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00:02Well, Peter, we're kicking things off with a big fight feel.
00:04The Evolve Women's Championship kicking things off tonight.
00:08Huge moment for Big Cat Keto.
00:12I remember Blake when she first showed up on Evolve.
00:15You thought, oh, cool, Nikita Lions coming from NXT.
00:18Sure, slowly but surely, she became an integral part of the women's division.
00:22You have to imagine, you would need a lot to Nikita Lions
00:25to be the face of that Evolve Women's division.
00:31Very well could have been just a quick pit stop,
00:33but we've seen the evolution of Big Cat Keto in her own right from NXT right here to Evolve.
00:38And of course, now with Sloane Jacobs by her side,
00:40she's seeking her first championship goal in the WWE.
00:44She's going to be around a very familiar show,
00:47someone that she's been in the ring with and around with nearly five years.
00:52I'm very excited.
00:53This is one of the things that I think just makes Evolve on Wednesday nights on Tubi,
00:57such a show you cannot miss,
00:59is you get to see moments like this,
01:01a savvy veteran like our champion,
01:03Champ Chu, Wendy Chu,
01:05someone who surprised the wrestling world
01:07when she claimed that Evolve Women's Championship gold.
01:11And then on the flip side,
01:13someone like Nikita Lions,
01:14someone who's been entertaining people in NXT for so long
01:16and has really upped her in-ring game since she got to Evolve.
01:21What a perfect matchup for Succession 3.
01:24And you just saw in the background of Champ Chu,
01:25you see her own evolution that she's made all throughout NXT here to Evolve,
01:29winning her first taste of gold in the WWE.
01:33Look at it, two savvy veterans right here, Peter.
01:35Something we'll certainly have to give.
01:36We've seen Wendy Chu in the past defend her title against Sloane Jacobs,
01:40who we see on the outside.
01:42But Nikita in here,
01:44take it on Wendy Chu.
01:47And of course, you see in Sloane's hand,
01:48she's got that crystal, if you will,
01:50but Nikita may be looking for some extra power here tonight.
01:53Cannot wait for this Women's Championship match.
01:57Challenger's in, champion is in.
01:59Now, let's head to Mike Rome to set the table
02:00for this Women's Championship match.
02:03The following contest scheduled for one fall
02:07One fall!
02:09Is for the Evolve Women's Championship!
02:16Introducing the challenger
02:19from Los Angeles, California,
02:22Nikita Lions!
02:31And her opponent
02:32from the city that never sleeps,
02:36she is the Evolve Women's Champion,
02:41Wendy Chu!
02:47So, Peter, here we go.
02:48Our opening contest at Succession 3
02:50Evolve Women's Championship on the line.
02:52Of course, one of the great things about Succession,
02:54both titles will be defended here tonight.
02:56Three, two, two!
03:06We go to the VIP lounge, and talk about some Evolve royalty.
03:10The first and second Evolve Women's Champion,
03:13Callie Armstrong and Kendall Gray,
03:15but looked right in the middle.
03:16Zena Sterling rubbing shoulders with some of the elite.
03:18I'm about to say, what a spot for Zena Sterling.
03:20She picks up her first win last week.
03:22Now she's sitting between Callie Armstrong
03:23and Kendall Gray at Succession 3.
03:25Getting things started here at Succession 3.
03:28Major week ahead in the WWE, of course, this Saturday night,
03:31Night of Champions, of course, this Sunday,
03:32the Great American Bash on the CW.
03:34A lot going on right here, Peter.
03:36It all starts with Succession 3.
03:38Absolutely.
03:39What a moment in time for Nikita Lions.
03:41She can absolutely change her trajectory.
03:44And can you imagine what Nikita multi-media would do on social media
03:49if she were also the champion of that, how's my followers going up?
03:52Talk about followers going up.
03:53Talk about the dances going up.
03:55Talk about the Swagoo.
03:56That's what we'd be having every single week,
03:59a heavy serving of Swagoo from Nikita Lions
04:02if she could win this title and pry it away from Wendy Chiu,
04:05which will be a tall task.
04:08If you look at the lineage of the Evolve Women's Championship,
04:10Callie Armstrong, Kendall Gray, both now full-time in NXT,
04:13and now Wendy Chiu carrying that title
04:15with veteran presence and championship experience.
04:17That tells you everything about what this championship represents
04:20and how important it is to the future of the women's division.
04:23Nice shift of momentum there by Big Cat Kida,
04:25and it could be a quick dirt nap.
