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WWE has done a lot to prove that they are on the cutting edge of society and culture. That included a historic Evolution event in 20218, but they never had a follow-up. Ronda Rousey is no longer a part of the WWE Universe, and she is using her platform to speak her mind in a big way. Not only is she unafraid to stir up controversy when it comes to Triple H’s booking for the company, but she’s also speaking candidly about plans the company nixed.
WWE had originally planned to hold a second Evolution pay-per-view event, with Ronda Rousey vs. Becky Lynch as the main event. The first Evolution event took place on October 28, 2018, at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Uniondale, New York, headlined by Nikki Bella vs. Rousey. In 2020, there were rumors of a second installment, but it never came to fruition.
At WrestleMania 35, Ronda Rousey lost the RAW Women’s Title to Becky Lynch in a triple threat match that also featured Charlotte Flair. After that, she took time off before returning to WWE in 2022, with the intention of finally having a singles match with Lynch, though it never materialized.
During an appearance on Ring The Belle, Rousey revealed that she turned down a singles match with Becky Lynch at Evolution 2 in late 2019. WWE ultimately canceled plans to hold the event, and no Evolution pay-per-view has taken place since 2018.
“Well, they offered to bring it back for a second time. They said, ‘Ronda, if you stay after WrestleMania, we’ll have another Evolution in 6 weeks and have you and Becky as a singles,’ and I was like, ‘I promised my family’… I was always saying, ‘Oh, I want to go from WrestleMania until Survivor Series,’ and then Triple H convinced me to stay from WrestleMania to WrestleMania, and I promised my family like, ‘That’s it.’”
“I got kids and a husband and a home, and this is like I’m gone for weeks on end, and so when they said that, I was like, ‘No, I’ve already asked too much of my family. I can’t ask any more of them. I promised them this. I promised you I would stay this long, and I promised them I would only stay this long, and I’m not going to keep moving the goalpost,’ and then I ended up shattering my knuckle anyway, which I got an extra little nug now, so I wouldn’t have been able to do it regardless.”
“But, yeah, they tried to dangle that carrot for me, but I couldn’t. Hopefully, they’ll bring it back. I don’t think that they need me for it. I think that they’re past that point. They just need to believe in the women because they can do it and know that that event was incredible and it sold out the venue, and I feel like there should be more but no one’s asking me…… then they came back, and they’re like, ‘Yeah, we’ll get to we get to it. Never mind,’ and I was like, ‘I’m going to go tag with Shayna [Baszler], or I want to leave,’ and then that’s the only time I got to do my own booking.”
Becky Lynch has also left the company, and fans have yet to see another Evolution event. Whether Triple H will revive the idea remains uncertain, but given the years that have passed since the first 2018 event, it might remain a one-off show.
Ronda Rousey may be done with pro wrestling, but in this business, you can never say never. She still holds significant star power that could draw fans to any event where she’s advertised, and she has the financial stability to focus on passion projects she’s interested in.
Whether WWE will ever host another all-female premium live event remains to be seen. The opportunities have been there, but it just hasn’t come together. If Triple H were to bring back the concept as an annual event, it would certainly be another achievement for him.
What’s your take on Ronda Rousey revealing WWE’s decision to cancel a second Evolution event? Do you think the company could pull it off annually now? Share your thoughts in the comments section!
