Wrestling Observer Live with Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive is back with tons to talk about including fallout from WWE WrestleMania Backlash, Charlotte, Roman Reigns’ lack of challengers, NXT 2.0 line-up, Lacey Evans and whatever the hell that was on Smackdown and tons more. A fun show as always so check it out~!
Tag: lacey evans
Speak Now: Friday wrestling fun! AEW Rampage & WWE Smackdown talk
It’s FriYAY! And it’s time for Denise Salcedo’s most chill podcast episode of the week! Tune in to hear about everything that went down on the May 6th editions of both WWE Smackdown and AEW Rampage!
The first twenty minutes of this show focuses on WWE Smackdown and the remainder of the show focuses on AEW Rampage!
Lacey Evans makes in-person return on WWE SmackDown
Lacey Evans appeared in person tonight on SmackDown following weeks of vignettes.
After the latest vignette aired tonight, ring announcer Samantha Irvin instructed the crowd to “show the proper respect” to Evans as she introduced her. Evans then appeared on the ramp and thanked people for their reaction, hugging and posing with fans.
WWE has aired five weeks of vignettes highlighting Evans’ personal life story. She has talked about growing up in an unstable, abusive household with her father. On tonight’s episode of SmackDown, Evans talked about how her father passed away from an overdose right before her WWE tryout. She also talked about another family member who overdosed outside the parking lot on the night she had her first match in NXT. She said that now it was the time for her to break the cycle. She ended the promo promising she would become the next SmackDown Women’s Champion.
Evans has been out of action since February 2021 when it was announced she was pregnant. She had started a storyline with Ric Flair, who aligned himself with Evans and had started as her manager. She was set to face Asuka for the Raw Women’s Championship at last year’s Elimination Chamber when the pregnancy was announced, putting her out of action.
Speak Now: Lots to talk about on AEW Rampage & WWE SmackDown, show recap
Join on-camera personality Denise Salcedo as she breaks down two very newsworthy episodes of WWE Smackdown and AEW Rampage. On the WWE side of things, we have some call-ups and name changes, and on the AEW side of things, we had a major main event between Jon Moxley and Wheeler Yuta. This is a very fun episode of Speak Now Pro Wrestling.
Lacey Evans returns to WWE SmackDown, cuts babyface promo
A member of the women’s division made her return to WWE television on the WrestleMania 38 fallout edition of SmackDown.
After being away for more than a year, Lacey Evans returned to WWE TV on SmackDown tonight. She cut a babyface promo about the adversity she’s overcome to get to where she is today.
The Story of Lacey Evans.
@LaceyEvansWWE | #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/7RtdlADIli
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) April 9, 2022
Evans spoke about having a rough upbringing due to her father struggling with mental health and addiction issues. Evans said the physical, emotional, and mental abuse got to be too much for her mother to take and watch. Her mother loaded their stuff up and picked the kids up from school — and they left without Evans’ father knowing.
Evans said she spent much of the rest of her life moving around to different shelters and campgrounds. Moving around made her learn that she could either adapt and overcome or give up. Evans said she refused to give up.
Evans said what she had to go through made her the woman she is today: a motivated, ready for anything, confident, and caring mother, wife, sister, daughter, United States Marine, and WWE Superstar. While that doesn’t make her better than anyone else on the roster — Evans said they damn sure aren’t better than her.
This was chapter one of Evans’ story. Her story will continue on SmackDown next Friday.
In February 2021, Evans announced that she was pregnant with her second child. She was involved in a storyline with Ric Flair and Charlotte Flair on Raw at the time.
Evans gave birth to a baby girl last October.
Lacey Evans reportedly returning to WWE TV, potential NXT call-ups
Lacey Evans is expected back in WWE shortly and there are several names from NXT who could be called up to the main roster in the near future.
According to a report from PW Insider, Evans is slated to attend Friday’s SmackDown in Milwaukee. She has been away from the company since announcing her pregnancy during the February 15, 2021 edition of WWE Raw. At the time, she was involved in a storyline where she was aligned with Ric Flair and feuding with Charlotte Flair.
Evans announced the birth of her second daughter on October 16, 2021.
