WWE Evolution 2018: Analysing and grading each match
Well, it's in the books, done, finito - we've finally saw what a WWE all-women's pay-per-view looks like and history was definitely made at Evolution!
The first ever all-women's WWE pay-per-view emanated from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum as Uniondale, New York, hosted the historic event where just shy of 40 women featured on an incredible card where only female Superstars compete.
We saw the RAW and SmackDown Women's Championships defended, as well as the NXT Championship. The Mae Young Classic reached its culmination, and we saw a huge battle royal as well as the first ever Last Woman Standing Match in WWE.
One of the most incredible things about this pay-per-view was how important everything felt. Almost every match was high stakes, with every belt on the line. Even the NXT UK Women's Championship was defended in a dark match before the show.
It's also worth mentioning the production of this event - it felt very different to most other WWE pay-per-views. We had a new stage set up and metal guard rails - with cyan and magenta themed decor. This felt like WWE meeting NXT somewhere in the middle, and that just made it all the more special!
But was it a hit or a miss? I'm giving you the rundown and grading the entire card and looking at what went well and what did not.
So, Evolution was historic, but was it good? Let's find out...
Trish Stratus & Lita vs Alexa Bliss & Mickie James
Match: Talk about a really fun match to start off the pay-per-view! Even if it wasn't exactly as billed. Due to injury, Alexa Bliss would be replaced by Alicia Fox. The crowd had a huge part to play in making this match what it was - and that was a really entertaining encounter! We saw a Lita Moonsault, a Stratusfaction, and some great nostalgic moments between Trish Stratus and Mickie James. No surprises in who won, though, with Lita and Trish Stratus taking home the W.
Verdict: This, for me, was the perfect way to start the pay-per-view. Not the match I'd have chosen, but a fun one full of entertainment. Okay, maybe it wasn't THE crispest match ever, but Mickie James made Lita and Trish look like stars - and both of the Hall of Famers didn't look like they'd missed a step. A hot start to Evolution! It was a shame Bliss couldn't be a part of it, though, and it seemed like a last minute decision with Mickie James doing most of the legwork for her team.
Grade: B-