Evolution (professional wrestling)

Evolution was a villainous professional wrestling stable in WWE which was a part of WWE's Raw brand between 2003 and 2005.

At the height of its original existence, the group consisted of Triple H, Ric Flair, Batista and Randy Orton. Evolution slowly began dissolving in 2004 and lost their respective titles (Intercontinental Championship, World Heavyweight Championship and World Tag Team Championship) against Orton, Batista and Booker T/Rob Van Dam then Chris Benoit and Edge. Evolution turned on Orton the night following SummerSlam, when he won the World Heavyweight Championship and kicked him out of the group.^[1][2] After winning the Royal Rumble in 2005 and teasing that he would chase the WWE Championship, Batista turned on Triple H and decided to pursue the World Heavyweight Championship himself. Although Batista's departure was largely the end for the group, the final break up came when Triple H turned on and attacked Flair.

Evolution later reformed on April 14, 2014 after Batista joined forces with Triple H and Orton. Flair did not participate in the reunion, as he had retired from full participation in wrestling in 2012.^[3]

Concept

Each member of Evolution represented the best in: "the past" (Ric Flair), "the present" (Triple H), and "the future" (Randy Orton and Batista) of professional wrestling.^[1][4] Triple H would reveal on his 2013 Triple H - Thy Kingdom Come DVD that Mark Jindrak was originally planned to be in the group in Batista's role as the Arn Anderson-like enforcer, with Jindrak even shooting vignettes with the rest of the group, before it was decided to make Batista part of the group instead.^[5]

Flair's character trademarks of coming out in suits and being a noted Playboy, along with his and Triple H's trademark heel ruthlessness, were traits that carried over into the entire stable, both during and for a couple of years after Evolution.

History

Formation (2002–2003)

Triple H, the leader of Evolution

At Unforgiven in 2002, Triple H defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Rob Van Dam. During the match Ric Flair came down to the ring and grabbed the sledgehammer from Triple H and teased hitting him before hitting Van Dam, allowing Triple H to get the win.^[6] From that point on, Flair accompanied Triple H to the ring as his manager. Shortly after, Batista moved from SmackDown! to Raw and Flair also began accompanying him to the ring while continuing to second Triple H. On January 20, 2003, Randy Orton joined Triple H, Flair, and Batista in attacking Scott Steiner to complete the group.^[7] Two weeks later the group got its name when Triple H, after the group jumped Tommy Dreamer, spoke about how the four men were examples of pro wrestling's evolution from the past (Flair) to the present (himself) to the future (Batista and Orton). On the May 26 episode of Raw, Orton attacked both Shawn Michaels and Kevin Nash after a 2-on-1 handicap match with Michaels and Flair (who eventually turned on Michaels during the match) taking on Triple H.^[1][8] Batista was out for nearly eight months, because he retore his triceps while rehabilitating the injury.

Dominance (2003–2005)

Ric Flair, the mentor of the group

In 2003, at Bad Blood, Flair was able to defeat Shawn Michaels after Orton struck Michaels with a chair. Later that night, Triple H retained his World Heavyweight Championship in a Hell in a Cell match against Kevin Nash.^[1][9] At Unforgiven, Orton (who began developing a "Legend Killer" gimmick) defeated Michaels to prove that he was indeed a Legend Killer.^[10] Later that night, Triple H defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Goldberg, to whom he lost the title.^[11] On the September 29 episode of Raw, Triple H issued a $100,000 bounty to anybody who could take out Goldberg.^[1][12] Three weeks later, Batista made his return during a match between Goldberg and Michaels and attacked the champion, finishing by stomping on a steel chair with Goldberg's ankle sandwiched in it to claim the bounty.^[1][13] At Survivor Series, Orton participated in a Team Bischoff versus Team Austin elimination tag team match in which Orton was the sole survivor.^[14] Later that night, Goldberg faced Triple H in a rematch from Unforgiven for the World Heavyweight Championship which Goldberg won despite repeated interference from Flair, Orton, and Batista.^[15] At the height of Evolution's power, the group controlled all of the male-based championships of Raw after Armageddon. Batista teamed with Flair to win the World Tag Team Championship from the Dudley Boyz (Bubba Ray Dudley and D-Von Dudley) in a Tag Team Turmoil match,^[16] Orton captured the Intercontinental Championship from Rob Van Dam,^[17][18] and Triple H regained the World Heavyweight Championship from Goldberg (in a Triple Threat match that also involved Kane), with the help of the other members.^[1][19][20] In June 2003, Evolution decided to try and recruit Kane. After unsuccessful attempts, Triple H would face Kane in a match with a Title vs. Mask stipulation. After defeating Kane he would finally be unmasked completely for the audience to see.^[21]

