WWE
WWE Evolution 2018 Final Results and Grading
History has been made! WWE Evolution 2018 is a night many will remember for years to come. Legends returned, battles were fought, but how good is this year’s all women’s pay-per-view? Let’s find out.
Trish Stratus & Lita def. Mickie James & Alicia Fox w/ Alexa Bliss via pinfall
Final Grade: B
What a perfect way to start out WWE Evolution 2018! Trish and Lita are making it clear they haven’t lost their touch. Trish and Mickie rekindled their old rivalry; Lita can still hit a moonsault like no other woman; Alicia Fox is still borderline insane.
Even though Alexa Bliss was unable to compete, she was still utilized someway in the match.
All in all, great kickoff to Evolution.
Winner Receives a Championship Match: 20-Woman Battle Royal: Nia Jax prevails
Final Grade: A-
A battle royal never gets old. The return of some of the fans’ favorite legends and the new class of Superstars imploded for a very entertaining war.
We saw standoffs we never thought would happen. Carmella and Ivory paused the match for a dance break. Tamina and Nia Jax faced off once again. Zelin Vega, who was thought to be eliminated, almost won the match for herself. The IIconics, as annoying as ever, were eliminated almost instantly by every other Superstar in the match.
In the end, it came down to Ember Moon and Nia Jax. Ember fought hard but it was “The Irresistible Force” that outlasted nineteen other women.
2018 Mae Young Classic Finals: Toni Storm def. Io Sharai via pinfall
Final Grade: A
This match, much like the rest of this year’s Mae Young Classic, was phenomenal. Toni and Io deserve the spotlight they have clearly worked hard to get to.
Io kicked out of Storm Zero. Toni blocked the moonsault. But after a hard-fought battle, Toni won with one more Storm Zero for the pinfall win.
Boss N’ Hug Connection & Natalya def. The Riott Squad via pinfall
Final Grade: C+
The one word I give Sasha’s butchering of the Frog Splash: Horrible.
Other than that, it was a relatively good match. It felt thrown together at the last minute, but each woman showcased their skills as best as they could. The Riott Squad utilized their familiarity with each other to outsmart their opponents from time to time. But, in the end, it was Bayley, Sasha, and Natalya for the win after a combination of their finishing moves.
(NXT Women’s Championship) Shayna Baszler def. Kairi Sane via submission to win the title
Final Grade: B
This match mirrored their bout at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4. But this time the roles were flipped.
Shayna remained a ruthless brawler seeking to destroy her opposition. With help from her fellow UFC Four Horsewomen, Shayna locked in her rear naked choke until Kairi passed out.
(SmackDown Women’s Championship) Last Woman Standing: Becky Lynch def. Charlotte Flair to retain
Final Grade: A+
The culmination (we hope) of a personal rivalry. Honestly, there is no better way to end it.
Becky and Charlotte should’ve closed out the show. Though this was second to last, this match was the main event. Tables, chairs, ladders, kendo sticks, desk chairs, and the steel steps were thrown together by both women to maim each other. Their blood feud couldn’t be settled with a simple singles match. It had to be Last Woman Standing.
Both Becky and Charlotte pulled out all stops to declare themselves the best on SmackDown Live. In the end, after a powerbomb from the top rope, Becky Lynch retained her title. And, in the process, walked away with another great match in their unforgettable rivalry.
(RAW Women’s Championship) Ronda Rousey def. Nikki Bella w/ Brie Bella via submission to retain
Final Grade: D
Every other match on this card did a great job utilizing each woman’s strengths to make a great match. This match didn’t do that.
Of all the people on the roster, Nikki Bella was the one able to hold her own against Ronda Rousey? Not Nia Jax, The Riott Squad, or Alexa Bliss. Nikki Bella is the one who almost tamed the “rowdy one”. Nikki Bella, a diva, almost beat the RAW Women’s Champion at her own game. It was mainly because Ronda got cocky at times. But this really shouldn’t have been that close.
Twin Magic couldn’t save Nikki this time. Ronda hit a double spinning Samoan drop on both sisters. After a brief armbar, Nikki tapped out to give Ronda the win.
This match should not have been the main event. It felt slow-paced and went about three times longer than it should’ve.
Overall WWE Evolution 2018 Final Grade: B
Evolution did not disappoint. There were some strange moments and a questionable lineup, but it was better than most people expected. Maybe there will be a 2019 sequel.
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