen smiles as she taunts Lyons, but Lyons fights up to fire body shots. Lyons powers up and out this time, then BODY BLOWS! She THROWS Karmen down by her hair! The ref reprimands but Lyons storms up. Karmen ducks the kick to fire a body shot of her own! Then Karmen fires kick after kick after kick! SOBAT! Then Karmen THROWS Lyons by her hair! The fans cheer while Karmen mocks Lyons’ claws. Lyons snarls, runs up, but Karmen ducks to wrench and whip. Lyons reverses, Karmen reverses, repeat, but Karmen goes up to SOBAT! Karmen runs up, tilt-o-whirl CROSSBODY! Cover, TWO!

Karmen clamps onto the headlock but Lyons fights back up. The fans rally but Lyons powers up, only for Karmen to hit a flying takeover! Lyons rolls to a cover, ONE! Lyons tries a headscissor but Karmen shrugs it off. The fans rally again as Lyons powers up and out. Karmen ducks ‘n’ dodges, whips and sweeps the leg! Lyons avoids the Penalty Kick, but not the HEEL KICK! Karmen then headscissors and spins to backslide, ONE! Karmen wrangles Lyons into a ghost pin, TWO! Karmen clamps on again and has the motorcycle stretch! The fans rally while Lyons endures. Karmen drops into a body scissors but Lyons moves around.

They roll, roll, and Lyons pushes back to get a cover, ONE! Karmen has the arms, LEG HOOK NELSON! Karmen pushes Lyons way down in the hold! The fans chant “TAP! TAP! TAP!” but Lyons endures! Lyons powers up with her core and pushes to a cover, TWO! Karmen lets Lyons go, and Lyons ROCKS her! Karmen rebounds, but into a scoop! FALL AWAY SLAM! Lyons kips up while Karmen flounders. The fans are dueling as Evolve goes to break.

Evolve returns and Lyons KNEES Karmen in the side! Lyons talks some trash before she KNEES Karmen in the other side! Karmen goes to the ropes, Lyons steps on her, but the ref counts. Lyons HIP DROPS as she lets off, then she talks more trash. Karmen goes to a corner but Lyons runs up to RAM her! And RAM! And RAM! The ref counts, Lyons stops, and Lyons watches Karmen go to another corner. Lyons runs up but into a KNEE! Karmen then ROUNDHOUSES Lyons and rolls her up, TWO! Lyons ROUNDHOUSES Karmen down! Cover, TWO! Lyons clamps onto Karmen and bends her against her knee!

The fans rally as Karmen endures the backbreaker stretch! Karmen fires forearms but Lyons pushes her back down! Lyons digs her knuckles into Karmen’s ribs and side but Karmen still endures! The fans rally up, and Karmen KNEES free! Lyons hurries to waistlock, but Karmen fights the suplex! Karmen victory roll FACEBUSTERS! The fans fire up as both women rise up again. Lyons runs up but into a BODY BLOW! And another BODY BLOW! Karmen blocks a kick, spins Lyons, and CHOPS! Karmen ducks ‘n’ dodges to CLOBBER Lyons, and CLOBBERS her again! Karmen wrenches to serve SOLE FOOD! Then Karmen runs up, SLIDING KICK at the ropes!

Lyons wobbles but Karmen GAMANGIRIS! Karmen runs back in, SHING-BLADE! Cover, TWO! Lyons survives but Karmen drags her up. Karmen reels Lyons in, but Lyons snap suplexes first! Lyons goes up, up, VADER FLOP! But here comes Sloane Jacobs! Sloane distracts Karmen and avoids the swipe, but here comes Laynie Luck! Laynie isn’t done with Sloane after last week! But Lyons waits on Karmen to rise up! Only for Wendy Choo to trip Lyons up! The ref misses it given the distraction from Sloane and Laynie! Wendy shrugs, PETROFIER on Lyons! Cover, Karmen wins!

Winner: Karmen Petrovic, by pinfall

Champ Choo says this is what happens when you mess with her match! But will giving Karmen the assist mean Karmen’s next to face Wendy for the gold?

Brooks Jensen is backstage.

And as he’s walking, he spots Dorian Van Dux. Jensen says, “Looky here. It’s the new guy!” Dorian says yeah, Brooks, he’s Dorian Van Dux. Jensen says okay, well, listen here, Dorian. Before they meet in that #1 contender’s match, here’s some advice: just stay out of his way. See, he’s given a few people this advice before, but they didn’t listen. Dorian says sorry, Brooks Jensen, the locker room bully. DVD will take that advice, and throw it in the trash! DVD tells Jensen off in French, Jensen says he has no idea what he’s saying! Whatever language DVD speaks, whatever country he comes from, Jensen doesn’t care what DVD did over there.