According to a report from Fightful Select, numerous NXT talents have been pitched for potential call-ups to the main roster. Gunther and Marcel Barthel from Imperium have been discussed as possibly heading to Smackdown. Fabian Aichner, who walked out on Barthel in a match against the Creed Brothers this week, is not expected to be called up along with them.
Raquel Gonzalez is also believed to be heading to the main roster. Her and Dakota Kai dropped the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships to Toxic Attraction on Tuesday’s show.
LA Knight’s name has been discussed as possibly being called up to Raw or SmackDown as well, although his situation is said to be less certain than the others. There has also been talk of him being used as a manager.
WWE’s Lacey Evans welcomes birth of second child
WWE’s Lacey Evans (real name Macey Estrella) and her husband Alfonso have welcomed their second child into the world.
In an Instagram post on Saturday, Evans announced that she gave birth this morning at 4:20 a.m. The baby is a girl and weighs seven pounds and eight ounces.
Evans wrote that, because COVID-related restrictions would have meant that her family couldn’t fully participate in welcoming the baby if she gave birth at a hospital, she chose to have a home birth:
I found out shortly after getting pregnant that due to covid my family wouldn’t get to fully be apart of welcoming our second child into the world. My daughter wouldn’t be allowed in the hospital at all and my husband would have many restrictions. I couldn’t imagine my Lil lady missing it. I couldn’t imagine the limitations and the birthing experience we would be left with……so home it was. Born 4:20am in my recliner. 7lbs 8oz. With my Lil lady and husband by my side the entire time.
I got to see her reaction. I got to watch his smile. It was one of the hardest yet most rewarding things I’ve ever done and She is perfect. I’m going to take a nap now
Evans announced her pregnancy on the February 15 episode of Raw. At the time, she was aligned with Ric Flair on WWE television and feuding with Charlotte Flair. Evans was scheduled to challenge Asuka for the Raw Women’s Championship at February’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view, but she was removed from the match after announcing her pregnancy.
WWE’s Lacey Evans reveals baby’s gender
WWE’s Lacey Evans will be welcoming a baby girl.
Evans, real name Macey Estrella-Kadlec, took to Instagram to post photos from the gender reveal party.
Evans wrote in the photo caption:
“My Lil lady will now have the best side kick, best friend and best bond a woman could ask for. A sister! And I can’t wait to teach them what true love, support and family really means and feels like! #BabyEstrella2 #LilLady #Family”
The new baby girl will be Evans and husband Alfonso’s second child. Their daughter Summer has been featured on WWE programming, most notably on the December 20, 2019 SmackDown, when Evans took on Sasha Banks.
Evans was involved in a storyline pitting Charlotte Flair against Ric Flair on WWE Raw earlier this year. Evans announced her pregnancy on the February 15 edition of the show.
It was implied in storyline that Ric Flair might be the child’s father, a notion that Ric put to rest in a segment with Charlotte when the plug was pulled on the angle on the February 22 Raw.
Evans has not revealed her expected due date.
Lacey Evans pregnant, out of WWE Raw Women’s title match
Lacey Evans is actually pregnant in real life, aligning with a storyline on Monday’s WWE Raw where she announced the pregnancy and implied Ric Flair is the father.
As a result, Evans is out of Sunday’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view where she was scheduled to face Asuka for the Raw Women’s title.
Wrestling Inc was the first to report the news with PWInsider also reporting it.
On Raw, Evans and Peyton Royce faced Charlotte Flair and Asuka in a tag team match. Evans avoided Flair during the entire match and when Royce forced Evans in with a tag, she bailed and left the ringside area. She then revealed that she was pregnant.
Evans and Flair have been feuding ever since Ric Flair turned on Charlotte and joined forces with Evans. The two have frequently interfered in Charlotte’s matches since then, including at the Royal Rumble pre-show where the two cost Charlotte and Asuka the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles.
Evans, 30, is married and has one daughter, Summer, who has appeared on WWE TV in the past.
Raw Women’s title match set for WWE Elimination Chamber
Lacey Evans is getting a shot at the Raw Women’s Championship.
WWE has announced that Asuka will defend her Raw Women’s Championship against Evans at this month’s Elimination Chamber pay-per-view. Evans got the title shot by defeating Charlotte Flair by disqualification on Raw tonight.
