'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Unfortunately, WWE's mantra about Evolution being a "historic" event is mostly style over substance. While the card isn't terrible, it could have been a lot more than it turned out to be. With little promotion compared to Crown Jewel, and with a mediocre card, it certainly doesn't feel "historic", much as WWE would try to present it otherwise.
The pay per view should be at least passable because of the strong matches on the card, but if WWE doesn't want it to feel like as much of an afterthought as is felt at the moment, and if it wants it to truly matter, without leaving a bad taste in the mouths of the viewing audience, it will avoid the following mistakes on Sunday.
#1 Any title changing hands
For once, Evolution feeling like an afterthought and reportedly not being considered a big deal by the company might turn out to be a good thing, because WWE usually likes to have at least one title change hands on a pay per view to make it feel like it matters.
Now isn't the time for any of the women's titles in WWE to change hands though, especially to the current crop of challengers.
Obviously, Nikki Bella shouldn't ever win a title again, much less at Ronda Rousey's expense. The chances of that are thankfully zero.
The NXT Women's Championship seems relatively safe, but the chances of it changing hands aren't insignificant. That would be a disastrous mistake however. Despite being champion for two months, Kairi Sane hasn't gotten the chance to have a proper reign.
All of the focus has still been on her opponent, Shayna Baszler. Baszler has already beaten everyone worth beating in NXT, and the division would stagnate were she to get the title back.
There are many more possibilities open with Sane on top than with another Baszler title reign, and we don't need a repeat of what we've already seen. For the sake of the division, Sane must retain on Sunday.
The SmackDown Women's Championship is the one that's likeliest to change hands, a fact which is reflected in the current betting odds. It's on a knife-edge.
Charlotte regaining the championship would be another big mistake. Becky Lynch has been on fire, and cutting her reign short so soon would be a terrible decision.
Charlotte Flair seems set to compete in the women's Royal Rumble in January anyway, so giving her the title back and cutting off Becky Lynch's momentum would be pointless, not to mention it generating more ill-will for Charlotte. Good as this program has been, it's time to move on, with Lynch solidifying her title reign.
As for the UK Women's Championship match, if it happens at all, Rhea Ripley obviously can't lose so quickly. It would certainly be a mistake to take the title from her before her championship victory even airs!
#2 The six woman tag match being pointless
WWE was rightly lampooned when this match was announced, because we've seen some variation of this match almost every week on Raw for the past six months. What was the point of having it on a pay per view, much less this one?
The hope was that the women's tag team titles would be announced in conjunction with this match, but while that possibility is still open, it doesn't appear forthcoming. If no titles are introduced, then some other element needs to be introduced to make this match mean something.
Perhaps it could be an advantage for Survivor Series of some kind, or an opportunity for a title shot or something for the Royal Rumble, but whatever it is, there needs to be some kind of stakes for this match. Otherwise, it's just a boring filler, much like the show itself has felt.
#3 Bianca Belair not winning the battle royal
What? Bianca Belair, you ask?
Well, it's probable that several NXT stars will be a part of this battle royal. A few names from the yellow brand have been announced for the show, but haven't made it on to the card yet. This is where they will likely land.
While Asuka would be the choice of most to win this match, her falling prey to the "standing tall" trope on Tuesday suggests that it won't happen. The timing is off anyway.
SmackDown's end game should be an Asuka showdown with Becky Lynch for WrestleMania. Asuka getting a title shot too early would ruin that. The Empress of Tomorrow should be the dominant superstar in the match to begin the rebuild she needs, but should fall just short of her winning it.
Bianca Belair is actually in the best position. She likes to claim she's undefeated in NXT, and eliminating the NXT women's division's former colossus would be a massive rub for her.
Belair getting a title shot is only a matter of when, not if. The problem has been that Kairi Sane's rematch with Shayna Baszler has taken so much time that its thrown the women's title match for NXT TakeOver: War Games II into confusion.
The build between Sane and Belair deserves more attention and time, so if the plan is for Belair to get her shot at War Games, this would be a way to inject the heat the build needs with so little time. Otherwise, it would be better to just hold off on Belair's title shot until TakeOver: Phoenix in January.
#4 Io Shirai winning the Mae Young Classic
Logic would indicate that Io Shirai is the ideal winner of the 2018 Mae Young Classic. She was supposed to win last year before an injury derailed her WWE ambitions. She came into the tournament with the most hype. She's also signed to a full-time deal, while Toni Storm is on a part-time UK deal.
However, the NXT women's division would be better served if she came up short.
A Toni Storm victory would legitimise the UK division as it's getting off the ground, but more than that, it would reverberate through Full Sail.
The end game for the NXT women's division should be Kairi Sane vs Io Shirai on WrestleMania weekend. Io Shirai winning the tournament would arguably speed the match up too quickly. Moreover, to make that match as big as possible, it would be best if Shirai loses.
It would be the first major incentive for Shirai to turn on her "best friend". A shocking betrayal and face vs heel dynamic between former best friends would be the best way to dramatise the match at TakeOver: Brooklyn V.
Shirai losing the tournament, and to a woman that her "best friend" defeated on her way to victory, would be a double insult, and we would be able to watch her jealousy grow over the next few months until she can't contain it anymore.
#5 The legends winning the tag team match
Critical as I've been of Alexa Bliss, it's obvious that she shouldn't lose to two legends who will soon disappear. WWE has a habit of cutting its full time talent off at the knees to its alumni, but with Alexa Bliss, this formula probably won't occur.
Alexa Bliss would be able to use the victory as bragging rights for a long time to come, which is good for the role that she's in.
It would also be fun to see Mickie James once again rack up a victory over her idol Trish Stratus. With the two of them likely to do most of the legwork in the match, shades of WrestleMania 22 will be all over the place.
This is a fine enough exhibition match, but the company needs to make sure it puts its resources into the people that are there every week.