All Jensen cares about is kicking his ass tonight! And ain’t nobody doing it better than the Bad Man from Ala-Bam-Bam-Bam- DVD chuckles, Jensen says he better not be laughing. You’ll see tonight, new guy! Jensen storms off but DVD promises that yeah, they will see. Will either of these men make it through the Fatal 4 Way to head for Aaron Rourke and the title?

Harlem Lewis is in the ring!

The Long Island Jackhammer paces as he calls out Braxton Cole! “You awakened something inside of me that scares even me! Man, you’ve really done it this time. Y’know, it’s not enough that you have every single advantage that money can buy, but then you go and screw me outta MY title, you drop me on the barricade, and to top it all off, you lost the match! I need you to get out here right now, you LOSER!” The fans like the sound of that! And so, Mr. Ivy League indeed makes his entrance. Braxton says he didn’t wanna dignify this neanderthal-like challenge with a response, but… LOSER?! LOSER?!

Yeah, you’re a loser, Cole! Braxton calls security in on this, then laughs at Harlem being unable to do anything. And Braxton says as the future of the WWE, he cannot lower himself to these meaningless battles. Harlem, Braxton knows you know that they are completely different men. So different, Harlem can’t even fathom the pressure that rests on Braxton’s shoulders. The entire industry is relying in Braxton’s success! That doesn’t make him a loser, that makes him- Harlem says it makes Braxton a pompous scumbag who thinks they’re better just cuz Harlem mopped floors to support his family!

Braxton says if Harlem keeps talking, Braxton will send Harlem back where he came from! Take the mop and get back to work! Harlem storms up, security stands in his way, but Braxton sucker punches Harlem down! Security now ushers Braxton out of here, but it seems Braxton can get his hands dirty. Will Harlem make sure to wipe that smug smile off his face when they finally do meet in the ring again?

Tate Wilder finds Romeo Moreno backstage.

The Cowboy asks El Freestyle why he looks so down. No painting? That’s not like him. Romeo says he’s not feeling it. His mind is on other things. What’s that mean? Romeo says he didn’t picture his Evolve career going like this. Tate stops him right there. This mindset gets you beat before anyone else does. Evolve isn’t about being perfect. It’s about growing, learning, developing. You think Tate showed up and started stacking wins? No! Tate has lost more than he has won, but look at last week. He got his hand raised but Kam’s running his mouth like they won the war. But is Tate still down? No. Does he look down? No. Does he look like he’s down? No!

Of course not! Tate’s still standing, ready to watch that main event. Romeo and Tate dap it up and Romeo gets it. In Spain, the saying is the time will come. Thanks for reminding him. Tate encourages Romeo, but will either of these men move up the ranks and be right behind that new #1 contender?

Tristan Angels speaks.

“What do you get when an Englishman, a European, and two Americans walk into a ring? Tristan Angels as the new #1 Contender for the WWE Evolve Championship. Now, gentlemen, I suspect our paths will cross for years to come here in the WWE, so I suggest you get used to chasing me now. Dorian Van Dux, we have come to blows before in a AAA ring, and I am well aware that you are the most dangerous man that Belgium has ever produced, but unfortunately for you, Belgium’s not famous for making dangerous men. It’s famous for making waffles and chocolate, and as you can see, I don’t let either of those things get anywhere near my body.

“Now as for Brooks Jensen… Brooks, you’ve earned a reputation as being the hardest working man in the WWE Performance Center, but that was before Tristan Angels arrived. And ultimately, Brooks, hard work is all you have. And if hard work was all that mattered, then the donkey would run the farm. And that brings me to you, Kam Hendrix. Kam, you would rather look good and lose than look bad and win, and that is something I simply don’t understand. Because I always look good in everything I do and I always get my hand raised at the end of the night, because I am Tristan Angels, the most handsome man in England, and soon to be the #1 contender to the WWE Evolve Championship.”

It’s Gal VS CJ Valor w/ Max Abrams, Santi Rivera & Jacari Ball!

Who thought he had found new gym bros to hang with? Who thought he had found a team to tag with? Who thought he’d finally found some friends? It’s Gal, It’s Gal, It’s Gal! But after some serious soul searching, Mr. Mint Condition knows now that he must humble himself as he humbles those who betrayed him! Will Gal start with the biggest dog in the yard? Or will his mission fail right from the start?