04:26Great job by Nikita to roll with the momentum.
04:28She is certainly going to want to avoid that dirt nap
04:30if she looks to become Evolve Women's Champion here tonight.
04:33You know Nikita Lions is well aware at every moment
04:36that Wendy Chiu is always looking for the dirt nap
04:39or to soften you up to apply the dirt nap.
04:41Now can Nikita Lions, with that information,
04:45employ a strategy that can get her a championship.
04:47She's trying to drop some bombs right there on Nikita Lions,
04:50and of course on the outside we see the presence of Sloane Jacobs
04:52recently receiving an Evolve Women's Championship opportunity.
04:56Peter, how can Wendy counter the presence of Sloane Jacobs on the outside?
04:59Well, I think she just has to fight her match,
05:02and the neutralizing of Sloane Jacobs will be ignoring Sloane Jacobs.
05:07And not allowing herself to get distracted by anything.
05:11You have to focus on your plan,
05:14and that is, as we just mentioned,
05:16finding the opportunity to lock in the dirt nap
05:18and say night-night to Big Cat Keaton.
05:20This is the third championship defense for Wendy Chiu,
05:22her first one against Laney Luck, a hand-picked opponent.
05:24Of course, that match is ruined by Sloane Jacobs and Nikita Lions.
05:27We saw a tag team match in that one.
05:29Sloane Jacobs ended up pinning the Evolve Women's Champion,
05:32and then her second title defense successful against Sloane Jacobs.
05:35But Big Cat Keaton received the opportunity from Foreman Thatcher here at Succession 3,
05:40and Nikita looking to take full advantage, but no yam slam right here.
05:43Yeah, she looked for the yam slam early, nothing home.
05:46And you talked about Wendy Chiu getting the win over Sloane Jacobs.
05:50With all due respect to the youngster Sloane Jacobs,
05:53it's a big step up to Nikita Lions,
05:55who just physically has so many different tools in her arsenal.
05:59And Champ Chiu putting it all on the line,
06:01the cannonball to the outside, taking out the challenger.
06:06As, of course, Wendy Chiu,
06:08she's been a part of some major match-ups from NXT to Evolve,
06:11casket match-ups, last woman standing, I quit, no DQ.
06:14She's been through the rigors on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
06:16No, she absolutely has.
06:17She's done a lot.
06:18There is Sloane Jacobs getting involved.
06:20Watch out.
06:20And Sloane with the presence of that crystal.
06:23Nikita Lions, the big kick, takes out the champ.
06:27And with Nikita Lions taking down Wendy Chiu, Peter,
06:30who's walking out as Evolve Women's Champion.
06:33You should be sure.
06:34Hello, Wendy, too.
06:37On July 18th,
06:40the world's most famous arena delivers the main event.
06:48You know what time it is.
06:50You want a moment?
06:52This is always a moment.
06:55Everyone is buzzing about this spectacle.
06:58It's Saturday night's main event at the Garden,
07:01the night of Fanatics Fest NYC.
07:04Tickets on sale now.
07:08Back in action here.
07:09Succession 3 opening contest, Evolve Women's Championship on the line.
07:13Blake Howard, Peter Rosenberg, Nikita Lions challenging Wendy Chiu.
07:17And, of course, several weeks back when, of course,
07:19Wendy was able to win the Evolve Women's Championship.
07:21Here we go, nice counter.
07:23On the inside, Cradle Holy 2 right there.
07:27That Eliminator gauntlet, Wendy Chiu running the gauntlet right there.
07:31But in that matchup here, Nikita Lions playing not one, not two, but
07:34three opponents certainly looked like the favorite in that matchup.
07:37She was unbelievable.
07:38That was her best night on Evolve, no question.
07:40To me, that was when she really proved she was worthy of a championship opportunity.
07:45And what a big, big deal it would be for the trajectory of Nikita Lions.
07:50That time the Yam Slam connects, and Peter, you have to imagine that Eliminator gauntlet,
07:53the driving force with Nikita Lions right here, cover.
07:57Ricky Dierico says it's only two.
07:58You see the frustration from Sloane Jacobs on the outside.
08:00We head to the VIP section yet again, and looks like Xena Sterling likes what she sees.
08:04Yeah, and she's still basking in the glory of that win from last week.
08:07But clearly, you could hear Kendall Gray saying, come on, Wendy.
08:11And Callie Armstrong also, it seems to lead a little bit towards the direction of Wendy Chiu.
08:16And Peter, you go back to Succession One.
08:18What an incredible main event.
