WWE Evolution: Star Ratings For All 7 Matches

1. Ronda Rousey Vs. Nikki Bella - RAW Women's Title Match

Charlotte Flair Becky Lynch Star Rating
WWE.com

WWE has taken a critical slaughtering at several points in 2018, but the office deserves the highest of praise for reconciling the gaping plot hole that is the very notion of Ronda Rousey in the squared circle.

Ronda is a legitimate war machine. Nikki Bella is an above-average pro wrestler. And yet, WWE laid this out to perfection.

Loathe though I am to compare Nikki to her on-off love interest - this is exactly the wrong occasion on which to define a female performer by a man - there was something John Cena-like in Nikki's performance here. Grasping the toxic sentiment of the crowd and delighting in it, she was cloying and loathsome as she gained control in the middle act, and she had to know how amateurish her pre-match shadow boxing posturing looked.

That is a major compliment.

Ronda was frightening in the early going - Nikki looked in mortal danger - but never once looked like a dipsh*t for falling into the expected 'twin magic' trap. This match followed the expected template but still commanded an atmosphere of high drama. It was very good (if sloppy), and very credible. It probably went a bit too long - Ronda is a legitimate war machine, and Nikki Bella is an above-average pro wrestler - but the athleticism required of Nikki to pull off her role in that jaw-dropping avalanche armbar spot will hopefully alert her detractors to her ability as a performer.

She just about followed that stunning Last Woman Standing match. If she was as bad as people make out, there's no way she'd have achieved that.

Star Rating: ***3/4

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 current Undisputed WWE 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!