WWE Evolution: The Top 3 Moments From The First-Ever Women Only WWE Event

Zack Heydorn | Oct 28, 2024

WWE.com

Today marks the sixth anniversary of WWE Evolution, the first-ever all women only WWE event in company history. The show marks a special moment in time for WWE and emanated from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York on October 28, 2018.

In 2015, the women's evolution began in WWE with a renewed and more focused emphasis on women's wrestling within the company. The evolution coincided with a jolt of talent onto the main roster in WWE, which included Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch.

In 2018 and with the women's roster on fire, Ronda Rousey debuted with a surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble after the first-ever women's Royal Rumble match. Later that year, Rousey would become WWE Raw Women's Champion and the table was set for the roster to come together for an all-woman special event.

WWE Evolution Full Match Card And Results

• Trish Stratus & Lita defeated Mickie James & Alicia Fox

• Nia Jax won a 20 woman Battle Royal to earn a shot at championship

• Toni Storm defeated Io Shirai to win the second Mae Young Classic Tournament

• Sasha Banks, Bayley, & Natalya defeated The Riott Squad

• Shayna Baszler defeated Kairi Sane to win the NXT Women's Championship

• Becky Lynch defeated Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing Match to retain the WWE Smackdown Women's Championship

• Ronda Rousey defeated Nikki Bella to retain the WWE Raw Women's Championship

The card delivered from an in-ring standpoint thanks to matches like Lynch vs. Flair, which brought out intensity and violence, Storm vs. Baszler, which featured more of an in-ring style match, and the battle royal, which featured surprise names and key women's performers of the past like Kelly Kelly, Molly Holly, Michelle McCool, and others.

What were the top 3 most memorable moments on the show? I'm glad you asked.

Top 3 Most Memorable Moments Of WWE Evolution

3. Past women WWE performers return

WWE.com

WWE Evolution in 2018 wasn't only a showcase of current day talent in WWE, but a celebration and nod to the WWE's past women as well. The company featured all sorts of returns and references including surprises like Alundra Blayze, Maria Kanellis, Michelle McCool, Kelly Kelly, Molly, and others during the Battle Royal. In addition, the company highlighted historical figures like Mae Young with the aptly named Mae Young Classic tournament that finished at the event.

2. Main event Ronda Rousey

Ronda Rousey headlined WrestleMania 35 with Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair / WWE

WWE made a significant investment to bring in Ronda Rousey in 2018 and it's because of that investment that they were able to put on this event as it was. The WWE had plenty of women talent to fill a show and fill it well, but Rousey gave them an extra punch of star power that put the event over the edge. Rousey representing the new women's guard in WWE took on Nikki Bella, a face of the Divas in WWE, in a clash of eras that saw both women put forth worthy performances.

After the match, Charlotte Flair's demented attack on Rousey left the audience speechless and further doubled down on the new direction of the women's division in WWE.

1. Violence in the women's division

Becky Lynch celebrates after her historic win in the main event of WrestleMania 35 / wwe.com

The match of the night at WWE Evolution was Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing Match for the WWE Smackdown Women's Championship. This involved vicious kendo stick shots, tables, ladders, more tables, chairs, and more tables. Violence galore. WWE had violent women's matches after the start of the Women's Evolution in 2015 like Hell in a Cell, but this had a different and authentic feel to it. Lynch and Charlotte were fighting and the result was a memorable match that to this day is one of their better encounters together. The match helped solidify Becky Lynch as "The Man" and go on to main event WrestleMania the following year against Flair and Rousey for all the women's gold in WWE.

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