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Well, it's only a matter of days away.
On Sunday, October 28th, history will be made when Evolution takes place. The first ever WWE all-women's pay-per-view is set to emanate from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum this Sunday when Uniondale, New York, hosts the historic event.
Over 50 female Superstars are set to feature on a card where only female Superstars compete and, needless to say, such a monumental event calls for a celebration of women's wrestling and the progress that's been made. We'll see the past, present and future of women's wrestling on the card as WWE tells the story of just how much wrestling has evolved over the years when it comes to the equal role women can play in the industry.
The card is already stacked, with every WWE Women's Championship being defended, a number one contender's spot up for grabs, as well as some monumental returns to the ring and WWE's first ever Last Woman Standing Match.
With such a huge event just days away, I'm here to run you through the card, previewing every match and giving a rundown of what match might happen when, how long each match will last, and who will emerge victorious!
Number One Contender's Battle Royal
WWE announced two weeks ago on RAW that there would be a Women's Battle Royal at Evolution to...shall we say a mixed reception?
While this match will obviously get a lot of talent on the card and provide a nice platform for Superstars who may have otherwise not been involved, there have been calls to say that certain talents are being 'wasted' in the match.
My first prediction is that this match will go on first. I don't think there's going to be a match on the kick-off show as I believe we'll see a fair amount of VTs and build-up, especially with a 'red carpet' announced. Otherwise, this match would go on second, thus being first on the main show.
Let's assume all the matches are on the main show, though. This match sees past meet present with Asuka, Ember Moon, Tamina, Nia Jax, Naomi, Carmella, Dana Brooke, Sonya Deville, Mandy Rose, Zelina Vega, Lana, Peyton Royce, Billie Kay and Alicia Fox joined by a returning Maria Kanellis, as well as former stars and legends such as Kelly Kelly, Michelle McCool, Ivory, Molly Holly, Alundra Blayze and Torrie Wilson.
The winner of this match receives a shot at one of the Women's Titles, too, so we're starting off with high stakes!
My prediction: Well, this is obviously the most difficult match to call of the night. There's no-one really flying into this with incredible momentum.
Over-the-top rope matches can be a bit awkward at times anyway, especially with mainly smaller competitors, so I think that puts two women directly into the final four of this match, handling a lot of the eliminations.
The obvious choice is probably Asuka, but I think WWE will go with someone new. A huge shock would be a WWE legend winning the match and setting up a short run for themselves - but I'm going to say Ember Moon takes this one! I'll even go a step further and say the final four will be Moon, Tamina, Nia Jax and Asuka, with Jax eliminating Tamina, Asuka eliminating Jax, and Moon eliminating Asuka. Michelle McCool looked great at the Royal Rumble, though, so you can never rule her out!
Match length: 25-30 minutes. I think we get a lengthy showing here with some cool spots involving past Superstars facing off with present, and I think WWE will try to showcase everyone involved in some way.
Sasha Banks, Bayley and Natalya vs The Riott Squad
So, there isn't a great deal I can give you to preview this as it pretty much came completely out of the blue. The Riott Squad are hot off a feud with Ronda Rousey and The Bellas that saw Evolution's RAW Women's Championship match set.
Sasha Banks only recently returned to television and will team with her tag team partner turned rival, turned tag team partner again in Bayley, with Natalya joining them, too.
It is a shame these six women have been thrown into such a meaningless match, when even the Battle Royal may have been better placed for them, but at least we know this will be an awesome match.
If anyone remembers Sasha Banks vs Ruby Riott in the final section of RAW's Gauntlet Match, we could be in for a treat when these two meet, and I'm sure it'll be a good technical match filled with fun moments too.
My prediction: This could go either way. While The Riott Squad need a win, I think the team of Natalya, Bayley and Sasha Banks win with the latter making Liv Morgan tap to the Banks Statement.
Match length: Let's say 15-20 minutes. With only eight matches on the card, I think WWE will afford the ladies more time across the board to really show what they can do. I don't think we get any short matches on this pay-per-view.
