8 HUGE WWE Evolution Predictions You Need To Know

4. Rhea Ripley Vs. TBD

Evolution Predictions
WWE

WWE have made a mess of this.

An NXT UK Women's Championship bout was advertised in WWE's original Evolution press release, with Australian up-and-comer Rhea Ripley taking the strap via tournament victory on the brand's August tapings. Here's the problem, though: the title doesn't actually exist in kayfabe.

Ripley's win hasn't aired yet, and she has never been acknowledged as champion on television, though she has been carrying the strap around house shows and mounted numerous defences in the process.

It's a self-created problem, and one WWE could've solved weeks ago either by airing the tournament in its entirely, fast-forwarding to the final with Toni Storm, or building a highlights package on NXT UK. "Here's how Ripley won the belt. Now, watch her defend it against X." Easy.

But they didn't, and it now looks very much like the bout won't go ahead. It's on Wikipedia (at the time of writing), but not the official event page, and the company have made no further announcements on the situation. This almost certainly means that absolutely nothing is happening, even though the card could use another bout or two.

Winner: Nobody.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.