10 Biggest WWE Creative Success Stories Of 2018
7. Evolution (Pay-Per-View)
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.