By Chris Vetter, ProWrestling.net Contributor (@chrisvetter73)
WWE Evolve (Episode 12)
Taped in Orlando. Florida at the WWE Performance Center
Streamed May 21, 2025, on Tubi in the United States and YouTube.com internationally
Peter Rosenberg and Robert Stone provided commentary. I will reiterate what I wrote from the prior episodes — the curtains at the Performance Training Center are dropped, making the venue seem smaller and more intimate. There are only two or three rows at ringside, so we only have maybe 150 or so people present.
* A video package opened the show, showing the dominance of Harlem Lewis and Keanu Carver, in the first three months of Evolve. These two will finally meet tonight!
1. Chantel Monroe vs. Zayda Steel (w/The Vanity Project) vs. Kylie Rae vs. Aria Bennett in a four-way to earn a spot in a four-way elimination match for the inaugural WWE Evolve Women’s Title. Yes, we have a four-way to earn a spot in another four-way. Robert Stone noted that Kylie is winless in Evolve, and questioned if she deserves to be in this match. Aria and Kylie tied up in the ring as the others were on the floor. Chantel (dressed in a white one-piece) hit a top-rope crossbody block at 1:30. Stone said this is a first-pinfall-wins match, while the next women’s four-way is an elimination match.
Chantel hit a powerslam for a nearfall. Zayda hit a tornado DDT. She hit her Lungblower to Kylie’s chest for a nearfall at 3:00. Kylie hit a rolling cannonball on Zayda. Bryce Donovan hopped on the apron and distracted the ref, so the ref ejected the entire Vanity Project. Chantel hit a running Shooting Star Press on Kylie for a nearfall! Nice! Bennett hit a bulldog. Zayda tried to steal a pin; she argued with Kylie on the floor. Aria dove off the top rope onto both women on the floor. In the ring, Kylie applied a crossface on Aria, but Aria escaped. They stood up; Kylie hit a superkick to the jaw and pinned Bennett! Good action.
Kylie Rae defeated Chantel Monroe, Zayda Steel, and Aria Bennett in a four-way at 6:32 to advance to the four-way elimination match for the WWE Women’s Evolve Title.
* Wendy Choo, Kylie Rae, Kali Armstrong, and Kendal Grey will fight next week for the inaugural women’s title, and again, that one is an elimination match.
* Backstage, Keanu Carver said his feud with Harlem Lewis will end tonight. He vowed he would be the first Evolve men’s champion.
* Chuey Martinez interviewed Oro Mensah. He’s excited to be in the men’s title match.
2. Oro Mensah vs. Edris Enofe. Enofe has a long, flowing red robe; it’s a totally new look for him. Enofe hit a scoop bodyslam and a standing moonsault at 1:30. Oro slammed Edris off the apron to the floor, then he pulled Enofe back into the ring and got a nearfall. Enofe fired up and hit some clotheslines, then a spinebuster for a nearfall at 5:00. Enofe hit a second-rope clothesline, then a top-rope elbow drop for the clean pin. Solid, back-and-forth action.
Edris Enofe defeated Oro Mensah at 6:01.
* Chuey Martinez immediately interviewed Enofe at ringside. Enofe said it has been seven long months since he wrestled and he was fired up. He put over Oro. Prime Minster Stevie Turner approached him, and he seemed hesitant. However, she said he will be in the men’s four-way match for the inaugural title. She was whisked away because “something was happening in the back.” Dani Palmer had been attacked! She was down on the ground and selling a knee injury. “What the hell is going on?” Rosenberg asked.
* Backstage, Harlem Lewis was ready for his match with Carver.
* We saw footage of Dani Palmer, but also Brinley Reece last week. In both cases, the woman was attacked and left on the ground. Back at ringside, The Vanity Project came to ringside. Brad Baylor said he doesn’t care about those injured women, because the only woman anyone cares about is Zayda Steel.
3. Timothy Thatcher and Sean Legacy vs. “Swipe Right” Brad Baylor and Ricky Smokes (w/The Vanity Project). Thatcher and Baylor opened, and Timothy immediately twisted the left wrist and fingers. Thatcher stood on Smokes’ fingers and kicked out his elbow. Legacy entered at 2:00 and continued to twist Ricky’s arm. Swipe Right began chopping Thatcher in their corner, and Baylor hit a shoulder block to the ribs, and they kept Thatcher grounded. [C]
As we return, Legacy hit a dropkick on Smokes. Rosenberg was surprised that the Vanity Project hadn’t interfered yet; Stone defended them. Legacy hit a standing moonsault at 5:30. SR now began working over Sean in their corner. Legacy fired up and traded forearm strikes with Smokes. Stone criticized Legacy for not making a tag. Thatcher got the hot tag at 9:00 and he hip-tossed Smokes, then one on Baylor. He hit some European Uppercuts on Smokes. Baylor hit a neckbreaker over his knee on Legacy. Smokes hit a jumping knee to Thatcher’s jaw. SR then hit the Super Swipe (team swinging uranage) and got a clean pin on Thatcher!
Ricky Smokes and Brad Baylor defeated Sean Legacy and Timothy Thatcher at 10:14.
* Backstage, Kali Armstrong was confident as she was ready to enter the women’s four-way. She boasted about being a three-time All-American at track and field. (I’ve said it before, but she has the good qualities of a mix of Bianca Belair and Jaida Parker. She is one to watch!)
* Four women talked in their locker room. Kendal Grey was among them and she also was confident she can win.
* Next week will be a three-way with Lince Dorado vs. Jordan Oasis vs. Jackson Drake. (I knew Lince had returned as a trainer, but I’m pretty sure this will be his first televised match under the WWE umbrella in years.)
4. Keanu Carver vs. Harlem Lewis to earn a spot in a four-way elimination match for the inaugural WWE Evolve Title. The bell rang and they immediately traded punches. Carver hit a clothesline. They brawled to the floor, where Harlem whipped Keanu into the ring steps at 1:00. In the ring, Harlem stomped on Carver. Carver hit a fallaway slam. Keanu hit a Pounce that sent Harlem over the top rope to the floor, and Lewis was down at 3:00. In the ring, Lewis hit a “Boom Slam” (similar to a Jackhammer), but he sold pain in his knee.
Harlem slammed him on the thin mat at ringside, and they rolled back into the ring, where Harlem hit a standing powerbomb for a nearfall at 5:00. They got up and traded punches. Keanu hit another Pounce! He hit a swinging bodyslam, driving his weight down onto Harlem, and getting the pin. A good big-man brawl.
Keanu Carver defeated Harlem Lewis at 5:54 to advance to the four-way elimination match for the WWE Evolve Title.
Final Thoughts: A really strong episode of TV, and I was satisfied with all four matches. It will remain awkward to see so many released wrestlers appear on these episodes though. I really am curious why Keanu Carver was released — he has the size and the right look. His wrestling seems decent to me. We had a good tag win for Swipe Right, and I’m surprised they won clean. The women’s four-way was chaotic but entertaining. This episode set the record at 56 minutes, beating the record length from last week.
I still don’t think that Keanu Carver was released from the WWE, nor are there any articles that mention it whatsoever (other than going off on X over the releases). Even sites such as Cagematch and a pro wrestling Fandom, other than Wikipedia, still say that he’s in the WWE.