What if Alundra Blayze works a match at Evolution?

WWE’s all female PPV, Evolution, is approaching quickly. There’s still a good bit of the card left to be announced, but we already have legends like Trish Stratus and Lita officially announced for the show.

So what if Alundra Blayze were added to the mix?

Blayze isn’t necessarily the most natural pick. On one hand, it’s still unclear what her status is with the powers that be at WWE, whom welcomed her back for a Hall of Fame induction and a couple WWE Network specials, but have seemed lukewarm on using her otherwise. (That includes her backstage footage for the original Mae Young Classic going unaired, and having her documentary special delayed, then released to little fanfare.) On top of that, she’s fifty four years old and hasn’t been in the ring for over fifteen years.

Still, Blayze is an important figure in the history of women’s wrestling, an all time great performer, and by all appearances still in excellent physical shape. So what if she were to lace up her boots again for a match at Evolution? This article looks at five possible outcomes.

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5. One last clash with a Japanese star

Asuka could follow in the tradition of Japanese stars to clash with Blayze

Alundra Blayze came of age as a performer working in Japan against opponents who worked stiff, and in a style that was both harder hitting and more technical than most of the action in the States at the time. When she returned to the States, she spent much of her time as the featured American star battling women brought over from Japan one at time, both in WWE and WCW.

Blayze’s wars with Bull Nakano, in particular, were some of the best North American women’s wrestling of the 90s, and Blayze also had her programs with Aja Kong and Bertha Faye (a Canadian, but one who made her name in Japan). It would be fitting for Blayze to come back for this show in a match opposite a contemporary star from Japan. Given the inter-generational vibe taking shape for Evolution, a match with Asuka could be just the ticket for both women.

4. A six-woman tag

A six-woman tag could feature Blayze without over-exposing her

Given how long she has been away from the ring, there’s plenty of legitimate reason for concern about Alundra Blayze being ready to go in the ring at this point. The best compromise if she’s willing and can pass a physical, but there are still doubts, would be to plug her into a tag team, or better yet a six-woman tag. In this scenario, she could give the rub to current stars via association, work a few key spots, and remain mostly protected while she tests the waters of getting physical again.

Who to group Blayze with? There’s a budding issue between the pairs of Asuka and Naomi and The IIconics that Blayze could join in on, with another legend potentially joining Billie Kay and Peyton Royce. Alternatively, Blayze might join up with The Bellas or with Sasha Banks and Bayley against a group like The Riott Squad from the Raw side.

3. Another blast from the past

Alundra Blayze could wreslter another legend from another era

Most of Alundra Blayze’s best known rivals are over the hill, fully retired, or no longer with us, and so a straight up nostalgia match for her probably isn’t in the cards. There’s certainly potential in her working with one or more current stars who might cover for Blayze’s limitations and stand to gain from Blayze’s experience, or at least the buzz of her name value. However, there would also be potential in her working an inter-generational match against a star who peaked in a different generation or whom Blayze simply didn’t cross paths with.

The women’s Royal Rumble included a number of prospective candidates, ranging from Michelle McCool, to Ivory, to Jacqueline, to Molly Holly. Mileage will vary on how these matches would actually turn out. They could nonetheless function just fine as a relatively short spectacle of an unconventional dream match to help pop the crowd and pace the show in between more fully realized matches.

2. A garbage can spot

Can we have an Alundra Blayze match today without a trash can?

If Alundra Blayze were to work another match in a WWE ring, one would have to suspect that WWE would want to lean into the history she’s best known for. Upon her defection from WWE to WCW in the heat of the Monday Night War, Blayze infamously tossed the WWE Women’s Championship into a garbage can. While WWE may not be too overt about it, could they resist involving a garbage can in one last Blayze match?

Maybe it would be a throwaway spot in a hardcore style match (which might be best to help cover for Blayze’s age imposed limitations anyway). More likely, a garbage can could be used in more high profile fashion, delivering a finishing blow to set up a pin, or else a post match spot with Blayze dumping a heel into the trash, much like she had the title, as sort of a de facto signature spot.

1. Retirement, for good

One last match could tie the final bow on Alundra Blayze's legacy, and the story of her making amends with WWE

Alundra Blayze made no bones about hanging up her wrestling boots after WWE bought out WCW. Clearly, she knew that she had burned bridges with Vince McMahon and company when she dumped the WWE Women’s Championship in a trash can on Nitro, and had no expectations of being welcomed back into the company.

Blayze made a seamless transition to the world of monster truck driving, where she had a successful career. In accepting an induction to the WWE Hall of Fame she showed some reverence for her wrestling career, nonetheless, though, and interest in celebrating that part of her legacy. As such, it’s believable she would want to wrestle again, and if she were to do so, it makes sense that she would want to in front of the biggest audience possible.

One last WWE match would tie a fine bow on Blayze’s career, and give all parties involved one more degree of closure. On top of all other considerations, it would be poetic to see Blayze finally get to work a match in the States in front of an audience with a proper respect and appreciation for women’s wrestling.