WWE Evolution Results: 10-28-18
Results courtesy of
PWTorch.com (direct link to Keller's complete report).
(1) TRISH STRATUS & LITA vs. ALICIA FOX & MICKIE JAMES (w/Alexa Bliss)
Trish came out first. Lita second. Bliss came out onto the stage and said she knows it’s past Trish and Lita’s bed times, but turn up their hearing aids for the “true pioneers of the Women’s Evolution.” All three matched to the ring. Cole said Fox is the longest tenured women on the roster. Phoenix said she wrestled Fox in Fox’s first match way back in OVW. Fans were riled up with a loud “Lita” chant at the start. She shoved Mickie into the corner. Mickie reversed Lita, but Lita head scissored Mickie. It felt like slo-mo, but that’s understandable all things considered. Mickie tagged in Fox. Lita grabber her head for a DDT, so Fox pulled back. Lita yanked her over the top rope into the ring. Fox early bumped on a clothesline in the corner, flinging her legs up long before Mickie made contact. Stratus got on all fours and leap leaped off of her back with a clothesline on both heel opponents in the corner.
When Trish tagged in against Mickie, there was a rise in the crowd. They jawed at each other. It got intense. Mickie poked Trish’s chest. Trish forearmed her. Mickie fired back. The crowd chanted along with each strike. Trish landed a These Press and threw a barrage of punches. Mickie caught a charging Trish with a knee. Trish went for a head scissors in the corner, but Mickie tried to counter. Trish sat up and set up a top rope huracanrana, which drew a big pop. She got the first near fall of the match.
Mickie rolled to the floor to regroup with Fox and Bliss. They threatened to walk out. Trish and Lita chased them down in the aisle and threw Mickie back into the ring. Fox mistakenly kicked Mickie. Lita then set up a moonsault, but Bliss yanked her off the top rope. The referee didn’t see it, dealing with a Fox distraction. The heel duo isolated Lita for a while. Renee said, “You never know what you’re going to get with Fox, she’s got limbs all the place and come at you from all angles.” Fans loudly chanted “Let’s Go Lita!” Phoenix talked about how Lita and Trish just aren’t fully able to replicate the cardio needed in a match when training, so that’s a factor as the match progresses.
Trish eventually got a hot tag and went to work on Mickie. Trish licked her hand and slapped Mickie across her chest Mickie rolled up Trish for a near fall. Trish signaled for a Stratusfaction and delivered for a near fall. Fox was late getting in the ring for the break up of the count, so the ref just stopped counting. What a disappointment, as it deflated the crowd. The camera was focused on Mickie who yelled “Foxy!” to try to get her to hurry up. Cole wondered if she was there in time, and said, “I guess she was.” Mickie should have just kicked out before the three count. Lita hit a Twist of Fate and then landed a top rope moonsault onto both Fox and Micke. Mickie popped up like Austin Aries, but Trish kicked her right back down with a roundkick for the win.
WINNERS: Mickie & Trish in 11:00. (**)
What was Fox thinking? Geesh. Talk about living down to your reputation. It was solid. The crowd ate it up. It was clunky at spots, but overall worked. It’s just unfortunate the finish fell apart a little.
(2) BATTLE ROYAL – 20 WOMEN
Lilian introduced the rules. Then Naomi made her way out first with a full ring introduction. Then came Michelle McCool, Sonya Deville, Alundra Blayze (Phoenix called it a surreal moment for her), Carmella (they cut to R-Truth standing and yelling encouragement for her), Zelina Vega, Kelly Kelly, Tamina, Ember Moon (Cole said Braun Strowman, her Mixed Match Challenge partner, said she’s winning tonight and going on to win the gold), Lana, Maria Kanellis (they cut to Mike Kanellis with their baby in the crowd), Mandy Rose, Molly Holly, Dana Brooke, Nia Jax (during her entrance, Cole told Twitter viewers to go sign up for WWE Network now to see the rest of the event), Ivory, Asuka (they cut to a smiling Miz with Maryse cheering her on), Torrie Wilson (Renee said she does Torrie’s exercise programs and Phoenix was surprised and said she’d try it too), and finally The IIconics. They did some mic work degrading Long Island as the location for this historic event and then told the legends to enjoy these few seconds because soon it will all be over and they can get back “to doing whatever losers do with no purpose in life do.”
