10 WWE PPVs That Changed EVERYTHING
Evolution was a home run, but will it have the same impact as these groundbreaking PPVs?
The near-universal critical acclaim showered upon WWE's first ever all-women pay-per-view, Evolution, was entirely merited, with the company's top female performers knocking it out of the park on their big night, beating the Royal Rumble into second place to become the clubhouse leader in the race for main roster show of the year.
It was a special evening. More than a mere collection of great matches, it felt like the next major step forward in WWE's ongoing Revolution, though most viewers probably could've done without the endless stream of video packages hammering that point home. Nonetheless, Evolution far exceeded its lukewarm build, with even its least anticipated bouts offering something fun, and Triple H's NXT-style production giving it a different feel to any other non-developmental show in 2018.
But while Evolution should bring a paradigm shift, it's far too early to call this a game-changing show, and even longer before it joins the ranks of the most transformative events in WWE history.
These nights laid blueprints that the company would build from for years to come, with many still in full effect today. Let's see the historic women's pay-per-view forges a similar legacy...
10. WrestleMania XXX
Comfortably the most positive thing to come out of WrestleMania XXX was Daniel Bryan's ascension, with the beloved wrestling folk hero first overcoming his oppressive boss, Triple H, in the opener, before advancing to the main event where a rousing babyface performance saw him finally crowned his company's undisputed top guy.
But this moment alone isn't enough. It was huge, but Bryan was stripped of his belt soon after, as the string of physical problems that necessitated his temporary retirement prevented any significant follow-up. Though iconic, it was in no way transformative.
Brock Lesnar's upset of The Undertaker was, however, and changed both the complexion of WWE's main event scene and their trademark PPV immediately. Installed as the star of the company, 'The Beast' took 'The Deadman's' special attraction status, ran with it, and used the 21-1 moment as a springboard towards greater dominance. As for 'Taker, the crowd's stunned response said everything that needed to be said about the significance of his loss.
Though Undertaker vs. Lesnar was far from a classic, none of 'The Phenom's' subsequent 'Mania bouts have surpassed it. It was the end, not only of his legendary streak, but also his run of guaranteed 'Show Of Shows' classics.