Evans is aligned with Ric Flair on WWE television, with the two of them feuding with Charlotte. Evans appeared with Ric on Raw tonight and took part in a face-to-face segment with Charlotte. The segment ended with Evans telling Charlotte that Ric had heard from WWE officials that Evans would get a Raw Women’s Championship shot if she defeated Charlotte in a match. Charlotte wanted to have the match right then, but Evans gave Charlotte a cheap shot with a microphone and threw her into the steel steps before accepting.
Evans defeated Charlotte by disqualification in their match when Charlotte wouldn’t stop attacking Evans in the corner and shoved the referee.
Asuka & Charlotte lost the Women’s Tag Team titles to Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler on the Royal Rumble pre-show after Evans and Ric Flair got involved and Evans struck Charlotte with a foreign object. Charlotte then walked out on Asuka during a tag match on Raw last week after Evans and Ric started to come out to the ring.
Asuka has been Raw Women’s Champion since August of last year.
Elimination Chamber is taking place on Sunday, February 21. Here’s the updated card for the PPV:
- WWE Champion Drew McIntyre defends against Randy Orton, Jeff Hardy, AJ Styles, The Miz, and Sheamus in an Elimination Chamber match
- Raw Women’s Champion Asuka defends against Lacey Evans
Charlotte Flair and Lacey Evans face-to-face set for WWE Raw
A face-to-face confrontation between Charlotte Flair and Lacey Evans has been announced for this Monday’s episode of Raw.
“The budding entanglement between Lacey Evans and Ric Flair has been a thorn in the side of Charlotte Flair,” WWE.com wrote. “The time for games is over Monday night as Charlotte and Lacey will meet face-to-face Monday night on Raw.”
The duo of Evans and Ric Flair have continually distracted Charlotte during her matches in recent weeks. They came out during Charlotte’s match last week on Raw, leading Charlotte to walk out of the match. Charlotte’s tag team partner Asuka, confused, immediately came in and took the pin after Naomi, who teamed with Lana in the triple threat tag match that also included Mandy Rose & Dana Brooke, picked up the win with the Rear View, becoming the new number one contenders to Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler’s Women’s Tag Team titles.
Charlotte & Asuka lost the Women’s Tag Team titles during last Sunday’s Royal Rumble pre-show after interference by Evans and Ric Flair. They both came out during the match and, during a distraction, Ric gave Evans an object that she used to strike Charlotte. That allowed Jax & Baszler to pick up the win.
Also announced for this week’s Raw is a non-title match between WWE Champion Drew McIntyre and Randy Orton.
Evans & Royce replacing Rose & Brooke at WWE Survivor Series
A couple of changes have been made to Raw’s Survivor Series women’s team.
On tonight’s episode of Raw, Mandy Rose and Dana Brooke were both removed from Raw’s women’s team for Survivor Series. They’re being replaced by Lacey Evans and Peyton Royce. Evans and Royce will team with Shayna Baszler, Nia Jax, and Lana at Sunday’s pay-per-view.
Rose, Brooke & Asuka faced Baszler, Jax & Lana in a six-woman tag match on tonight’s Raw. There was a spot near the beginning of the match where Rose was taken out after Baszler stomped her arm into the steel steps. Rose had kinesio tape on her shoulder going into the match. Asuka won the match for her team when she submitted Lana with the Asuka Lock. Prior to that, Lana had tagged herself in when Baszler was locking the Kirifuda Clutch on Asuka.
There was then an angle where Reckoning (Mia Yim) of RETRIBUTION attacked Brooke backstage as Brooke was being interviewed about Rose’s status.
Adam Pearce announced later on tonight’s Raw that Evans and Royce are replacing Rose and Brooke at Survivor Series due to Rose and Brooke being unable to compete at the PPV.
There are still two spots left on Team SmackDown for their five-on-five traditional Survivor Series elimination match against Baszler, Jax, Lana, Evans & Royce. Bianca Belair, Ruby Riott & Liv Morgan have qualified for Team SmackDown thus far.
