Ronda Rousey defeated Nikki Bella at WWE Evolution in an excellent, crowd-pleasing matchup that has further cemented Rousey’s accelerated legacy as WWE’s breakout star in 2018.
The main event was a fitting conclusion to an under-prompted women’s pay-per-view that over-delivered in just about every way imaginable.
Both Rousey and Bella were magnificent in their roles leading up to the main event of WWE’s first all-women’s pay-per-view: Rousey as the valiant warrior who personifies WWE’s evolution of women in wrestling, and Nikki Bella the proud Diva who outlasted a bygone era and now flaunts her two-woman empire n the faces of her peers.
When Nikki Bella turned heel earlier this month, I thought it would set the stage for Ronda Rousey’s first great rivalry. And after an entertaining series of back-and-forth leading up to a strong match at WWE Evolution, it has already surpassed these lofty expectations.
Rousey has overachieved at every turn in her successful transition from UFC megastar to WWE Superstar. With opponents ranging from Stephanie McMahon to Nia Jax, Rousey has become the rare universally cheered babyface in WWE. Rousey has almost seamlessly fused mixed martial arts tactics—including Judo, Jiu Jitsu and striking—with a still-developing pro wrestling style that even behind its peak is unlike anything in all of WWE.
Headed into WWE Evolution, ticket sales for were as low as $6 on the secondary ticket market, indicating limited interest after scalpers bought them in droves early looking to profit heavily on the historic event. Late ticket sales rallied somewhat following the announcement and storyline advancement Ronda Rousey vs. Nikki Bella, which ended up being the pay-per-view’s headlining match.
Evolution was overshadowed by the ongoing controversy in Saudi Arabia involving Jamal Khashoggi, and WWE’s similarly controversial decision to move forward with Crown Jewel next week. With dark clouds of political tensions plaguing Raw’s go-home show for the event, Evolution was further hampered by the surprise news of Roman Reigns’ leukemia diagnosis, which would go on to rightfully become the overarching theme of a somber broadcast.
Despite Evolution getting the short end of the stick from a promotional standpoint, Ronda Rousey will continue to stand heads and shoulders above all over her peers as WWE’s biggest star. Her triumph over Nikki Bella was deserving of a bigger stage and better circumstances, but these opportunities will continue to arrive for Ronda Rousey and the entire women’s division as they continue to make strides in WWE’s slowly improving gender hierarchy.