The IIconics entered the ring and danced obnoxiously, but were immediately ganged up on and dumped over the top rope the floor. Fans actually booed. The legends were happy with themselves, but soon found themselves surrounded by today’s wrestlers. Everyone began fighting everyone. Deville and Rose eliminated Kelly. Rose eliminated Deville. Deville was fuming mad. Rose looked like she knocked over the wedding cake by mistake. Jax eliminated Blaze. Jax eliminated Kanellis. Tamina and Jax had an intense staredown about five minutes in. They ended up working together to eliminate others rather than going after each other. They knocked everyone down, then turned back to each other. Lana got up and tried to be peacemaker. She yelled, “Happy Lana Day!” Tamina slapped her. Lana slapped her. Tamina no-sold her. When she went after Jax, Jax no-sold her. They head-butted her and then Jax threw Lana over the top rope. Jax went after Tamina next, but Asuka and Naomi went after Jax. A group of four women suplexed Tamina, Asuka, and Naomi. Renee said she can’t believe the ring didn’t just fall apart. Carmella stood mid-ring and took a dance break. She did the floss. Ivory joined in. Mandy threw Ivory over the top, but Ivory landed on the ring apron. Carmella then knocked Mandy to the floor.
The action picked up again. Tamina eliminated Naomi. It came down to Jax, Moon, Carmella, Tamina, Asuka, and Ivory. Moon lifted Carmella for a side slam, it appeared, and then spun around and lost her balance and grip. It didn’t go over well wit the crowd or announcers. Ivory leaped off the top rope and landed on Tamina. The fans chanted “You still got it!” She ate up the crowd reaction and got knocked off the top rope by Asuka. Asuka then leg whipped her over the middle rope and then knocked her to the floor with a butt-butt. The crowd yelled “NXT!” as Asuka and Moon battled. Moon threw Asuka over the top and eliminated her. Next, Tamina waited for moon to turn round, but Moon caught her boot and dove at her. Tamina caught her and then spun and slammed her. Fans loudly chanted “Let’s go Ember!” Moon landed a handspring elbow onto Tamina, then climbed to the top rope. She landed the Eclipse on Tamina next, then dumped her. It came down to Moon and Jax. Cole said they’re friends. Jax tossed Ember around. Moon came back and tried to pry Nia over the top rope with her legs. Suddenly Zelina Vega returned to the ring after apparently hanging out under the ring or at ringside, but not eliminated officially. She celebrated, but both Moon and Jax actually landed on the ring apron. Jax then grabbed her by her hair. Zelina raked her face and leaped onto her back. She choked her, but Jax flung her onto her shoulder and then pressed her above. She walked around the ring and then tossed her to the floor onto Tamina. Jax then beat up Moon for a few seconds and threw her over the top to the floor to win. They showed Ata Johnson, mother of The Rock, applauding the victory by her niece.
WINNER: Nia Jax.
That was a very good battle royal. Lots of smaller stories told throughout and a fun mix of dramatic moments near the end. Who had their money on Ivory being the legend who got the most play in the match?
(3) TONI STORM vs. IO SHIRAI (ee-oh shuh-rye)
The crowd applauded sportsmanship by Storm early. Phoenix said it might be mind games. They started slow with moves and counter-moves mid-ring. Strom opened fire with rapid-fire strikes and a basement dropkick for the first two count of the match. Cole said these two are the future off the women’s division. Storm landed a nasty looking released back suplex. Cole said she’s known for her suplexes. Storm climbed to the top rope., but Shirai springboard dropkicked her off the top rope. Shirai then landed a leaping moonsault onto Storm at ringside. Storm delivered a German suplex on Shirai onto the edge of the ring apron. Phoenix talked about that being the hardest part of the ring. Shirai came back a minute later with a series of strikes mid-ring. Storm stopped her momentum with a clothesline to stop her. Storm then hit the Storm Zero finisher for a near fall. Storm looked around disappointed as Shirai rolled to the ring apron. Shirai snapped Storm’s neck over the top rope, then hit a 619. Cole said Rey Mysterio is her hero. Shirai landed a springboard into a sunset flip for a very near fall. Shirai went for an Asai moonsault, but Storm lifted her knees. Storm then landed another Storm Zero (sitout powerbomb). Cole said Storm will be a bona fide star. “She has it all,” he said. “She has charisma, tremendous athleticism.” Renee said, “She oozes cool, too.” Cole talked up Shirai, too. Afterward, Triple H and Stephanie hugged Storm and presented her with the Trophy. (That’s a damn dangerous looking trophy, by the way. Keep that away from any household with toddlers or cats.)