Mae Young Classic 2018 Final
Io Shirai vs Toni Storm
This may be the biggest wildcard match taking place on Evolution. The Mae Young Classic 2018 culminates at the historic event, making the tournament an even bigger deal than last year. Kairi Sane would defeat Shayna Baszler last year, with both women going on to hold the NXT Women's Championship - and Baszler, in particular, being made to look like a star in NXT with a dominant run - so the stakes are high!
Io Shirai and Toni Storm are both signed to WWE and will compete on NXT and NXT UK respectively, but there's no doubt this will be a knockdown, drag-out competition and one which will capture the live audience and get them on-side.
This match has another added bit of spice as, while the pair have never faced off in WWE, they have wrestled twice before, winning one match apiece.
My prediction: Both ladies have gone from strength to strength in the MYC 2018, blowing away all the competition. Storm is a huge fan-favourite and draws in the crowd no matter where she goes. Shirai is just an extremely special talent. I think Toni Storm may edge this, but it could go either way!
Match length: I think 10-15 minutes at one of the shortest matches of the night. Through no fault of either lady, but because it may be one of the two matches people are less familiar with on the card. It will be all-out, high octane action, though!
Trish Stratus & Lita vs Alexa Bliss & Mickie James
This match, if you believe the rumours, is slightly up in the air with rumours flying around that Alexa Bliss may not be cleared to compete at the event.
The match was initially split into two singles matches with Stratus vs Bliss and Lita vs James scheduled before WWE combined them into a Tag Team Match - a decision that may normally receive some groans, but with Lita and Trish returning and now teaming together, no-one's throwing any flags on this. Especially given Trish and Mickie's history.
My prediction: These ladies have all been afforded some time on RAW to build this rivalry, and this should be a classic! Trish and Lita didn't look like they'd missed a step in the Women's Royal Rumble and I'm certain they come away with the win here.
What will be more interesting is to see how much of Alexa Bliss we see in the match, and also if it's a one and done for Trish and Lita or if they stay in WWE a little while longer.
Match length: Again, I'm going 15-20 minutes. Tag Team Matches generally do go a little bit longer, traditionally, as energy can be conserved and all participants need to be showcased. Ten minutes will be the very minimum, but I think we'll be surprised here!
NXT UK Women's Championship Match
Okay, so here's one of the most bizarre matches on the card for one very specific reason - there's been no announcement about it.
Why? Well, because the champion actually hasn't been crowned on NXT UK television.
There is an NXT UK Women's Champion, and WWE has even had her do press events holding the title, but we've only seen two episodes of the show and the title match, bizarrely, hasn't occurred - even though WWE confirmed the title would be defended at the event.
Will it be? Well, who knows? The match may be pulled from the card to allow WWE time to properly build the title win on television, but that would be slightly unfair to the women who were told they would wrestle on the historic pay-per-view - so beware, there will be spoilers below about the champion and most likely contender.
*SPOILERS BELOW*
Rhea Ripley vs ???
Rhea Ripley is the first ever NXT UK Women's Champion. The woman she's slated to defend against? Well, it isn't completely confirmed, but it's thought to be Scotland's Isla Dawn.
The less said about this match, the better. Mainly because we aren't meant to know who the champion or challenger is with no official announcement coming - so it'll be interesting to see how this match is introduced if it happens.
My prediction: Both of these women are incredible talents and this will be amazing if the crowd gets behind it. Ripley is a powerhouse while Dawn has a unique style that sees a mesh of her dance and martial arts backgrounds. If it is Dawn, that is.
Either way, I think the only option is Ripley retaining, but both women will put on an incredible match!
One wildcard theory is that we may get Nikki Cross involved in some way, and switching brands.
Match length: Yet again, I think we get a ten-minute match here, maybe even a tad shorter. Dawn will get a nice showing but Ripley's power will be the feature, and the match will stay short so as not to lose the casual fans who may not be huge NXT UK fans.