In January 2004 at the Royal Rumble, Flair and Batista successfully defended the World Tag Team Championship against the Dudley Boyz in a Tables match, and World Heavyweight Champion Triple H fought Shawn Michaels to no contest in a Last Man Standing match, thus retaining the championship.^[22] Flair and Batista exchanged the World Tag Team Championships with Booker T and Rob Van Dam.^[23][24][25] At WrestleMania XX, Evolution defeated the Rock 'n' Sock Connection (The Rock and Mick Foley) in a 3-on-2 handicap match.^[1][26] Later that night, Triple H lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Chris Benoit (in a triple threat match that also involved Shawn Michaels) when he tapped out to the Crippler Crossface.^[1][27] At Backlash, Flair lost to Shelton Benjamin in one-on-one action.^[28] Later that night, Orton defended the Intercontinental Championship successfully against Cactus Jack (Mick Foley) in a Hardcore match, while Chris Benoit retained the World Heavyweight Championship in a triple threat match against Triple H and Shawn Michaels, this time forcing Michaels to submit with the Sharpshooter.^[29] Triple H and Shawn Michaels would later continue their feud at Bad Blood inside a Hell in a Cell, which was won by Triple H and thus ending their feud.

Randy Orton after winning the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam in August 2004

While still World Champion, Benoit teamed with Edge to take the World Tag Team Championship from Flair and Batista.^[30] In mid-2004, Eugene befriended Triple H. At Vengeance, it was revealed that Triple H used him. The angle concluded after Eugene accidentally caused Triple H's loss to Chris Benoit at Vengeance.^[31] On the same night, Edge defeated Randy Orton to end his seven-month-long Intercontinental Championship reign.^[32]

Triple H received one final shot at the World Heavyweight Championship, on the July 26, 2004 episode of Raw in an Iron Man match. Earlier that night, Orton won a number-one contender battle royal for the World Heavyweight Championship so a title match between Triple H and Orton could have taken place at SummerSlam. However, Eugene interfered in the Iron Man match and helped Benoit take the lead and retain the title in the final seconds. As a result, the main event of SummerSlam was a title match between Benoit and Orton.^[33] At SummerSlam, Orton pinned Benoit to become the new World Heavyweight Champion and the youngest World Champion in WWE history to date.^[34][35] On the August 16, 2004 episode of Raw, Orton was kicked out of Evolution following a successful defense of the title against Chris Benoit.^[1][36] Batista hoisted Orton on to his shoulders in what appeared to be a celebration, but following the thumbs down from Triple H, the group proceeded to attack Orton.^[36]

At Unforgiven, Triple H beat Orton to regain the World Heavyweight Championship, with help from Flair, Batista, and Jonathan Coachman.^[37][38] Orton's feud with Evolution continued until Survivor Series where Triple H, Batista, Gene Snitsky, and Edge were defeated by Orton, Maven, Chris Jericho, and Chris Benoit in a Survivor Series match for control of Raw over the following month.^[39]

On the December 6 episode of Raw, the World Heavyweight Championship was vacated when a triple threat match with Triple H, Edge, and Benoit ended in a double pin (Edge tapped out to Benoit's Crippler Crossface while he had Benoit pinned to the ground),^[40] and the title was to be decided in an Elimination Chamber match at New Year's Revolution in early 2005.

Breakup (2005)

Batista during his first reign as World Heavyweight Champion

In the Elimination Chamber match at New Year's Revolution, Batista, Orton, and Triple H were the last three remaining in the match. Orton eliminated Batista with a RKO and Triple H pinned Orton with Batista's help to win the title.^[1][41][42] On the following night's Raw, a number-one contender's match saw Orton pin Batista to gain a title shot at the Royal Rumble.^[43] Triple H suggested that Batista not enter the Royal Rumble match, wanting the group to focus on Triple H retaining the title. Batista declined, entered the Rumble at number 28 and won.^[1][44] As part of the match's storyline, Orton was concussed and then pinned to have Triple H retain the title, finally ending their feud.^[1][45]

