WWE Evolution: The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly
Outside of WrestleMania, WWE Evolution was arguably one of the most hyped pay-per-views in wrestling history. Anchored by a media frenzy that saw the WWE's top stars on just about every major talk show on every major news outlet, Evolution was inescapable. Fueled by two stars (Nikki Bella and Ronda Rousey) that transcend sports entertainment, Evolution was also ripe for disappointment.
Never before in history have a group of athletes had such a spotlight on them. Never before had wrestlers carried such a weight on their shoulders. Never before had wrestlers far exceeded such lofty expectations.
It wasn't long ago that the WWE relegated women to the bathroom break portion of the show. Steeped in meaningless matches, the women were forced into demeaning pillow fights and lingerie dance-offs. In a recent interview with Cathy Kelley, Nikki Bella described with painstaking detail, "You’d come to TV and just be demoralized. It was like, ‘This is our worth?"
The in-ring action was an afterthought and the matches often finished within several minutes. Women weren't seen as equal to men, so much as they were viewed as a side-show to be gawked at, but never to be taken seriously. The degradation would not last forever. Through their own efforts, the women of the WWE climbed out of the muck and mire of an unfair force-fed stereotype and they did it all on their own. When the machine told them no, they succeeded anyway. When the machine demanded regression, they answered with progress. With everything set against them, the women of the WWE evolved.
Evolution highlighted every significant era of women's wrestling. Mae Young was represented in the Mae Young Classic Finals Match between Toni Storm and Io Shirai. Alundra Blayze wrestled in the Battle Royal. Trish Stratus and Mickie James opened the show. Nikki Bella passed the proverbial torch to Ronda Rousey in Evolution's stellar main event.
When the spotlight was at its brightest these women weren't blinded. They didn't succumb to the pressure they carried. Instead, they each came through in astounding ways that we will all talk about for years to come. When one tiny misstep meant a misstep for the entire evolution of women's wrestling, the women of the WWE delivered an astounding performance that far exceeded any imaginable expectations.
Join us as we break down the very best, worst, and downright ugliest moments in this special Evolution edition of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
The Good - Becky Lynch Stands Alone
Years from now when we tell our grandchildren "we were there" stories about WWE Evolution, the match that first will come to mind will be the Last Woman Standing masterpiece between Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch. In what will likely be this year's Match of the Year, the two women delivered a perfect performance.
Going into the bout there was pure utter unadulterated hatred. It was tangible. It could be felt in every Becky Lynch interview. As her voice cracked over being forgotten and passed over, you could feel Charlotte Flair's shadow dimming the lights.
These two despise each other and after years of 'being held down,' Lynch wasn't going to let anything come between her and the SmackDown Women's Championship. That included the violence she would suffer at the hands of her former best friend. Leading up to their match at Evolution, Lynch and Flair couldn't be around one another without things escalating to a physical level.
The friends turned bitter enemies event engaged in an unforgettable brawl during one of Charlotte's teaching sessions at the NXT Performance Center. Tonight's match began where the brawls left off, as these two women got right back into the swing of brutalizing one another.
On their way to mutual annihilation, Charlotte Flair hit an exquisite moonsault that sent Lynch through a table:
Charlotte wasn't finished there. She utilized a ladder she mysteriously found under the ring to execute a devastating figure eight:
Becky, however, would not be easily bested and although hobbled, eventually utilized the very same ladder to drive Charlotte through the announcer's table:
Becky covered her ex-friend with everything she could find and built a fortress of tables and chairs around Flair. No one thought Flair would make her way up to break the ten count; but, after summoning up all she had left, she did. Flair began beating Lynch with a kendo stick and then hit a devastating spear.
Still, it wasn't enough to beat Lynch, who recovered and then powerbombed Charlotte through a table. Charlotte tried with all her might; but, couldn't find the legs to make the standing ten count.
Lynch was still champion and we had just seen what will perhaps go down as the greatest women's match in wrestling history.