After a pro wrestling weekend log-jammed with events, including a Ring Of Honor pay-per-view on Friday night and an NXT premium live event Saturday afternoon that were such smaller potatoes in the big picture that very little attention was paid or coverage given to them, it was the Evolution pay-per-view, an all-women’s show, that concluded the weekend. This was the return of the concept after a seven-year hiatus, and while the timing seemed rather random to bring it back in 2025, there’s at least some case to be made to book the show as an annual event, if it truly fits within the parameters of the WWE calendar.
The reason being, much like I wrote about last week in terms of the build or lack thereof for the PPV, Evolution seemed more like a bridge to Summer Slam than anything else, which is probably what it should be, taking into account the revenue involved with establishing Summer Slam as a two-night event, but it also inherently took away from the overall importance of a pay-per-view that was supposed to specifically spotlight the female roster.
This unintentionally had a B-show vibe to it, specifically because of the thrown together nature of some of the matches on the card.
The show opened with a triple threat match for the Women’s Intercontinental championship, and as a match, it was very well done. Three-way bouts can be difficult to work and it becomes a task to avoid the tendency to throw someone to the floor to take a nap while the two other competitors work a conventional match. These three performers worked the stipulation into the bout in a logical manner and included it in the finish, which put more heat on Becky Lynch when she was able to sneak into the sequence to get the quick pin to retain the title. That being said, if I had to guess, Bayley was probably only added to this contest to take the pin to keep the door open for the Becky Lynch/ Lyra Valkyria rematch that was set up on Raw. In a theme that would continue throughout the night, some of the booking decisions made for this PPV were designed to boost Summer Slam, not make this a standout event.
Jayce Jayne beat Jordynne Grace to retain the NXT Women’s championship. This was a 10-minute sprint and built well in the finishing sequence. That said, the former Mariah May, Blake Monroe heel turn was extremely obvious so while the bell-to-bell action was solid, there wasn’t much drama since viewers knew that the heel turn would determine the winner. That’s not to say that Jordynne Grace needs another run with the title, and a feud against Monroe is probably a wise decision, as it gives both of them something meaningful to do on the brand, which is exactly what Monroe needs to do if she’s truly going to establish herself among the WWE landscape With the increased distribution of WWE content across different platforms as the TKO corporation looks to expand the company’s global reach and thus maximize the revenue possible from those avenues, it could be very easy for a performer to get lost in the shuffle. Given the annual releases of talent from the developmental system, it’s almost unavoidable that some performers don’t get the chance to showcase their skills. That’s why it’s important for someone like Monroe, who the WWE recruited after her tenure in All Elite Wrestling, to have a firm direction for her character in NXT.
The four-way tag team match for the women’s belts was entertaining for what it was, but it was an example of a match that was booked simply to get as many competitors on the card. Furthermore, it was only given 10 minutes for a segment that had eight wrestlers so it was rushed and didn’t get a chance to develop into anything beyond a superficial presentation. The segment had a lot of action so it was a fun viewing experience, but with the level of talent in this contest, it seems like they could’ve either done more in this match or been used in a more important role on the pay-per-view. I have to say that for a show that went almost three and a half hours, better time management could’ve given this segment a few extra minutes to allow the performers more of the spotlight. Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez retained the titles when Rodriguez got the pin, which makes sense as the office looks to continue to attempt to establish her as a star on the brand.
Speaking of time management, I’m not sure if it was kept short to cover up any potential ring rust that Trish might’ve had, even though she always seems to be ready to go when she makes a comeback, but the women’s championship match was relatively short. In fact, the video package, entrances, and introductions were literally as long as the eight-minute segment. There were some clunky moments early in the contest, and it looked like the referee was trying to tell them something so maybe there was somewhat of an audible called from backstage or something else that would’ve altered the original plan. After the rocky start, this developed into a very entertaining bout that didn’t get into second gear because they went to the finish not long after a series of good in-ring sequences. Tiffany Stratton retained the title, as she should’ve since the organization is trying to push her as a star of the future, but there should probably be a rematch since these two could have a better match if given more time to build the segment.
Jade Cargill defeated Naomi in a street fight, which was ultimately a way to set up the surprise cash-in for the main event. This was fine, but nothing too spectacular. If anything, it underscored the notion that Cargill is either still too inexperienced, hasn’t progressed enough during her time in the WWE system, or both to be ready for a top spot in the WWE. This bout was more about the time it took to set up the spots rather than working with them, and this was only a 10-minute bout so it become more of a furniture fight than anything else. It was overly choreographed, another aspect that suggest that Jade shouldn’t win the championship in just over two weeks.
Stephanie Vaquer won a battle royal to get a title shot at the Clash in Paris at the end of next month. Since that contest depends on what happens at Summer Slam, there’s not much to say about the battle royal itself. However, Vaquer seems to have the potential to be a major star so it was a smart decision to give her the victory for a title shot.
Rhea Ripley vs, Iyo Sky was a tremendous main event and a prime example of the top quality of the women’s division. There’s an argument to be made that Iyo might be the best worker in the business right now, and Ripley is also a really polished performer. There’s a reason that Ripley is one of the biggest stars in the company, and considering her age, unless there are any injuries, the future of the female division will be bright for at least the next decade. Everything they did was crisp and smooth. The match had action, drama, and built well toward the conclusion. The Naomi cash-in was a really good surprise and created for a memorable moment for the event. There still seems to be an unresolved storyline between her, Bianca, and Jade so maybe there will be some type of angle at Summer Slam.
What do you think? Share your thoughts, opinions, feedback, and anything else that was raised on Twitter @PWMania and Facebook.com/PWMania.
Until next week
-Jim LaMotta
Email [email protected] | You can follow me on Instagram, Facebook, & Threads @jimlamotta89
