Reports suggest WWE are considering bringing back the all-women’s PLE, WWE Evolution. If it happens, it may occur on July 5th at the Mohegan Sun Casino and Resort in Uncasville, Connecticut. However, this is speculative. As always, events are subject to change. Nevertheless, this news excites some fans.
However, optimism might vary. I’m personally doubtful. Although I’ve pointed out 5 Ways Bringing Back Evolution Could Help WWE’s Women’s Division, playing devil’s advocate, there are clear counterarguments and current booking practices that would hinder those gains.
That is not the case unless WWE used the PLE and thought beyond it to re-think its approach to the booking and presentation of women’s wrestling. With some clear intentions, planning and action, there’s no reason Evolution could be more than another successful PLE. If WWE did…
1) Bring Back WWE Evolution for the Right Reason
There are reasons why we, as fans, have fond memories of the ground-breaking first Evolution event. But fan perception differed from backstage perceptions. Or else why didn’t Evolution become a regular event? I’ll address this in point five.
At the time, there was speculation Evolution was a PR diversion. Announced around the same time WWE began partnering with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Sports, some were suspicious. A relationship that remains controversial.
With WWE facing allegations and legal action related to the treatment of female employees, you cannot blame some for being skeptical about the timing of some announcements. It has seemingly been a strategy used by different companies to disrupt fan outrage. Plus, past comments by Triple H about why there’s no need for another Evolution PLE will likely resurface.
Charlotte Flair called Evolution a “game changer” but also stated women’s events are now the norm. We’ve seen women close multiple WrestleManias, weekly shows and PLEs. Others parrot this sentiment and believe equality/equity was achieved. They’re missing the point.
Women’s wrestling in WWE is normalised, but it can also be celebrated and spotlighted further. As I write this on International Women’s Day, it doesn’t seem radical for WWE to give one night a year to celebrate its female talent. But one event won’t benefit or fix wider booking issues.
2) Booking Women Better Beyond WWE Evolution
Bringing Evolution back won’t be a quick fix for the weekly booking plateauing where only a handful of women are featured as characters. If women’s story-telling and character development are lacking the rest of the year, the event’s significance lessens.
WWE’s women’s division drives weekly shows, steals the spotlight and creates viral moments. Usually, it’s a select group of women who have the spotlight and achieve this. As shown on Smackdown, it gives Naomi time to talk and a meaningful character is developed.
There are inequities. NXT, the developmental brand, has more parity per show. Women get more matches, storylines, and TV time than the main roster of women on longer shows.
Presently, Triple H has failed to give a wide range of women the same opportunities as his own NXT run. There’s no reason he can’t/doesn’t learn from his past. For an Evolution to annually become a success, the women’s booking needs to be stronger to allow fans to invest and care in the women’s characters.
3) Don’t Rely on The Past
The first Evolution put women from WWE’s past, present and future on the same stage. The event featured its close and ended with previous women’s/diva legends, Nikki Bella, Lita and Trish Stratus.
Bella put over Ronda Rousey. Triple H used Stratus and Lita to help put over Zoey Starks and Becky Lynch. Stratus teaming with Tiffany Stratton at Elimination Chamber arguably gave her the rub. But you could argue that either Lynch or Stratton needed it, given their level of overness.
PLEs have fewer spots per card now. Legends or the same stalwart talent taking those spots creates a nostalgia/current star dependency that we felt in the 2010s when the same faces the main event. That long-term reliance creates stagnation and undercuts the development of future stars.
Given the depth of talent on the roster at present and NXT’s reputation as having the female stars of tomorrow, Evolution should focus on building the future.
4) Break the PLE Formula, or…
WWE has created a successful formula that says less is more for PLEs. Non-Big Four PLEs have between 4-5 matches. Realistically, including championship defenses, that doesn’t leave a lot of space. For a women’s PPV, you would expect prominent wrestlers to take the big matches. The Rhea Ripleys, Charlotte Flairs, Liv Morgans, Tiffany Strattons. But relying on a few wrestlers regularly connects to the division’s wider booking issues.
This leaves beneath them plenty of women in the locker room left cold in catering. It also means less room for possible NXT competitors. This would not help address rumours of backstage frustration. WWE’s limited spotlighting of women is similar to AEW. Wrestlers cannot get over or create characters and connect with fans with little TV time, let alone PLE, invested in them.
To feature more women and multiple women’s stories beyond the belts, either WWE must break the current PLE formula, or Evolution isn’t a PLE. Instead, make it a special event like Saturday Night’s Main Event. This would change the expectations also.
5) Don’t Set It Up to Fail
Mickie James, when she left WWE, worked with the NWA to produce an all women’s PPV, Empower. During the promotion, James discussed how, during her time in WWE, she kept asking/pushing management to bring back WWEEvolution. She claimed the company line was that the original PPV was a failure. One of the lowest-rated PPVs in the company’s history. Yet James speculated it was by design:
“It was only really promoted for a month. The matches weren’t even announced but a week or two before. There was zero promotion or marketing…It was almost set up to fail.” Mickie James, Wrestlinginc.
WWE is hot, but some of the promotion’s women’s matches and segments with neglected characters get a little reaction. I’ve argued the success of Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan’s rivalry wasn’t predicated on their in-ring work. Fans have noticed. New waves of hashtags demanding women’s wrestlers get a chance smack of history.
Think of the Women’s Revolution that preceded Evolution. There is frustration, but there’s also some apathy and folks who care for the current small group of characters afforded time.
Yet there’s a crop of women’s wrestlers who seem to draw fans. Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, Tiffany Stratton and others. Why not test their attraction powers?
WWE could use their immense PR machinery to make another Evolution feel significant as a concept. They have already made some of their women appear superhuman. At a time of record-setting, why not take a risk?
Because if it did fail, WWE would have something to learn from. If it didn’t, then it would prove WWE’s women’s stars have more parity in making WWE money than some perceive.
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