WWE Evolution - October 28th 2018 (Spoilers, rumours, etc)

Lord TSC

There's a picture from a Raw going round, showing a graphic for a new match

Askua vs Lita

Not sure how legit or not but looks it, so spoiler in case.

Lithium93_

Lord TSC wrote: »

There's a picture from a Raw going round, showing a graphic for a new match

Askua vs Lita

Not sure how legit or not but looks it, so spoiler in case.

It's not legit, as you can read below in the spoiler tags.

There is an image going around on social media that allegedly shows a graphic for Asuka vs. Lita at the WWE Evolution PPV. It has been confirmed that the image was photoshopped from a real image that spoiled Bobby Lashley's return back in April.

Autecher

The official poster for Evolution :pac:

HandsomeBob

Jesus that's the stuff of nightmares.

Loughc

HandsomeBob wrote: »

Jesus that's the stuff of nightmares.

Pentecost

Lord TSC

90% of tickets sold out in five minutes, apparently. Looks like it should be a sell out.

Lord TSC

Apparently, Lita vs Mickie James was added to the card on Monday.

Blue_Dabadee

At least they won't be Ho sale afterwards this time round.

CastorTroy

So matches so far are likely to be
Raw title
Smackdown title
Alexa vs Trish
MYC final
NXT Title
Lita vs Mickie James

Said on wiki the NXT UK title will be there as well. Does that mean NXT UK will air in the next few weeks?

So that's 14 women out of the announced 50+. I'm guessing a battle royal and guests. Like do commentators count?
Who do they get on preshow?
And doesn't look like the rumoured tag titles will be happening unless announced in the next week or 2

JP Liz V1

Ronda Vs. a Bella or Bellas likely?

Furious-Red

JP Liz V1 wrote: »

Ronda Vs. a Bella or Bellas likely?

ERG89

They better start the Ronda/Nikki rehearsals soon. Other than the match with Nia Jax I've found Ronda's solo matches a bit by the numbers and lacking any drama. I can't say Bayley or Sasha are anyway near the level to be a serious contender either. Mickie is in much the same scenario so I imagine after this they do the Natalya match.

Agent Coulson

Please let Brie give Ronda a stiff kick to the head/face at some point and lets see what happens.

Itssoeasy

Agent Coulson wrote: »

Please let Brie give Ronda a stiff kick to the head/face at some point and lets see what happens.

I think Ronda wouldn't react if it was one but if Nikki does a Brie on it then rinds might revert back to UFC Ronda which wouldn't look good.

Monokne

I think Ronda looks like a pro out there. Nothing in how she's worked thus far indicates to me she'd lose her sh*t if an accident happened in the ring.

Maybe if Miesha Tate were the opponent I suppose...

HandsomeBob

That poster.... like I'm meant to believe Nikki is on Ronda's level!! That's not even Bella hate more what I've always been worried about.... once you introduce legit fighters to professional wrestling you've got a problem.

They've the same problem with Sonya only on the other end of the scale. Treating a legit fighter as a Smackdown jobber. It doesn't make any sense.

It's not a coincidence that it's Ruby Riott, a pro wrestler through and through and one with a good attitude who is starting to catch attention and be one of the most interesting performers in the division right now. Don't believe that just check how much they're using her in the media. That's what fans want not poor attempts at introducing shoot gimmicks.

Furious-Red

HandsomeBob wrote: »

That poster.... like I'm meant to believe Nikki is on Ronda's level!! That's not even Bella hate more what I've always been worried about.... once you introduce legit fighters to professional wrestling you've got a problem.

They've the same problem with Sonya only on the other end of the scale. Treating a legit fighter as a Smackdown jobber. It doesn't make any sense.

It's not a coincidence that it's Ruby Riott, a pro wrestler through and through and one with a good attitude who is starting to catch attention and be one of the most interesting performers in the division right now. Don't believe that just check how much they're using her in the media. That's what fans want not poor attempts at introducing shoot gimmicks.

I think they keep trying to push the Bella's as big pioneers/veterans/legends of the womens division, also the whole Total Bella's/Total Diva's .

HandsomeBob

Yeah that is what they're doing and it's embarrassing for all involved.

CastorTroy

But they always get the biggest pop of the night. I really think they need to turn the volume down when they're feeding the crowd noise in.

Monokne

The hardcore wrestling fanbase take on the Bella's, particularly Nikki, is very John Cena in my eyes - the focus is so strong on their negatives that there's either an inability or unwillingness to recognise or credit their positives.

I think it's fair to say that they received a push to a level above what their talent warranted between 2013 & 2015 because of their looks, their TV show & their respective boyfriends. As such, I understand there's validity in the criticism of what a heavily pushed act they were for a long period.

However, now there is real equity in both performers considering that push and all the years of E! programming, and WWE is absolutely right to cash in on that. Nikki Bella has like 8 million followers on Instagram, and her google search numbers over 2015/16/17 were ahead of every other female performer the company had. Booking Nikki v Ronda is pitting the two biggest female stars the company has against one another on a show where the primary goal is clearly PR and as such you want the biggest awareness possible. Nikki & Ronda can get on E! or ESPN the week of the fight whereas if it was Ronda v Sasha, you're getting less mainstream attention. It's a smart play.

I also think Nikki is unfairly discredited as a performer. Her fundamentals are very sound & she's perfectly capable of having an ok - good, well laid out match. Her stuff is relatively basic but I like that - you often see Becky/Naomi/Brie etc doing things they really can't and blowing spots all over the place. I'd rather a simple match than that. She's not in the upper echelon in the company but there are a lot less holes in her work than some of the women.

Blue_Dabadee

I don't get why they converted the two singles matches into a tag team match since I feel Bliss and Stratus are really carrying this feud and derserve their own standalone singles match.

HandsomeBob

Blue_Dabadee wrote: »

I don't get why they converted the two singles matches into a tag team match since I feel Bliss and Stratus are really carrying this feud and derserve their own standalone singles match.

Cos Mickie is doing the job baby. Lita and Trish get to bask in the moment and Bliss gets the usual protection.

J. Marston

Bliss is coming back from injury apparently so they might not have been sure how much she could do.

Monokne

PW Insider reported the plan was always to make it a tag, and they just announced Bliss-Stratus as they needed a placeholder match to advertise for the ticket on sale.

Lord TSC

Trish and Lita haven't wrestled in years. Lita neck is a bombsite.

Singles matches would have been disasters. A tag makes it easier to hide the short comings.

Monokne

I'd assume if she has passed their stringent medical to be in the Rumble in January, Lita's neck must be in good nick now. Trish looked great in the Rumble, Lita less so. Mickie will be a good base for both. I don't expect any trees to be pulled up but between Alexa's character stuff, Mickie's work and the audience goodwill and familiar spots Trish & Lita will bring to the table, I'd imagine they can put together 10 inoffensive minutes of action.

CastorTroy

I'm not a fan of having names returning for the Battle Royal due to lack of visibility. Seems kind of pointless. Like how often have we seen battle royals and only realise someone is in it when they get eliminated?
But like I said above, outside the battle royal, the announced matches so far consist of 14 out of the 50+.

I think Nikki Cross will be involved somehow, though probably in the Battle Royal, which I would like her to win if she is.

And we have this all woman PPV showing off the women's abilities and the likes of Asuka are stuck in the Battle Royal.

Monokne

The ticket sales for this show had been very slow, but per this week's Observer, Rousey-Nikki has had the desired effect:

"The announcement of Rousey vs. Nikki Bella last week did lead to a surge in ticket sales for the Nassau Coliseum show and it is now expected to sell out"

J. Marston

Big money Nikki.