The bell rings CJ runs up, but Gal dodges! Gal fires off haymakers, then whips, but CJ reverses to headlock. Gal powers up and out, but CJ RUNS him over! The fans boo but CJ runs up on Gal. Gal dodges, fires off more forearms and a CHOP! Gal ROCKS and CHOPS CJ on repeat! The ref counts but the fans fire up. Gal kicks low, headlocks, then hits a takeover. Gal endures, fights around, and headscissors. CJ can’t kip free as Gal puts on the squeeze, and does pushups! The fans cheer but CJ finally kips free. CJ runs up, Gal slips around, waistlock and SLAM! Then Gal does pushups off CJ! CJ pushes Gal away but Gal handsprings up! “IT’S GAL!”

CJ runs up, Gal dodges CJ, then drops down, hurdles, and RANA! CJ comes back again but Gal wrenches to ENZIGIR! Gal then hits a BIG back suplex! The fans fire up as Gal then BOOM DROPS! Cover, TWO! Gal clamps onto CJ with a rear bearhug. CJ fights up, runs to ropes, and he HOTSHOTS Gal away! The fans boo but CJ runs up to CLOBBER Gal! CJ lifts and THROWS Gal! Cover, TWO! Gal survives but CJ seethes. The fans rally up but CJ HAMMERS away with elbows! CJ then brings Gal up, hits a SAYANAGI, then covers, TWO! Gal survives but CJ stays close. CJ whips Gal to a corner hard and Gal takes a tumble!

Main Man Energy Max and his boys mock Gal while CJ drags him to a cover, TWO! Gal toughs it out but CJ clamps on claws in the shoulders! CJ CLUBS away on Gal, then clamps on the chinlock. Gal endures but “WWE ID Gen 2” all applaud CJ. Gal fights up, fires body shots, and Gal arm-drags free! CJ comes back, but Gal ROCKS CJ again, and again! Gal whips, CJ reverses, but Gal CLOBBERS CJ! And BOOTS him down! The fans fire up and Gal runs up, but CJ dodges! CJ comes back but Gal THROWS CJ away! DISCUS LARIAT! Gal goes up, out, and springboards back in, MISSILE DROPKICK! Cover, TWO!

CJ survives and Gal can’t believe it! The fans rally behind Gal and he smacks some sense into himself. Gal drags CJ up, “IT’S GAL~!” Suplex and- NO, CJ slips free! CJ shoves Gal, then pops him up! Gal goes up and over, but CJ blocks a kick! Cartwheel DRAGON SCREW, into the ANKLE LOCK! CJ puts on the pressure, but Gal rolls! CJ is sent into buckles, Gal rolls him up, TWO! Gal ROCKS CJ, shakes his bad leg, then fireman’s carries. But Santi distracts the ref so Jacari can CHOP BLOCK Gal! The fans boo but the damage is done! CJ runs up to POP-UP SPEAR!! Cover, Valor wins!

Winner: CJ Valor, by pinfall

The fans boo but Main Man Max and his men steal that one from Gal. Then they TOSS Gal out just because they can! Max gets a mic and says give it up for his boy, CJ, on his big W as he brutally mogs Gal. The fans boo, but Max just smiles. When you see elite ball knowledge like Jacari, “Sweet Santi,” big man CJ, and Main Man Max, all they do is MOG YOU! AHA~! So it is fitting that from now on, you can just refer to them as… sunglasses off… as The Mog Squad! Are they the best or what?! The squad is already strutting like bootleg Nature Boys, but will Evolve soon belong to them?

Cappuccino Jones is on the phone.

Someone is watching as he answers the call. He knows they’ve been seeing everything, they gotta do something about this. This is only gonna boil over. Right, yeah, go ahead. All hands on deck. Cool, cool. Bet. Jones finishes the call, then his drink, but who was that on the other line? And what will they do to help Jones turn the tide here in Evolve?

Gianna Capri, Anya Rune and Veronica Haven are backstage.

The Sauce doesn’t like that she lost, losing is not what she does. She cannot believe she has a loss in Evolve already, and it’s all ANYA’s fault! Anya tries to apologize but Gianna isn’t hearing it. She’s just an anime girl from a manga panel? No, you’re just some little girl who’s shungot in the head! Veronica chuckles but then apologizes to Anya for that, that was rude, as is Gianna. And at least Anya’s going viral. More like cringe! Wow, okay. But listen, they’re all new to Evolve, they’re all excited to be here. They’re just trying- to prove themselves? Like how Anya proved herself getting pinned by Layla? All loss, no sauce!