08:19It was Callie Armstrong, Kendall Gray for the Evolve Women Championship.
08:22A match nearly one year ago, still being talked about today.
08:26As Nikita Lions down, Wendy Chiu down.
08:28Both stars trying to get back to their feet right now.
08:30Well, that was the beginning of Kendall Gray becoming who she now is,
08:35which is one of the fastest rising stars in the world.
08:38It started right there.
08:40Indeed, of course, won that Iron Survivor shortly after that.
08:42And Peter, you talked about it right there.
08:44Evolve, where you see the stars at the ground level,
08:46just like you'll see two ID stars competing later on for the Evolve
08:49Championship.
08:50And Max Abrams and Aaron Rourke, as Wendy Chiu right now fighting back.
08:54She's certainly been behind the eight ball on this one.
08:58As Nikita Lions has brought her A-game,
09:00Irish Ripper Versal here, Nikita.
09:02There's the power for Wendy Chiu.
09:03Talk about what this match would mean for Nikita Lions.
09:06Blake, we gotta talk about what it would mean for Wendy Chiu as well.
09:08I mean, you're talking about in Callie Armstrong and
09:10particularly in Kendall Gray, just some incredible title reigns for women in the world.
09:14Wendy Chiu doesn't wanna be seen as a transitional champion here.
09:17She wants to hold this thing down for a very long time.
09:20Pivotal third title defense as Champ Chiu into the corner.
09:25Big connection as Wendy trying to build some momentum right here, bam.
09:29This is when she's at her best, when she can build that momentum and
09:32get going from corner to corner, eventually hoping to wear you out and
09:36hit you with the dirt net.
09:37Reverse neck breaker coming out of the corner, building some momentum right here is
09:40Chiu-Chiu, and right on the casket.
09:43And Nikita Lions is not only a fascinating and interesting character,
09:47strong recommendations on her Instagram follow, very funny.
09:50She's an odd bird, Nikita Lions.
09:52Marches to the beat of her own drum.
09:54That's certainly one way to put it.
09:55But in the ring, she is-
09:56Dirt nap.
09:57She's looking for it.
09:58Such a, as you see right now.
10:00Nice counter here by Wendy, rolls through.
10:02Cover.
10:03Only two.
10:03Nikita just has such an array of ways that she can get you in the ring.
10:07And Peter, she was going for that big roundhouse kick.
10:09That's been a signature of Nikita Lions.
10:11We saw that in that Eliminator gauntlet.
10:12Well scouted here by Wendy Chiu, and she's looking at a cinch in that dirt nap.
10:16Yeah, she is, and Nikita, of course, scouting well as well.
10:19She knows what Wendy Chiu is looking for.
10:22You mentioned their long history.
10:24The Evolve Universe on their feet right now.
10:26Seemingly split, maybe, between Champion and Challenger.
10:28But what a counter by Nikita Lions.
10:33And Big Cat Kita looking to send Wendy Chiu into overdrive.
10:38Here we go, cover.
10:39Hooks that outside leg in two and three quarters right there.
10:42Listen, I think the Evolve Universe has a mixed relationship with both
10:45these women.
10:46Don't forget, people had a lot of strange feelings about the sleepy psycho
10:49for a long time before Wendy Chiu went to therapy and woke up.
10:53And for Big Cat Kita, I think people have seen her do some things that they
10:55found underhanded and not great over time, including her association
10:59with Sloane Jacobs.
11:00But they're also impressed and amused by her at the same time.
11:02Well to that point, the Evolve Universe has seen the evolution of both stars
11:05one way or the other.
11:08And there's Champ Chiu looking to hit the snooze button.
11:11Man, these two really do have each other scouted.
11:13Now back for the dirt nap.
11:14And Peter, she's going back to that well one more time.
11:17Can she interlock those fingers?
11:18You see Wendy right there.
11:22I thought Nikita had it scouted and was able to get the way.
11:26She didn't, but she is able to roll out.
11:28Heads up move by Nikita Lions certainly to break the count.
11:31But she still didn't break the hold.
11:32The hold is indeed locked.
11:34And you see Kendall and Callie, they're feeling it right there.
11:37Man.
11:38As Chiu maybe connecting with those ring steps.
11:41Yeah, I think she did.
11:41I think she, on the tail end of that, caught those steel ring steps.
11:45And Peter, that could just be enough to open the door here for Nikita Lions.
11:49She could be looking for that Tiger Bomb.
11:51As you see, Sloane Jacobs shouting words of encouragement, utilizing that crystal to her advantage.
