WWE Evolve (3/12/25)

WWE Evolve

Performance Center

Orlando, FL

March 12, 2025

Commentators: Pete Rosenberg and Robert Stone

Ring Announcer: ???

Last week the debut episode of Evolve had all the feel of black & gold NXT from 2012 and it was entertaining for what it was. We had a good women's tag match featuring NXT Level Up mainstays as well as introducing Trill London and six independent dudes. This week, there's no Shawn Michaels to make the matches, it'll be Ava Raine by herself. More newcomers and NXT rookies will be shown this week so let's get right to it.

Rosenberg and Stone welcome us to tonight's show and they have a "HUGE" night planned. We're sent to Stevie Turner (from the old NXT UK days) and Stone doesn't like it. She's here on behalf of Ava Raine with tonight's main event being NXT stars Oro Mensah and Riley Osbourne going at it. We also have WWEID prospects with Kylie Rae taking on Zara Zakher. Gal Barkay joins Kendal Grey and Carlee Bright in the VIP section and Grey doesn't like it at all. Before our first match, we have to introduce who they are. Even though we already knew who Harlem Lewis was through NXT, we get an introductory vignette anyway. He got into a lot of fights when he was younger and he's a natural born leader. He can't stand soft, lazy or non-hard working people. He got into his first fist fight in fourth grade (I was brawling in Kindergarten, Lewis was a little late there) and nobody can stop him from being a champion. Interesting heel promo but the "first fist fight in fourth grade" line made me laugh, I got in plenty of scraps well before fourth grade. Braxton Cole is actually former Brown & Villanova University football player Camden Gagnon. He was shocked WWE invited him to try out for the PC but he's going all in. He sees someone that has a stronger mind than others and will set him apart. Well his body is going to be put to the test, on to the match.

Match 1

Harlem Lewis vs Braxton Cole

Lewis is basically the same gimmick as Keanu Carver from last week and Braxton looks like an 80's jobber just with a better physique, I can see where this is going as the bell rings. Braxton wants a hand shake to start and gets clotheslined for his trouble. Lewis heaves Braxton in a gorilla press across the ring. "I'm getting paid to beat his ass, I'd do it for free." Braxton chops Lewis but he no sells them, decking Cole with a big right hand. Braxton slaps Lewis who no sells it and drops Cole with yet another right hand. Stone "I have NEVER played chess in my entire life." Lewis hits an Oklahoma Slam and covers for 1...2..3 to win the match. Total squash to establish Lewis as a mean looking fella and I'm all for it. His theme song isn't half bad either.

Time of match: 1:11

Winner: Lewis by pinfall

Chuey Martinez hits ring side for an interview with Harlem. He says that was impressive and Harlem says nobody can touch him. Right on cue here's Keanu Carver for a showdown. Now that I want to see....but wait. Gal Barkay grabs a mic, gets into the ring and says he's arrived. He calls Keanu a big dummy and says he'll take him next week. Carver says why wait and gets in the ring with a referee. Guess we're doing this now.

Match 2

Keanu Carver vs Gal Barkay

Gal is in the teel suit and loafers so he wasn't ready to wrestle tonight. Gal sheds the sports jacket and rallies with forearms but Carver no sells. Carver takes his head off with a clothesline and drives him into the corner. Carver hits shoulderblocks but Gal kicks him away. Carver catches him in mid-air and hits a huge fallaway slam. Gal hits a standing enziguiri but Carver face plants him. Carver hits Sky High and covers for 1...2...3 to win the match. Another total squash and we got dueling badasses here with Carver and Lewis. Sucks they had to sacrifice Trill London, Gal Barkay and Braxton Cole...but that's how you build guys. Carver and Lewis will meet down the road.

Time of match: 1:25

Winner: Carver by pinfall

Rosenberg says up next will be Kylie Rae taking on Zara Zakher. We're going to take a closer look at Kylie Rae...or "Smiley" Kylie Rae. We already know her past in AEW, TNA and NWA along with her Main Event match from December 22 but apparently she was a lifelong WWE fan and she never thought she'd be here. She's here to make everyone happy...yay. Back from commercial, Pete is with last week's tag team winners. Carlee Bright is happy but Kendal Grey not so much. Grey says there's no competition in Evolve because she's the best. Bright says "You mean we?" Grey "Yeah sure." All of a sudden Zayda Steel barges in demanding a match. For those that don't know, Zayda Steel is an independent star who got picked with the ID program. Grey nods her head in agreement that Zayda deserves a match. Kylie makes her entrance and Pete says she's the most experienced of anyone in Evolve. Considering she spent years as a stuntwoman and 9 years in the business, I'd say so. Now we get the introductory video for Zara Zakher. She says she's small and had to overcome being a person of color and it shaped her into the person she is now. She brings up how she's been a gymnast her whole life and she was called "the petite powerhouse". The real life story is a lot more interesting. She was born Gabi Crump and went viral at age 4 for dancing like Tina Turner and later became a dancer for various recording artists on stage. She's been on The Voice, Oprah and various shows as well. She was a celeb long before signing with the PC. This next match will make hardcore wrestling fans heads explode with a 9 year independent vet facing a "social media star" like Zara (albeit a LOT nicer than Logan Paul).

