10 Biggest WWE Creative Success Stories Of 2018

7. Evolution (Pay-Per-View)

Ronda Rousey Hell In A Cell
WWE.com

A night boasting as much triumph as quality, Evolution, per a deeply cynical pitch everybody forgave as the show faded to black, saw WWE temporarily turn babyface. They did so by presenting an eclectic, impeccably-paced card of often incredible in-ring action.

They didn't actively strive to piss everybody off, but rather did the opposite.

A sloppy opener nonetheless had fans drooling as a result of its perfect duration and subverted nostalgia pitch. Lita and Trish Stratus opened the door to a great card with just one - one! - dismal booking decision. Nia Jax won the Battle Royal, and injured somebody because of course she did, but from that point forward, the show became a celebration of all that is wonderful about pro wrestling. Toni Storm and Io Shirai wrestled an urgent Mae Young Classic final hinged on competition; Kairi Sane and Shayna Baszler nearly perfected the babyface versus heel dynamic; in an era of diluted, constant stipulation bouts, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair brought a palpable hatred to their classic Last Man Standing match...

And, in the end, Ronda Rousey did what Ronda Rousey just does: she entered an awesome shift irrespective of her opponent. Bur fair's fair: Nikki Bella performed her slimy heel role very well in a match that formalised the paradigm shift from aesthetics to legitimacy.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and surefire Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!