Triple H tried to persuade Batista to challenge the WWE Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield of SmackDown! rather than for his World Heavyweight Championship. This involved Triple H plotting a feud between JBL and Batista, showing JBL badmouthing Batista in an interview and staging an attack on Batista with a limousine designed to look like Layfield's. The scheme was unsuccessful and at the brand contract signing ceremony, Batista chose to remain on Raw, powerbombing Triple H through a table and thus quitting the faction.^[46] Batista defeated Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 21,^[47] then defended and retained the title in rematches at Backlash,^[48] and Vengeance in a Hell in a Cell match. Triple H and Batista made peace backstage afterwards and ended their feud.^[49]

After Vengeance, Triple H took time off, Flair turned face before going on to win the Intercontinental Championship, and the group was dissolved. Triple H returned at the "WWE Homecoming" episode of Raw on October 3 where he was to team with Flair in a tag team match against Carlito and Chris Masters. After winning that match, Triple H betrayed Flair and attacked him with a sledgehammer.^[50]

One night reunion (2007)

On December 10, 2007, Evolution had an in-ring reunion as faces on the Raw 15th Anniversary special episode. After Batista, Flair, and Triple H, who turned face himself in summer 2006 when he reunited with Shawn Michaels to reform D-Generation X, made their way to the ring, Orton (who was still a heel) played footage of himself being attacked and kicked out of the group and said that he hadn't forgiven them for turning on him in 2004 and didn't trust them, to which Triple H responded that they found him annoying, so he partnered with Rated RKO member Edge and Umaga. Evolution won the match.

Reunion (2014)

Orton and Batista in April 2014

Seven years later, in April 2014, Triple H, Batista, and Randy Orton reformed their alliance after Daniel Bryan defeated all three of them in the same night to win the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of WrestleMania XXX.^[51][52] The night after WrestleMania on Raw, Batista and Orton teamed together to face The Usos for the WWE Tag Team Championships, but the match ended in a no contest due to both teams being counted out.^[53] Later that night, Batista and Orton, along with Kane, attacked Bryan before he was set to defend his title against Triple H. Before Triple H could defeat Bryan, The Shield interrupted by spearing him and taking out Orton, Batista, and Kane, causing Bryan to retain his title via disqualification.^[54]

The Authority (with Triple H, Batista and Orton as Evolution) face off with The Shield

On the April 14 episode of Raw, Triple H, Randy Orton and Batista came down to the ring to attack The Shield after their 11-on-3 handicap match, using the name and the theme of Evolution.^[3] The Shield defeated Evolution in a six-man tag team match at Extreme Rules.^[55] and then The Shield defeated Evolution yet again in a six-man No Holds Barred elimination tag match at Payback with a victory in which none of The Shield were eliminated.^[56] On the June 2 Raw, Batista quit the WWE (kayfabe) after his title match request for the night was denied by Triple H due to Daniel Bryan's neck injury at the time and unable to complete. This was done to write Batista off WWE television so he could promote Guardians of the Galaxy, however he never came back to WWE since. Later that night, Triple H declared that he had resorted to "Plan B" in his quest to destroy The Shield, prompting Seth Rollins to attack Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns.^[57] Although Triple H and Randy Orton were still together as part of The Authority, all references to Evolution were quietly dropped afterwards, effectively ending Evolution again.

In wrestling

• Triple team finishing moves
  • Triple powerbomb – parodied from The Shield
• Double team finishing moves
  • Sitout powerbomb (Batista) and jumping neckbreaker (Orton) combination^[58][59]
• Batista's finishing moves
  • Batista Bomb^[60] (Sitout powerbomb)
• Orton's finishing moves
  • RKO^[61] (Jumping cutter)
  • Running punt kick – 2014
• Triple H's finishing moves
  • Pedigree^[62] (Double underhook facebuster)
• Ric Flair's finishing moves
  • Figure-four leglock
• Entrance themes
  • "Evolve" by Jim Johnston (June 16, 2003 – July 14, 2003)
  • "Line in the Sand" by Motörhead (July 21, 2003 – October 3, 2005; April 14, 2014 – June 2, 2014)

Championships and accomplishments

• World Wrestling Entertainment
  • World Heavyweight Championship (6 times) – Triple H (5) and Randy Orton (1)^[63]
  • World Tag Team Championship (2 times) – Batista and Ric Flair^[64]
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship (1 time) – Randy Orton (1)^[65]
  • Royal Rumble (2005) – Batista^[66]

References

External links

• Triple H's WWE profile
• Randy Orton's WWE profile
• Batista's WWE profile
• Ric Flair's WWE profile