Match 3

Kylie Rae vs Zara Zakher

They shake hands to start and tie up immediately. They chain wrestle to start before Kylie drops Zara with a shoulderblock. She covers for two then immediately rolls Zara into a crossface. Zakhar makes it to the ropes and Kylie locks in another headlock. Zara drops Kylie with a shoulderblock and covers for two. Zakhar does a crucifix for two but her stunner attempt is blocked. Kylie makes it to the ropes as Pete says Kylie is "older".  Normally 32 is nothing but this is supposed to be for young stars like Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes. If anything Kylie should be on NXT, not Evolve. Kylie gets in a headlock takeover as the announcers bicker with each other. Zara clotheslines her in the corner and hits a snap mare. Zara dropkicks her in the back and covers for a one count. Zara goes for the waistlock but Kylie elbows her in the head. Kylie throws her in the corner and hits the running european uppercut. Kylie cannnonballs into Zara and covers for 1...2..no. A graphic shows Kylie really was a stunt woman but here comes Zayda Steel to whine about not having a match. Even Stone wonders what her problem is as Zara hits a big roundhouse right. Kylie goes up and over but runs right into a spinebuster. Zara covers for 1...2..no. Zayda pouts in the VIP section with Carlee and Kendal as Zara hits a high knee to stun Kylie. Some fan yells "Boo this woman" and they boo Zayda, ha! Kylie gets a sunset flip for two then does some kind of tilt-a-whirl ddt into a crossface. Zara powers out of it but eats a superkick. Kylie goes for a death valley driver but Zara turns it into a sunset flip for 1...2...3 to win the match. Did NOT see that one coming. Zara wins a serviceable match as Pete says that had nothing to do with Kylie's "niceness". Nothing to complain about but nothing special here.

Time of match: 5:15

Winner: Zakhar by pinfall

Chuey Martinez hits ring side to talk to Zara Zakhar. He says he sees her and tells the crowd to give her a hand. He says this was an upset and she agrees. She puts Kylie over as a great wrestler and says next time it won't be an upset. Zara thanks Kylie and says she respects her before hugging it out. Zayda has enough and challenges both of them but here comes Wendy Choo. Wendy has been around NXT/wrestling as long as Kylie Rae, the hell is she doing in Evolve too?  Zayda runs off as Wendy hands a bear with a note in to to Kylie before getting in the ring. Zara and Kylie read it but the camera doesn't pick up what it says. Wendy is up next as we go to commerical. Back from break Wendy will be taking on Aria Bennett who was known previously as Aljea Lee Hargrave on NXT. Her vignette says she's from Atlanta, GA who has a four year old daughter. She was a college gymnast (to say the least) and performed well at the PC. The real story is once again more exciting as she was an all-american gymnast. On to the match.

Match 4

Wendy Choo vs Aria Bennett

The announcers bicker with each other as the bell rings to start. Wendy hits a waistlock takedown as Stone brings up how Wendy used to be normal. Wendy stalks Aria who backflips over her. Aria does a handstand and Wendy spears her down, what was Aria thinking? Wendy shoulderblocks Aria in the corner and stands on her hair. A graphic shows Wendy made her WWE debut 7 years ago at the Mae Young Classic. Wendy splashes her in the corner and a running superkick. Wendy no sells two right hands although a standing enziguiri pushes her back. Aria goes for the crucifix but Wendy rolls out of it. Wendy hits a nasty looking full nelson slam and locks in the Dirt Nap. Aria is out cold and this one's over. Another total squash and it showed off Aria's athleticism but made her look like she had no chance against the crazy Choo. Choo puts a black blanket over Aria after the match. 