Here’s the updated card for Survivor Series:
- The Undertaker will appear for his “Final Farewell”
- Non-title champion vs. champion match: WWE Champion Drew McIntyre vs. Universal Champion Roman Reigns
- Non-title champion vs. champion match: Raw Women’s Champion Asuka vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks
- Non-title champion vs. champion match: Raw Tag Team Champions The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)
- Non-title champion vs. champion match: United States Champion Bobby Lashley vs. Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn
- Men’s five-on-five Survivor Series elimination match: Team Raw (AJ Styles, Keith Lee, Sheamus, Braun Strowman & Riddle) vs. Team SmackDown (Kevin Owens, Jey Uso, Baron Corbin, Seth Rollins, and one wrestler to be announced)
- Women’s five-on-five Survivor Series elimination match: Team Raw (Shayna Baszler, Nia Jax, Lana, Lacey Evans & Peyton Royce) vs. Team SmackDown (Bianca Belair, Ruby Riott, Liv Morgan and two wrestlers to be announced)
Two matches, Roman Reigns interview set for WWE SmackDown
WWE has made a few announcements for SmackDown’s Clash of Champions go-home show.
Intercontinental Champion Jeff Hardy will face Sami Zayn in a non-title match on SmackDown this Friday. The match comes in advance of Hardy defending his title against Zayn and AJ Styles in a triple threat ladder match at Sunday’s Clash of Champions pay-per-view.
Alexa Bliss vs. Lacey Evans will also take place on this Friday’s SmackDown. Nikki Cross defeated Evans on SmackDown last week. After the match, Bliss went into a trance when Evans mentioned The Fiend. Bliss laid out Evans by hitting Sister Abigail outside of the ring.
Cross is challenging for Bayley’s SmackDown Women’s Championship at Clash of Champions.
Ahead of his Universal Championship defense against Jey Uso at Clash of Champions, Roman Reigns will take part in an in-ring interview on Friday’s SmackDown. Reigns will “share his side of the story on his relationship with Jey Uso before their Universal title match.” Reigns & Uso have defeated Baron Corbin & Sheamus in tag matches on SmackDown each of the past two weeks, but there’s been tension between Reigns and Uso after both matches.
Otis-Mandy appearance, Naomi vs. Evans set for WWE SmackDown
After being away for several weeks, Otis & Mandy Rose will return to SmackDown next week.
A video package aired tonight showing the ‘love story’ between Otis and Mandy, highlighting a number of segments from the past. The announcers then acknowledged that the storyline couple will appear on the show next week.
Otis last wrestled on the June 12 episode of SmackDown, teaming with tag team partner Tucker & Braun Strowman, defeating Dolph Ziggler, John Morrison, and The Miz. Ziggler has since moved to Raw.
Additionally, Naomi will face Lacey Evans. The two have been at odds in recent weeks after Evans jumped Naomi during a karaoke competition. The two got confrontational again this week, with Naomi slapping Evans as she was applying lipstick, leaving Evan’s face a mess.
Two title matches have been announced for next week’s SmackDown: Bayley vs. Nikki Cross for the SmackDown women’s title, and AJ Styles vs. Gran Metalik for the Intercontinental title.
Moment of Bliss segment, Deville vs. Evans set for WWE SmackDown
Two sets of tag team champions are set to take part in a segment together on tonight’s SmackDown.
In an email promoting the show, WWE announced that a “Tag Team Champion Summit” edition of A Moment of Bliss with The New Day as the guests will air on tonight’s SmackDown. The New Day are the SmackDown Tag Team Champions, while Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross hold the Women’s Tag Team titles.
Bliss & Cross are currently feuding with The IIconics. The New Day retained their titles against The Lucha House Party, The Forgotten Sons, and The Miz & John Morrison in a fatal four-way match at Money in the Bank earlier this month.
Sonya Deville vs. Lacey Evans has also been announced for tonight’s SmackDown. The two went back and forth on Twitter earlier this week.
Deville & Dolph Ziggler defeated Mandy Rose & Otis on SmackDown last Friday.
Both semifinal matches in WWE’s Intercontinental title tournament will also air on SmackDown tonight. They are Daniel Bryan vs. Jeff Hardy and AJ Styles vs. Elias.