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In less than a week, WWE will present their first ever all-women's pay-per-view, Evolution. This truly will be a historic show, a huge step forward for the women of WWE. While the card is not as inspiring as it probably should be, there is still a host of really good matches on the show. The inclusion of NXT superstars has buffed up the card and could help Evolution be one of the best shows this year.
Currently, there are eight matches scheduled for the show with the talent pool ranging from current main roster stars to the great wrestling females of the past, to the future stars from NXT and the Mae Young Classic. It has been stacked with some potential classics and unforgettable moments. Surely WWE would want to go all chips in for a show as big as this. They will want to make this an event nobody will forget.
The build to the show has not been that great, with little being promoted on WWE TV beyond the championship matches and the tag team match on Raw. One could even say it has been lazy, with most of the roster being part of a battle royal. However, when it is all said and done, Evolution will surely be a rousing success thanks to the phenomenal in-ring talent on display. This is the women's' chance to show what they've got and they will surely deliver, but what will happen when it all goes down in Long Island?
Here are four bold predictions for WWE Evolution.
#4 Asuka will win the Women's Battle Royal
Booking a battle royal is not always the worst thing but considering the talent in the Women's Battle Royal, WWE really could have been much more creative. The likes of Asuka, Ember Moon, and Naomi among others have all been lumped together in this match alongside the lower card of the women's division and a host of returning Divas. This match is the one that epitomizes the laziness of WWE in the build to such a monumental event. Surely you would expect bigger matches for some of the wrestlers in the match.
Asuka, in particular, has been hard done by with this booking. At the start of the year, she was looking like a killer every week on Raw and won the first-ever women's Royal Rumble Match. Ever since the end of her historic winning streak to Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania, the Empress has been misused and normalized on Smackdown. The two defeats to Carmella going into the summer were depressingly damaging for Asuka as she now finds herself languishing in the mid-card of the Blue brand. A performer like her should be given the ball to run with it, similar to Becky Lynch right now.
But now since she is in this match, Asuka has to win the Battle Royal at Evolution. She is the one who is most out of place in the match and that must be rectified. Also, the feud between Becky and Charlotte cannot go on forever. Smackdown needs credible contenders to challenge whoever comes out of the Last Woman Standing Match victorious. It is time to rebuild Asuka and there is no better way to do that than to put her back in the title scene, this time with a much better opponent. She is the one who desperately needs the victory more than anyone.
#3 We will see the debut of the Women's Tag Team Championship
This is a moment that is extremely likely to happen, one that will signify just how far the females have come in the WWE. The introduction of the Women's Tag Team Championship has been rumored for months now and Evolution is the perfect time for it to come to fruition. As usual, it would be Stephanie McMahon who comes out and makes the announcement, but it could kickstart a new division across the entire WWE board. These titles should be the only ones to float between brands, from Raw and Smackdown to NXT and NXT UK.
The amount of female talent in the WWE bracket is at an all-time high and they need to capitalize on this by throwing them more titles to win. A lot of women who are currently scheduled in other matches, the battle royal, in particular, could potentially win the Tag Team titles and would be better utilized in this scenario. The great thing about this is that WWE has options on how do they want to present this. They could crown the first-ever champions immediately, in an impromptu match following a mid-show segment.
Another route WWE could go, and possibly a better one, is to have a tournament culminating at Survivor Series. It would make the titles feel big instantly. Also, we don't get enough tournaments in WWE at all. Some of the best candidates to be the inaugural female tag champs are the IIconics, the Riott Squad and since they don't look to be feuding anytime soon, Sasha Banks and Bayley. Perhaps this is the vehicle that drives the rift between the two. Anyway, however WWE chooses to book these titles, it would surely be a historic moment if they are indeed sanctioned.
#2 Shayna Baszler will regain the NXT Women's Championship with some help
At NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 4, Kairi Sane shocked everyone when she pinned Shayna Baszler to become the NXT Women's Champion. Their rematch is set for Evolution, with many expecting the Pirate Princess to pick up the win and move on. But where does that leave Shayna? Sure, she is certainly ready to debut on the main roster, but her story in NXT is not done yet. Not when she has a couple of friends lurking in the background. The Queen of Spades is part of the MMA's Four Horsewomen, alongside Ronda Rousey, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir.
The latter two are currently signed to NXT and are training at the Performance Center. They are yet to make their televised debuts, which makes the possibility for a huge surprise on Sunday. This would be the biggest possible way to make an impact for both Duke and Shafir, by interfering in the NXT Women's title match and helping Baszler dethrone Sane. It could help reinvigorate the heel side on NXT and get a few more months of interesting storytelling with Baszler on the yellow brand before she inevitably moves up to the main roster.
While it may be better to see Sane retain the title, this would create a buzz and a shock worthy of an event of this significance. It is also possible that this is Baszler's NXT swansong, but WWE is known to have spiced things up a lot in the past. This is a scenario they could do so again. The three would be a dominant force in NXT's female division, reigning supreme until probably WrestleMania weekend. It surely is a compelling story and would give both Duke and Shafir a major rub immediately.
#1 Becky Lynch will remain the Smackdown Women's Champion
Becky Lynch is on the run of her life, stealing the show every single week as the Smackdown Women's Champion. She has been a consistent highlight on the Blue brand ever since turning heel on Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam. It is refreshing to see a previously underutilized talent being given the ball to run and succeeding in it. This is how stars are made. The Irish Lass Kicker will defend her title against Charlotte at Evolution, in a potentially feud-closing Last Woman Standing match.
These two will surely steal the show, or at least come very close in doing so, with the stipulation in place. The rivalry has flown at a fantastic pace, with their latest segment on Smackdown being a pre-recorded brawl at the Performance Center. Becky is incredibly over and having earned all of her success, she should continue to lead the Smackdown women's division. However, there have been reports of her working with an injured jaw. This should ideally not deter the momentum she has earned so far. While it might be a safe choice to put the belt on Charlotte, Becky's run needs to continue.
Provided her injury is not that bad, the Irish Lass Kicker will likely retain her title after a hellacious and brutal encounter, one that should define the rise of Becky Lynch. The Queen would not have to look weak, as she will not be pinned. WWE has all the reasons to keep the title on the Champ and they need to do it. With Charlotte expected to face Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania, she doesn't even need to hold the Smackdown title. After this, we could build to a tasty dream match between Becky and Asuka. There is a lot of potential in the women's division now, WWE just needs to utilize it correctly.
