WWE Evolution: Star Ratings For All 7 Matches

7. Trish Stratus & Lita Vs. Alicia Fox & Mickie James

That crowd was something to behold. High on nostalgia, they provided a fabulous atmosphere for a match that never really aimed for a star rating.

Lita looked ropy - there's no disguising that - but, in stark contrast to certain other part-time performers we've suffered through recently, never veered into embarrassment territory. Her work didn't look smooth, but it did receive a booming reaction, and made for a heartwarming moment. Lita's initial WWE exit was absolutely rancid stuff, regressive even by the dire standards of the time. She doesn't still have "it", but she has retained the respect of the crowd.

Trish Stratus, however, is evergreen. Her sequence with famous rival Mickie James was stirring stuff, and the dexterity required to pull off the Frankensteiner spot was deeply impressive irrespective of age. Stratus is lionised in WWE canon, and with good reason, on this evidence. She didn't just receive respectful "You've still got it" chants; in dialling up the heat with a stern exchange of words, teasing dangerous bumps, unloading forearms, and assaulting Mickie with her athletic arsenal, she elicited anxiety and euphoria to bring the noise.

More nice than fire, this opener sung, nonetheless.

Star Rating: **3/4