Time of match: 2:07

Winner: Choo by submission

After the match, Brinley Reece of NXT hits the VIP section to say hi to Kendal and Carlee. Brinley says she's got a match next week and says to check her out. Carlee is excited but Kendal isn't impressed....at all. Again, odd couple tag teams work and they're trying hard with those two. Pete says the first ever face-off is this week between Javier Bernal and Luca Crusifino. What's that? Its just a sitdown pow-wow between the two and Luca looks like he's wearing women's red heels with no socks. Luca says Javier didn't take kindly to what Luca said last week. What? Apparently after the show, Bernal cut a promo calling out Luca for being the "don" of Evolve. Bernal says he's got no problem with him or the D'Angelo's, he just wants to get involved since he's been out with injury. He says how can he move forward if he's being judged by his past. Luca says he appreciates saying it to his face but he wasn't talking about Bernal because he wasn't thinking about him. He doesn't consider Javier a threat because Javier always takes himself out, he doesn't need to do it. Javier agrees and says this is a fresh new start and will fight for the rest of his life. Luca says those are just words, action speaks louder. Javier says give him a chance in a one on one match. Luca says you got it but just remember, he asked for this. They shake hands and we cut here. Sometimes that's all you need to set up a match and it doesn't need chairs, chainsaws, attempted vehicular manslaughter or a love triangle. "You want me, come get some."...simple and effective. Up next is our main event between former NXT UK star Riley Osborne and NXT star Oro Mensah as we go to break. Back from commercial, Jack Cartwheel, Cappuccino Jones and Sean Legacy are in the VIP section. Don't tell Swipe Right this....uh oh, Kali Armstrong is here too but she's got no place to sit. She walks off as Oro Mensah makes his entrance.

Match 5

Oro Mensah vs Riley Osborne

For those who follow minor league baseball know guys get promoted but sometimes they get demoted. Mensah and Osborne going from NXT to Evolve is definitely a demotion, but if they can rock the house here, what's the harm in that? They tie up to start after a handshake and Osborne eats a hiptoss. Riley hiptosses Mensah as Rosenberg brings up how Chase U from NXT is gone. Mensah takes Osborne down from the waist and Riley gets stacked for a one count. Riley spuns around for a front headlock but Mensah gets in a wrist lock. Mensah kicks Riley in the chest and armdrags him. They trade arm drags and Oro rolls him up for a deuce. Pete asks Stone if he's ever been in the main event before and Stone responds by asking if Pete has ever been in the ring period. Riley rolls him up for a two count and sunset flips for another deuce. Riley hits a crucifix for a deuce and says he was that close to winning. Mensah shoves him so Riley responds with a shove of his own. Mensah hits a head scissors but Riley goes up and over, dropping Oro with a dropkick. Mensah does a tornado ddt onto the top rope, snapping Riley off before landing a missile dropkick. Riley rolls outside as we go to break. Back from commercial they slug it out in the center of the ring before Mensah hits a scoop slam. He covers for 1...2..no. Mensah locks in a chinlock then delivers a T-bone Taz plex. Mensah misses a kick but Riley stuns him with one. Mensah blocks the springboard dive but Osborne blocks a suplex. Riley hits a rolling hurracarana and covers for 1....2...no. Stone says if Pete doesn't watch it, he won't be here next week. Mensah blocks a whip and hits a spinkick to the face. Mensah hits a nasty looking full nelson suplex and covers for 1...2...no. Oro goes for a springboard dropkick but Riley counters with a dropkick to the knees to send Oro crashing outside. Riley does a crossbody to the floor then hits a Michenoku Driver inside the ring. He covers for 1...2...no. Mensah's piledriver is blocked and Osborne victory rolls him for 1...2...nope. Mensah drops Osborne face first and covers for 1....2...noooooo, that was close. Mensah rallies with right hands but Osborne punches back. Mensah hits a spin kick to the gut but Osborne hits a standing enziguiri. Osborne goes up to the top but gets Pele kicked (!!!) off the top. Mensah hits the Call of Autumn and covers for 1..2...3 to win the match. Damn good effort by both guys and too bad its on the Double A show, this would have fit right in on Smackdown. Hats off to both guys.

Time of match: 8:09

Winner: Mensah by pinfall

Mensah celebrates at the entrance ramp but Swipe Right makes a mad dash from behind the curtain. Apparently something's going on in the back. Its Gallus from NXT who smashes up the backstage area saying they're here to make noise. Oh great, more NXT guys? Not that Gallus isn't good workers, but this is supposed to be about the younger guys....not NXT dudes. But that's just nit picking. All in all it was another good introductory show and it established that Keanu Carver and Harlem Lewis are mean looking fellas, Carlee Bright and Kendal Grey have hilarious chemistry as a tag team and Wendy Choo is a crazy bastard. Next week Brinley Reece should be in action along with Luca Crusifino taking on Javier Bernal. Should be an interesting show. The next show after this is Friday night's Smackdown in Barcelona, Spain. I'll see you there.