11:56Uh-oh, Big Cat's climbing, and Nikita now, maybe Big Cat a little bit of a slow cat there, you
12:04gotta speed up.
12:05Is this high risk territory, it's a big fight field, Succession 3, the Evolved Women's Championship is on the line.
12:10Both stars looking to risk it all right here, as Wendy Chiu going to rarefied air.
12:15Uh-oh, but hold on.
12:16And look at the power!
12:18Could that be it for Big Cat?
12:20The Michinoku driver from upstairs.
12:23And Nikita Lions thought that would be it, and Big Cat is stunned.
12:28Nikita Lions thought she had gold in WWE for the very first time.
12:34She was half a second away plate.
12:38Watch out, Michinoku.
12:41If you just threw on your TV, didn't know what you were getting on Tubi on this Wednesday night,
12:46and you find Succession 3, you're in the middle of an incredible championship match in our women's division.
12:51The VIP section's jacked up, the Evolved Universe is jacked up.
12:54What a counter to the Hurricane Rana, cover!
12:56And Wendy Chiu only gets two.
12:59She had that one well scouted, and Nikita Lions going for that Tiger Bomb.
13:03But of course, Nikita does have that kickboxing background, throws a big blow.
13:06Yeah, she's got fists and feet, and now she looks like she's gonna show you that athletic ability,
13:11but she's scouted again by Wendy.
13:13And Wendy, what a counter out of the corner of the Power Bomb.
13:17Gonna turn Nikita over, center of the ring, and the dirt nap is locked in again.
13:22But, Peter, this time, Big Cat Kita's got nowhere to go.
13:25Yeah, she's in the middle of the ring, but what's Sloane Jacobs doing with that championship?
13:28Out of desperation, puts that title in the ring.
13:31Now, Sloane, referee Vicky Diarco trying to get her down.
13:35Nikita's tapping, Nikita's tapping, that's it!
13:37Nikita Lions, she's had enough.
13:39Wendy Chiu should be retaining her championship here.
13:42Wendy Chiu should have retained, and now Kita finds the title that Sloane Jacobs brought in.
13:48Oh, there's Lainey Luck to even the odds.
13:50Of course, that was Wendy Chiu's tag team partner against Sloane and Nikita.
13:54But Big Cat Kita, she's got the Evolved Women's title in her hands.
13:59She's going for the home run swing.
14:00Wendy, another counter.
14:02Gonna roll up Nikita.
14:04Only gets two right there as Vicky Diarco.
14:06Well, now Vicky Diarco spots the title and is gonna get it out of the ring.
14:10As Nikita, she grabs that crystal.
14:12She's gonna try to draw some power right here, perhaps.
14:16Oh, and she's gonna go over the shoulder.
14:18Yeah, that's not drawing power, Blake.
14:20Right, right between the eyes and the roundhouse underneath the chin.
14:24Oh, no.
14:24Center of the ring.
14:25Cover, and Nikita Lions has done it.
14:34Here is your winner, and
14:36the new Evolved Women's champion, Nikita Lions.
14:48We can't say she didn't get an assist, but Peter,
14:51Nikita Lions has fulfilled her destiny.
14:55Let's see how it happened.
14:58Look at the athleticism from Nikita Lions.
15:02But Wendy Chiu scouting her often.
15:04These two knew each other so well, and you saw it throughout this matchup.
15:08The dirt nap locked into the middle of the ring.
15:11I thought that was it for Big Cat Keita, but Sloan Jacobs does the job.
15:16You see Big Cat Keita is tapping there, but guess what?
15:18Referee Vicky Diarco is looking the other direction, thanks to Sloan Jacobs.
15:22A lot of moving parts in this one.
15:23You see Lainey Luck trying to even the odds, but no such luck here for champ Chiu,
15:28as Nikita Lions goes for the big swipe.
15:30Wendy had a counter for everything Nikita threw at her,
15:33but ultimately, Peter, it was that crystal that Nikita was drawing power from all match,
15:37and that was the difference made.
15:39Well, yeah, and the power she drew from it right there
15:41was a crack right to the head of the champ, Wendy Chiu.
15:45Nikita then uses those feet and gets the three count, and as we live and breathe,
15:51the Big Cat era is officially underway here on Evolve.
15:55Through the pain and suffering, real ones always rise.
15:59Nikita Lions has persevered to her first championship,
16:02and now sits atop her throne in the Evolve Women's Division.
16:07That's how you start off Succession 3.
16:09.
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