Anya says if Gianna wants Anya to prove herself, then she’ll go to Foreman Thatcher and ask him for a 1v1 with Layla Diggs! And then this anime girl, THE Main Character, will not only make the entire ID Program proud, she will make Gianna notice her. Pff, whatever. Gianna leaves, but Veronica says it’s “demon time” now. Anya is filled with determination, but will that see her through to her first win in Evolve?

WWE Evolve Championship #1 Contender’s Fatal 4 Way: Brooks Jensen VS Kam Hendrix VS Tristan Angels VS Dorian Van Dux!

The chaos last week was sorted out by Foreman Thatcher, and now all four men face a massive challenge. The Dime Piece wants to be a fighting champion, but will he be fighting a Lost Cause, a bully, a narcissist, or the Muscles from Brussels?

But naturally, the champ is here! He wants to be ringside to watch this one with his own eyes, right in the VIP Lounge. The bell rings and Jensen calls out DVD already. Tristan and Kam watch these two, then they sucker punch them! The fans rally but Kam TOSSES Jensen while Tristan stomps DVD in the corner. Tristan then TOSSES DVD, turns around, and Kam scoops him, only for Tristan to slip free! Tristan rolls Kam, TWO! Tristan kicks low, but Kam catches the uppercut to a backslide, only for Jensen to drop a knee! Jensen swings, Kam dodges, and Kam ROCKS Jensen! Jensen yoyos to roll Kam up, TWO!

Tristan MISSILE DROPKICKS Jensen, Kam mule kicks Tristan! Kam cravats, but DVD DOUBLE MISSILE DROPKICKS! The fans fire up as DVD kips up, and he runs up on Tristan. DVD ducks a lariat, handsprings over the dropdown, then blows past Tristan to RANA! Kam runs up but into a BACKDROP! DVD then DROPKICKS Kam, and the fans fire up again! Tristan is outside, Jensen LARIATS him down! DVD eggs Jensen on so Jensen slides in. DVD dodges Jensen, Jensen ducks a kick. Jensen shoves DVD but Tristan trips DVD up while Kam CLOBBERS Jensen! Tristan fireman’s carries DVD to then SNAKE EYES off the apron!

Kam JABS Jensen, whips him, but Jensen reverses. Jensen runs up but into a BOOT! Kam runs up, Jensen slips through the lariat, but then Tristan slingshots to BUCKSHOT Jensen into the DDT on Kam! Cover on Jensen, TWO! DVD steps in but Tristan KICKS the ropes to jam DVD up low! But Jensen BOOTS Tristan! Tristan SNAP POWERSLAMS DVD! Jensen breaks the cover! Jensen then whips Tristan but Tristan reverses to TOSS Jensen out! Tristan then aims at DVD, but DVD blocks the superkick, spins Tristan around, and SNAP HALF ‘N’ HALF! DVD then builds speed to BLINDSIDE LARIAT!

The fans fire up as DVD roars, and he goes up, up, and waits on Tristan! But Tristan hits ropes to trip DVD up! Then Tristan ENZIGIRIS DVD down! Tristan goes up, out, but Kam DROPKICKS Tristan while he CROSSBODIES DVD! Kam fires up, but now Jensen is up top! SUPER DOUBLE LARIATS on Tristan and Kam! Jensen fires up, but Tristan fires hands! Kam joins in, but then DVD is up, up, and ARIHARA MOONSAULTS! The fans are all fired up and DVD is all smiles while Evolve goes to break.

Evolve returns again as Tristan has Kam on one corner and Jensen has DVD on the other. Kam and Tristan trade shots, then Tristan SUPERPLEXES! Jensen sees Kam is in the drop zone, so he brings DVD up, only for DVD to SUPER GOURD BUSTER Jensen onto Kam! Tristan ROCKS, UPPERCUTS, and CLUBS DVD, then runs! But Jensen covers Kam! DVD POP-UP POWERBOMBS Tristan onto the cover! The fans fire up while everyone is down! Rourke also cheers as all four men rise up. DVD SMACKS Kam, Kam SMACKS Jensen, Tristan CHOPS DVD, Jensen and Kam ROCK Tristan and DVD! Tristan and DVD hit back!

The fans rally as the shots go back and forth. Tristan UPPERCUTS Jensen, Kam ROCKS DVD, then Kam SUPERKICKS Jensen! Kam ROLLING ELBOWS Tristan, then raors, but DVD blocks the boot to ENZIGIRI! Jensen ENZIGIRIS! Tristan SUPERKICKS! Kam falls, the fans cheer, and DVD dodges Jensen to FLAPJACK Trsitan, Jensen is there for a 3D! Cover, DVD breaks it! DVD grins as he and Jensen are alone now, and now they fire haymakers back and forth! Jensen wobbles, but he still ROCKS DVD! DVD ROCKS Jensen back! Jensen shoves DVD, DVD BOOTS Jensen, but Jensen yoyos to LARIAT!