WINNER: Storm in 11:00 to win the Mae Young Classic tournament. (***)
Good match. The crowd seemed to be “quietly into it,” meaning not a ton of heel/face heat but they were reacting to the moves at the points you’d want if you were the wrestlers and seemed to be respecting the competitiveness and athleticism.
(4) SASHA BANKS & BAYLEY & NATALYA vs. RIOTT SQUAD (Ruby Riott & Liv Morgan & Sarah Logan)
Phoenix talked about how loyal Riott Squad are to one another, even getting tattoos to signify their unity as a team. Renee talked up the wardrobes of the women, saying everyone was bringing it. Phoenix agreed. Few minutes in the match settled into the Squad isolating Bayley. Cole said there were times Liv growing up wasn’t sure she could go on, but she has a great outlook on life now, and that’s why her (wrestling) name is Liv. Cole said he’s had “a lot of different conversations with her” and said she’s a unique individual. Phoenix said she’s doing a great job inspiring the WWE Universe now. (How is any of this helping tell the story of the babyface team overcoming the cheating and bad attitude of the Riott Squad?) Bayley eventually hot-tagged Sasha which got a nice pop. She rallied against Ruby and scored a near fall. Sasha looked frustrated momentarily.
The Riott Squad eventually took over on Sasha, too. They caught Sasha after she flip dove over the ring apron and landed with a thud on the ring apron. Then they threw her into the ringside barricade. (WWE doesn’t have the main set with them tonight, as that’s on location where Raw is, apparently, so they actually have the old metal fence barricade up with just soft WWE banners covering them.) Eventually Banks avoided a double-team spot and tagged in Natalya. She got a nice pop as she went to work on Logan with a flurry of offense. Logan caught her with an elbow. Natalya, though, slammed Ruby onto Logan and set up a double-sharpshooter on both at once. She applied it. Liv, though, blind-tagged in and dropped Natalya to score a near fall. Bayley tagged in and hit a top rope elbow. She dove through the ropes onto Ruby and Morgan at ringside as Sasha landed an Eddie Guerrero-style frog splash mid-ring for the win.
WINNERS: Natalya & Banks & Bayley in 13:00. (**3/4)
Good match. A little formulaic to a fault in terms of isolating Bayley for a long time, then Sasha, and then the finishing sequence, but ultimately solid.
(5) KAIRI SANE vs. SHAYNA BASZLER – NXT Women’s Title match
Kayla Braxton did ring announcing for this match. The referee is NXT’s female referee Jessika Carr. Cole noted this is the first NXT Title defense on a WWE event. Renee noted #WWEEvolution was the number one trend on Twitter. A few minutes in, Baszler worked over Kairi’s arm. Young talked about Baszler and Rousey being good friends, and it comes across in their wrestling style. Kairi eventually showed some fire and they exchanged blows mid-ring. Baszler got the better of these trucking, but Sane caught her charging with a spinning backfist, which dropped Baszler. Kairi applied a submission mid-ring, but Baszler quickly escaped and then hit her damaged arm to take over again.
A few minutes later Kairi took over and signaled for a top rope move, but Baszler intervened and hung Kairi by her arm, dangling her over the top rope while she stood on the second rope. Phoenix said Baszler dropped her to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Kairi countered Baszler back in the ring with a DDT. She quickly climbed to the top rope and signaled for the Insane Elbow, but Baszler rolled to the floor. Kairi then leaped onto her with a diving body press. Jessamyn Duke grabbed at Kairi from the front row. Kairi gave her backfists, but it gave Baszler time to recover. Marina Shafir then jumped onto the ring apron and distracted Kairi. Baszler then applied her Kirifuda Clutch. Kairi flipped over and leveraged Baszler’s shoulders down for a near fall. Kairi rolled up Baszler again. When Baszler kicked out and sent Kairi into the ropes, Duke kicked her. Baszler then applied her Kirifuda Clutch for the win. Phoenix got Shafir’s name wrong on replay, calling her “Schaffer,” it sounded like. He said Baszler being joined by Shifir and Duke doesn’t bode well for the rest of the NXT roster.
WINNER: Baszler to capture the NXT Title in 12:00. (***1/2)
It seemed like a surprise when Kairi beat Baszler for the NXT Title, but if they were booking this far ahead and wanted to put heel heat on Baszler, Duke, and Shifir in this setting, it was ultimately part of a story with a payoff. The match was the best of the night so far. Lots of foundation being laid here for something later with Rousey, as the announcers talked a lot about Rousey being part of these Four Horsewomen of MMA.