NXT Women's Championship Match
Kairi Sane vs Shayna Baszler
Well, with the Mae Young Classic 2018 Final taking place at Evolution, it's only fitting that we have a rematch from the inaugural tournament's final as former NXT Champion Shayna Baszler gets her rematch with Kairi Sane.
This pair have a storied history, with Sane defeating Baszler in the MYC and for the title, and being part of a very elite club of people that Shayna Baszler hasn't completely destroyed.
My prediction: I don't think anything needs to be said here about the quality of the match. If you haven't already, watch the first Mae Young Classic where these two women destroy everything in sight to get to the final. I do think Kairi Sane wins this, but only for Baszler to go to the main roster very soon. The only way that doesn't happen is if WWE aligns Shafir and Duke with Baszler for a run, but I think Sane takes the win.
Match length: 15 minutes. A good, methodical wrestling match where the tempo varies throughout.
WWE SmackDown Women's Championship Match
Last Woman Standing
Becky Lynch vs Charlotte Flair
Well, I really wish I was putting this match in the main event slot, but I don't think it goes on last. I do really hope I'm wrong, though.
Becky Lynch and Charlotte will go one on one in WWE's first ever Last Woman Standing Match with the pair having been embroiled in a rivalry over the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship over the past few months.
Charlotte has speared her rival through the LED screens on the entrance structure and also attacked Lynch during SmackDown 1000 when Lynch appeared on Cutting Edge, where the SmackDown Women's Champion delivered some scathing words in the direction of the Rated-R Superstar.
The last time the pair met in the ring, Lynch defended the SmackDown Championship against Flair at the WWE Super Show-Down. Flair had Lynch in the Figure 8 and looked like she had the win in the bag, but Lynch used her title to escape by hitting Charlotte with the belt to break the hold, getting herself disqualified in the process.
Charlotte also appeared at the Performance Center this week to speak with NXT's women, before being confronted and attacked by Lynch. This match is going to be huge!
My prediction: I'm going to stick my neck out here, although not very far, and say this will be the match of the night. Going a bit further, I think it may actually be a Match of the Year candidate. These women will completely rip it up - but I do believe Becky Lynch wins, with Charlotte Flair bidding goodbye very soon to SmackDown and joining RAW in the near future to build towards Rousey vs Charlotte at WrestleMania. Either that or she may just win the Royal Rumble to get us there.
Regardless, Becky Lynch wins and retains the title.
Match length: I'm going all out here, 40-45 minutes. Maybe even longer. I think this match eats up a huge section of the pay-per-view and, while it won't be the main event, it'll be the match everyone remembers this pay-per-view for.
WWE RAW Women's Championship Match
Ronda Rousey vs Nikki Bella
Well, this match is one that people may have seen coming ever since Ronda Rousey won the title, with the Bella Twins aligning with the former UFC star immediately and... Well, rather randomly.
Rousey and The Bella Twins teamed up to face The Riott Squad in a winning effort at Super Show-Down and again in a rematch where Rousey would lead her team to victory, but the celebrations were cut short as the Bellas turned against their friend.
This rivalry, though, has been more heated in words than anything else, with Rousey delivering an incredibly personal promo on RAW two weeks ago that shocked the entire WWE Universe. The rivalry has also spilled over into real life with the women taking jabs at each other on social media and television, bringing a unique sense of reality to the match.
My prediction: Well, it can only be Ronda Rousey. Her unbeaten streak simply can't end here. One thing that I think we may see, though, is a Four Horsewomen reunion at the end of the show - with Shayna Baszler, Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke coming out to congratulate their friend.
Who knows, maybe we'll even get Shayna Baszler turn on Rousey? Unlikely, but you never know. The pay-per-view ends, though, with Ronda Rousey standing tall as the RAW Women's Champion.
Match length: This one will get 10-15 minutes. A match that would have been ideal to go on before Charlotte vs Becky, but a match that will also close out the pay-per-view with a scene that will bring mainstream eyes to WWE.
Do you agree or disagree with my predictions? Let me know in the comments.