Jensen fires up, brings DVD up, and suplexes, but into a STUN-DOG MILLIONAIRE! Jensen staggers to a corner, DVD runs up, but Jensen pops DVD up! DVD lands safe on the corner, but Jensen is after him! DVD kicks Jensen away, Tristan is there to UPPERCUT and BACKSTABBER! DVD SHOOTING STAR PRESS! Cover, Kam breaks it! Kam lifts DVD for the LIGHTS KAM ACTION! Cover, but TATE WILDER drags Kam outta the ring! The fans fire up as The Cowboy gets payback on the bully! Tate fires hands on Kam, SMACKS him off the apron, then keeps after him! Kam fires back, Tate kicks low, but the brawl continues to the back!

Wait, Jensen takes his boot off! And while the ref is distracted shouting at Tate and Kam, Jensen CLOBBERS DVD with the boot!! Jensen reels DVD in, STUMP PULLER DRIVER! Cover, Tristan KNEE DROPS Jensen! Cover on DVD, TWO!! Tristan is shocked but the fans fire up! They cheer “D! V D!” Tristan demands DVD get up, then he fireman’s carries! DVD fights free, shoves Tristan, but Tristan sunset flips! DVD rolls through, gets a leg, and he turns Tristan over! Tristan fights forward, but Jensen runs up to BOOT DVD! DVD stays up!? DVD grins as Jensen SLAPS and SLAPS and SLAPS him!

Jensen runs, DVD lets Tristan go, and DVD BOOTS Jensen! Jensen yoyos, but into DVD’s LARIAT! Tristan rolls DVD up, TWO! DVD dodges Tristan, goes up, up, and feints Tristan out before the FLYING CUTTER! But Jensen BOOTS DVD down! The fans boo as Jensen suplexes, but Tristan cradle counters! TRISTAN WINS!!

Winner: Tristan Angels, by pinfall (NEW #1 Contender to the WWE Evolve Championship)

The Bad Man from Ala-Bam-Bam-Bama thought he had this, but Mr. England comes out the winner! Tristan is now poised to face Rourke for the title! Will the Dime Piece and Pageant King make for a beautiful match-up?

My Thoughts:

A very good episode for Evolve, but things are starting to feel clunky only because of how quite a few Evolve stars are already on NXT. Pretty sure I said something like this for NXT, too, with how Tristan Angels is starting a feud with Shiloh Hill but now he’s also #1 contender to the title. Great Fatal 4 Way tonight, one of Evolve’s best matches overall, and it made a lot of sense for Tate to cost Kam given their history here on Evolve. I partially expected Jensen to win this, but they already pivoted him to picking on Dorian Van Dux so that made them cancel out, and thus, we get Aaron Rourke VS Tristan Angels. That story does make sense on some level, they’re both equally about their looks and their skills, they’ll have a good contract signing promo and then really good title match.

Very good promo from Harlem to call out Braxton, that’s a natural feud to follow what we got in the Triple Threat and also in the contrast of who they are as people. They can go back and forth, with Braxton cheating the win in the first match, but Harlem winning Braxton in the second by knowing how to overcome the cheating, and then their blowoff can be a very violent contender’s match in their own right. Very good match from Karmen and Nikkita to open the night, and naturally, Sloane, Wendy, and Laynie get involved. I feel like if Arianna Grace was still hanging out in Evolve, we could get a Six Woman Tag that helps determine a title match.

Very good promo from the second wave of Women’s WWE ID prospects, with Gianna pulling ahead as the new Heel with all that attitude, and Anya doing her best to stand up for herself. Veronica being in the middle of it was an interesting move but it makes for a good dynamic where she really could be a Tweener, wanting to be nice but having her moments where she does something more Heelish. Anya VS Layla will be really good, could probably go either way, and surely we’ll see Anya VS Gianna 1v1 before too long. And very good match from Gal VS Valor, but of course this “Mog Squad” gets involved.

That’s a half decent name for the faction, as “The [Something] Squad” is a standard template, going back to The Spirit Squad but also The JOB Squad. But I feel like WWE is still behind the times, I don’t think “mogging” has been a relevant slang term in about a year. Cappuccino Jones’ mystery phone call is intriguing. I hope he’s calling Jack Cartwheel to have him come back real quick so we can get a great 8 Man Tag of Mog Squad VS Adrenaline Drip, It’s Gal, and Lince Dorado since Lince will wanna get back at Max for throwing away his teachings.

My Score: 8.7/10