Match Card, Potential Spoilers, Picks and More for WWE Evolution 2018

WWE makes history October 28 with Evolution. 

Tagged "WWE's First-Ever All-Women's Event" by the company itself, the event from Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, in Uniondale, New York, pulls from the far reaches of the sport's history to bring together a dream list of names ready to make appearances. 

Granted, some of those names get tossed into a Battle Royal for the sake of checking names off a list, but it's a smooth way to make sure nobody gets left out. And for those clamoring about certain omissions, WWE wouldn't have a historic event like this without a few surprises. 

Though the build has stuttered at times, Evolution has a stacked card with worthwhile matches throughout and plenty of intrigue because it's clear most of the matches could swing in either direction.  

WWE Evolution 2018

Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Natalya vs. The Riott Squad

Women's Battle Royal (Asuka) 

Trish Stratus and Lita vs. Alicia Fox and Mickie James

Io Shirai vs. Toni Storm (2018 Mae Young Classic tournament final)

Rhea Ripley vs. TBD ( NXT UK Women's Championship)

Kairi Sane vs. Shayna Baszler (NXT Women's Championship)

Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair (Last Woman Standing match, WWE SmackDown Women's Championship)

Ronda Rousey vs. Nikki Bella (WWE Raw Women's Championship)

Bold denotes predicted winner. 

Trish Stratus and Lita vs. Alicia Fox and Mickie James

WWE

That's one way to fit all the names on the card. 

Initially, Alexa Bliss and Trish Stratus were set to square off, and Lita and Mickie James were to have their own match, reigniting a rivalry last seen at the 2006 edition of Survivor Series. WWE eventually mashed the two matches together. 

A recent apparent injury to Bliss seemed to throw this one for a loop again, but Mickie James herself suggested on Busted Open Radio that the issue wouldn't stop Bliss from competing in the match. 

Swerve—now it turns out Alicia Fox will replace Bliss in the match, according to WWE.com. 

Even with the contestants finally set in stone, good luck figuring out how this one plays out. Before the injury, Bliss needed to come out looking good after a few false starts against Ronda Rousey. But, it wouldn't make much sense for Stratus and Lita to take a loss during a return visit at a pay-per-view honoring some of their biggest moments and how they cleared the path for someone like Bliss in the first place. 

We're bound to see plenty of Lita-James showdowns in this one, but the outcome will likely hinge on Fox or James pulling off a shady move or two if they're going to win. At the end of the day, Bliss stepping into the background of this one changes the outlook, and the win might as well go to the legends who hopefully stick around a bit longer. 

Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair

WWE

Say hello to arguably the only match on the show with a proper build. 

And that build might be best-of-year status. 

Viewers can feel the sheer hatred of these two through the screens any time Becky Lynch or Charlotte Flair show up. And WWE has done an incredible job keeping the angle fresh and fans guessing by having the two collide outside of normal television appearances, such as at photoshoots or at the performance center surrounded by NXT students. 

Lynch, supposed "bad guy" or not, is having the best run of her career in almost Stone Cold fashion—she can do no wrong and earn no boos. She's crushing promo after promo without the shackles of her "aw shucks" character, and it has created one of the most natural and interesting title runs in recent memory. 

Problem is, the finish here isn't so cut and dry. Most of Flair's portions of the build have fallen flat, though she's admittedly in an impossible situation. But one would think at a pay-per-view like Evolution, and needing to start the build for WrestleMania, WWE might have plans for her to recapture the title she lost at Hell in a Cell. 

Of course, that could also just be what WWE wants fans to believe. Lynch might be the performer with the sheerest momentum of all in the company right now, and taking a title off her doesn't make sense. As always, there are ways to book this one that can make Flair look good while letting the supposed villain and fan favorite escape with a win. 

Ronda Rousey vs. Nikki Bella

WWE

This one was easy to see coming, even if WWE tried the whole hey-look-they're-friends thing. 

The jealousy angle was going to play a part in the Bellas turning on Rousey sooner or later, especially because it's the ideal embodiment of WWE as a whole right now—past champions and "entertainers" of sorts squaring off with the more sports-esque, realistic presentation of the product today. 

Granted, we probably could have gone without Rousey hitting Nikki for her past relationships as insults. The build didn't need it to create hype for a match like this, especially considering Nikki's long list of accolades is a major part of the reason the pay-per-view itself exists. 

Alas, this one could play out either way as well, in a sense. The idea Nikki with Brie at ringside could pull some shenanigans to steal the title has to be in the background of a fan's mind at all times when watching this one. So, too, does the idea WWE wants to put over its talent over a past top UFC star, to an extent. 

Then again, Rousey herself is the main reason non-WWE fans will be tuning into this first pay-per-view of its kind within WWE, which is also one of the main reasons she holds the belt and main-event slot as it is. 

That isn't meant to undersell Rousey—she's slowly becoming one of the best in the business and clearly isn't going anywhere. It makes sense WWE would use this as a passing-of-the-torch moment, and if fans are lucky, it's one of her more heavily scripted beforehand matches.

Nikki is one of the best outright in-ring performers in WWE, so this one may not have the build of Lynch-Flair, but it has the potential to be the best match of the night and have everyone coming out of it looking great and instilling confidence in the direction of the women's scene.