EVOLVE Review with PaperclipMike, March 19

Welcome to the weekly Evolve review done by yours truly, Paperclip Mike. I am your source for weekly Evolve recaps as seen on Tubi every Wednesday night. So far, the first two episodes have been great, hoping it will continue the trend. Before we begin, we have an update on some titles coming. While there are plans for Evolve to have titles, there was also mention of titles for male and female members of the WWE ID program. Well, we have more information. During Wrestlemania week, both GCW and FSW will be hosting shows where we see the first-round matches in tournaments to determine the first title holders. With the news out of the way, let’s get to the show!

After the intro video, we go right into…

Brinley Reece vs. Masyn Holiday

Brinley has been on NXT Lvl Up and the occasional spot on NXT while we are seeing a new competitor in Holiday. Great back and forth to start between both women, both of who are high-level athletes, Reece in cheerleading and Holiday in track and field. Early advantage from Reece until Holiday answers with a nasty backbreaker. After a few moments, Reece takes over with a clothesline out of a front flip of sorts and hits a TKO for the win.

Winner: Brinley Reece

Chuey Martinez with the ringside interview, adding one more to the “How you Feelin’” count. Nice wrinkle from Reece showing a bit of negativity in her positivity, looking forward to seeing where it goes.

Peter Rosenberg is in the VIP area with Tyson Igwe and Tyson Dupont. Intense promo on how they are here to ’cash checks and get championships’. Looks like we are shaping up a decent tag division.

Gallus vs. Jordan Oasis and Sam Holloway

Gallus is seen talking trash to Igwe and Dupont as they come out before the commercial break. Continuing the nice intro videos for Oasis and Holloway as we come back from the commercial. Joe Coffey started against the larger Holloway, soaking up all the punishment. Oasis and Holloway showed up and took control for a good portion of the match, somewhat surprised to see. 

Great cannonball from Oasis onto Mark Coffey as Coffey was slumped against the ropes. But before he could capitalize, Holloway tagged himself in and said he had it. Surprised by the Gallus cheers as we get a hot tag. Joe with an impressive double jump crossbody, but the pin is broken up by Holloway. Wolfgang, the third member of Gallus, comes ringside to argue with Holloway. Jordan Oasis is distracted by this, leading to Mark Coffey landing one solid punch and winning by KO.

Winner: Gallus

Cappuccino Jones and Jack Cartwheel help Oasis to the back. After the commercial we get…

Layla Diggs vs. Chantel Monroe

As the ladies get their entrances and intro video, I see my first negative in Evolve so far. Outside of the already-established NXT wrestlers, there are no standout theme songs. Every one of them sounds the same, regardless of character or gimmick. You could change them tomorrow and it would not change anything. Hope this changes as some of the newer wrestlers get established.

Intense start from Monroe, a bit surprised given her gymnastics background. Diggs responds with a nice spin kick and a powerslam into a moonsault. Before she can build momentum, Monroe spears her in the knee. Monroe started to focus on the knee, even locking in a single-leg crab. Diggs does come off the top with a one-legged sunset flip, but Monroe folds and stacks her for the win in a great showing from both women.

Winner: Chantel Monroe

We are then shown an intro video for one of the new female roster members, Haze Jameson. Interesting fact that one of her inspirations is Dennis Rodman, who happens to be my all-time favorite basketball player. Before we can finish the video, we are interrupted by Kali Armstrong, who demands a match. And she is answered by the woman whose video she interrupted.

Kali Armstrong vs. Haze Jameson

 As Haze comes to the ring, we are told that another inspiration was Ke$ha, which you can easily see. Kali is still miffed after being on the losing end of the first match in the first episode. Huge powerslam before getting Bron Breakker-like speed into a nasty shoulder block. And just like that, Armstrong gets the win.

Winner: Kali Armstrong

Pete is by the entrances after being back from the commercial. He brings out Kylie Rae to talk about the note that Wendy Choo handed her last week. Kylie says she does not want to get to know Wendy and does not want to know what is in the note. A close-up video of Wendy Choo’s face is shown on the tron as Zara Zakher comes out to try to calm down Kylie Rae.

We get intro videos from Drako Knox and Tate Wilder, leading to…

Draco Knox and Tate Wilder vs. Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe

Knox and Dupont start off trading moves. Quick tags from Dupont and Igwe keeping fresh as they start to work over Wilder. Wilder is still being worked over as WWE ID members Zayda Steel and Swipe Right come out to ringside. Steel picks up the note that Wendy Choo left Kylie Rae and pocketed as the trip sits in the VIP area. Impressive springboard backflip from Wilder leading to a hot tag to Knox. Knox misses a knee in the corner leading to a nice double team from Dupont and Igwe for the win.

Winner: Tyson Dupont and Tyriek Igwe

After the match, Knox and Wilder get into some words with Swipe Right, an unnamed man stands next to Swipe Right. They do not name him, but he is WWE ID member Bryce Donovan

Back from the commercial, we see Oro Mensah in the VIP lounge. 

Luca Crusifino vs. Javier Bernal

In watching the beginning of this match, there is something I dig about Javier Bernal. The way he emotes and wears his heart on his sleeve, you can get behind that. As the men are wrestling we get a match notice, showing that we will get Kendal Grey and Zara Zakher next week. Very even match to start until Luca drops Javier with a back suplex on the apron. Luca starts to target Bernal’s previously injured ankle. Comeback from Javier with a nice short german suplex. Crusifino catches Javier off the top with a codebreaker and finishes with his Case Closed ( a fisherman-style neckbreaker to the knee) for the win.

Winner: Luca Crusifino

While Luca is celebrating in the ring, out comes Keanu Carver confronts him. Along with Harlem Lewis as we fade to black.

 Another solid show from Evolve. Things are heating up in a burgeoning tag division, we look to start a few rivalries and we get more interaction between the NXT and ID superstars like I hoped. Well done again.

Thank you all for checking out the weekly Evolve review. You can check out my socials under PaperclipMike and I will see you next week!