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WWE will present the Evolution this Sunday on Peacock and Netflix from Atlanta, GA with a 7:00 PM Eastern start time for the PPV. Here is our take on what will happen on Sunday.
WWE Championship Match: Tiffany Stratton vs Trish Stratus
Dave: WWE wanted a pioneer in a big match on the show. It would have been Nikki Bella, but Liv Morgan got hurt so it's Trish (who seems to never age a day). I expect a good match but there is no world where a sane booker switches the belt here.
Mike: This has to be about giving Tiffany a big moment and a big win to continue to enhance her title reign. Trish is great but there's nothing to be gained by switching the belt here. She is already a made woman and Tiffany would lose momentum.
Richard: Tiffany gave this match to Trish to thank her for being her partner at Elimination Chamber, but is this going to be a walkover leading into the title match against Jade at SummerSlam? I think this will be a decent match, but I don’t see Tiffany losing the title. I just want this to be a good match for Tiffany because too many champions in WWE (Tiffany included) have been in unspectacular title reigns and I don’t know what the SummerSlam match will do for her legacy. Naomi will tease the cash in, but would Jade try to stop it since Jade might prefer to take the title from Naomi than Tiffany. I think Tiffany retains and the briefcase is still in play.
World Championship Match: Iyo Sky vs Rhea Ripley
Dave: Unless Iyo is injured, I don't change the belt here. Rhea doesn't need it and there are plenty of ways that they can give her a loss that isn't her fault. I think Iyo needs more time with the belt. If she is going to lose it, it should be at SummerSlam, and Rhea makes sense there.
Mike: I am all for Rhea winning the belt as I think she's one of the best performers in the company but it would mean more to keep it on IYO. Perhaps Roxanne and Raquel get involved to cause the finish?
Richard: As I brought up to Mike and Dave, Iyo has not had a match in two months so have they been keeping her out of the ring due to injury or another reason? If it is due to injury, is this the way to take the title off her? Rhea does not need the title for her character, but is there another contender on the Raw roster at this time? This should be a good match, but I think Rhea will exploit the situation to become the new champion.
NXT Championship Match: Jacy Jayne vs Jordynne Grace
Dave: I think they should pull the trigger and put the belt on Grace. They had no issue doing fast reighs for Guilia and Stephanie Vaquer. Having Grace win so quickly would give the perception that she is like them.
Mike: I think this will be Jordynne's big crowning moment.
Richard: Is this the night that Jordynne achieves her dream and wins the championship or does she fall short one more time and you wonder if she will win the title before she moves on to the main roster? As I discussed in the Bash Tip Sheet, I think Fallon and Jacy will have trouble during the tag match and I think that will bleed over into this match. As the match progresses, Jacy will look for help from Jazmyn and Fallon but Fallon’s assistance will ‘accidentally’ backfire and it will cost Jacy the match. Then we will find out on Tuesday that Fallon is sick of Jacy’s attitude since she won the title.
Battle Royal for Title Match at Clash in Paris
Dave: Given that Clash is almost two months away and happens after SummerSlam, I would put over someone that is super over to give her six plus weeks to hype the match. The show will be huge, as we have seen from the French fans in the past, so they deserve a superstar in that Title match. If it's me, that's Stephanie Vaquer.
Mike: It's either Stephanie or Nikki Bella. They didn't have Nikki doing all that promotional work just for her to be tossed out in 30 seconds here. It's going to be one or the other.
Richard: The prize of a title match in Paris is a good enticement for the participants in this match. It won’t prevent the usual battle royal tropes that make you wonder if the women realize that the goal is to WIN THE MATCH. While we don’t know all of the participants, we know that Maxxine and Nattie are in the match and as a tag team who has said they will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to win the match, you know one is turning on the other and eliminating them. My pick is Maxxine eliminated Nattie because Nattie is the one making all of the comments. I hope there are some good performances from talents who need to move up the ladder. I have a feeling Zelina wins.
Tag Title Match: Judgment Day vs Sol Ruca and Zaria vs Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs Asuka and Kairi Sane
Dave: I hate when the champs lose in these kinds of matches. I could argue that since Roxanne and Raquel didn't win the Titles, that doesn't apply here but I think it actually applies more. I like the vibe of Roxanne winning, both for character and what it means when Liv Morgan comes back.
Mike: Judgment Day retains.
Richard: Instead of having the champions go from brand to brand or have a team come in every once in a while to challenge the champions, they decided to throw in three challengers at once. At least one of the teams has wrestled together for the last few months and one of the teams used to be tag team champions. The biggest story is will the newly formed team be able to work together in the match, and then you have to look at Charlotte and Alexa. They are pushing Roxanne (despite the loss on Monday), and I think she will find the symbiotic relationship with Raquel to quell any doubts Raquel might have until Liv comes back. What I think will happen on Saturday will cause problems for Sol and Zaria so I think they will be the ones to take the pin. Champs retain and we wonder when they defend the titles next.
Jade Cargill vs Naomi in a Falls Count Anywhere Match
Dave: Jade has to go over here because Naomi has the briefcase and won't lose any momentum if she doesn't win here. If Jade loses, it's bad for her character.
Mike: Jade needs to win. She's challenging for the title at Summerslam, and giving Naomi the win gives her another reason to cash in and try to screw Jade next month. I am very much looking forward to this.
Richard: The woman who faces Tiffany (or Trish) at SummerSlam against the woman who has the briefcase and might potentially cash in against (if someone might let her do it), but that should just be a potential tease for what might happen at SummerSlam (if Naomi hasn’t successfully cashed in yet). The stipulation should benefit Jade because it is not going to be a standard wrestling match and they can do stuff outside the box. Will this be the end of the feud because of the stipulation or does this continue after Sunday? If Jade wins, does that foreshadow a Jade win in New Jersey and Naomi cash in? These two women should proceed with caution. Jade gets the win leading into SummerSlam.
Intercontinental Championship Match: Becky Lynch vs Lyra Valkyria vs Bayley
Dave: I don't know when Becky's new TV show starts shooting so that could play a factor here. Provided that is not an issue, I could Lyra and Bayley fighting over who gets the pin, and that lets Becky leave with the Title.
Mike: I think the challengers are going to cancel each other out. Becky retains.
Richard: It seems like it was inevitable that we would get to a Triple Threat Match because it is on the brand that Adam ‘When in doubt . . . Triple Threat it Out’ Pearce controls. While there is some logic that since Bayley and Lyra had a draw with no winner, Becky should not have to face either of them, but it is pro wrestling. Becky thinks Lyra and Bayley are conspiring while Lyra does not trust Bayley. I don’t know if Bayley winning does anything for the title and has this title reign helped elevate the title? Give it back to Lyra and let some of the other talents in the division challenge her for the title.
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