An all-women’s pay-per-view is an amazing opportunity for WWE’s female superstars, but it needs to be more than just a historic night.
The event named “Evolution” announced by Stephanie McMahon — flanked by father Vince and and husband Triple H — to open “Raw” on Monday will take place Oct. 28 at the Nassau Coliseum. It will feature women from WWE, NXT, NXT UK along with the Mae Young Classic final. Legends such as Trish Stratus and Lita also will appear. The Raw, SmackDown and NXT women’s championships will be defended.
It could add up to an incredible night, but the show and the lead-up to it should be used as an opportunity to reboot the division. It should not be just a potential make-up for the women being left out of the “Greatest Royal Rumble” in Saudi Arabia or the lack of women’s matches on WWE’s monthly pay-per-views.
The event gives the company a reason to establish more engaging storylines, greater development of characters and a renewed focus on quality wrestling in the women’s division.
Too many women recently have been left out of the spotlight and treading water until a championship opportunity comes around. Having James Ellsworth in a shark cage for Carmella and Asuka’s championship match at “Extreme Rules” and having an extreme rules Raw women’s title match feeling more like a tag-team contest goes against what the revolution was built on.
In addition, all but two of the 15 all-women matches on pay-per-view this year either have been for a championship or were a multi-women match, like the Royal Rumble or Money in the Bank. Only six different women have appeared in singles matches on pay-per-view from WrestleMania on.
Outside of the women in the current championship picture and the misguided Sasha Banks-Bayley angle, what exactly has the rest of the division been doing?
The Riott Squad, minus injured leader Ruby Riott, and the leftovers of Absolution (Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville) have simply been television opponents for the women atop the division. The IIconics haven’t done much outside of a few good promos since their debut.
Natalya and Mickie James have been cast as best friends to Ronda Rousey and Alexa Bliss, respectively. Ember Moon, for now, has settled for stealing the show in multi-women’s matches and television wins that haven’t led to anything. Becky Lynch, until last week, was wallowing in obscurity.
Even with limited pay-per-view spots, there is no reason the stakes and the stories can’t be raised for the television matches.
“Evolution” can be the catalyst for that.
It has a chance to be an amazing showcase for the WWE’s women — one they have earned. They likely will do everything in their power to create a memorable night. But you can’t ignore that WWE already has mishandled getting the most out of some of the historic women’s matches along the way.
Ellsworth, a man, pulled down the briefcase in the first women’s Money in the Bank match for Carmella. WWE used the first women’s Elimination Chamber match and the second Money in the Bank pay-per-view to put over their already over star in Alexa Bliss. Naomi won the women’s battle royal at “WrestleMania,” and nothing has really come of it for her.
It is why women’s tag-team titles need to become reality before “Evolution.” If it is going to happen, you would expect it to occur after the SummerSlam storylines run their course. Instituting those belts would be a clear sign WWE is serious about taking its women’s division to another level. If they are defended across the bands, it would mean continually fresh matchups.
WWE should be applauded for continually expanding the platform its women have to display their talent. But there still is work to do. “Evolution” can’t be a night to remember simply for the action that goes on at the Coliseum. It must put the revolution back on course and improve the women’s product, not just for one evening, but night after night.
