WWE Evolution 2025 Discussion

[mim731]

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/charlotte-flair-wwe-wrestling

Might have been posted elsewhere, but it seems to be tied into Evolution in terms of timing. Yeah, I like Charlotte a whole lot more after reading this. 

[LaGoosh]

On 7/9/2025 at 8:13 AM, mim731 said:

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/charlotte-flair-wwe-wrestling

Might have been posted elsewhere, but it seems to be tied into Evolution in terms of timing. Yeah, I like Charlotte a whole lot more after reading this. 

Thanks for sharing. I've never particularly been a fan of her as a performer but have definitely gained a new respect and empathy for her as a person. 

That "0-3 in marriages" line was fucking horrendous and it was painful to read how badly it affected her. Highlights how shitty the modern WWE weird half shoot half work blurred lines promo style is. I'd say it was popularised by John Cena's "fine speech" promos (and CM Punk "pipe bombs"). I've always hated it, it does absolutely nothing to promote a match, develop characters or tell an actual story. It's like watching some crappy comedy roast. And she makes the point that it's Ashley who's been divorced 3 times, not the character of Charlotte which I completely agree with. Any real story is pushed aside for "ooooh" and "gotcha" moments. Must be fucking miserable to work at a place where a colleague can publicly mock your personal life at any moment to huge cheers and they'll be rewarded for it.

[theringmaster]

56 minutes ago, LaGoosh said:

Thanks for sharing. I've never particularly been a fan of her as a performer but have definitely gained a new respect and empathy for her as a person. 

That "0-3 in marriages" line was fucking horrendous and it was painful to read how badly it affected her. Highlights how shitty the modern WWE weird half shoot half work blurred lines promo style is. I'd say it was popularised by John Cena's "fine speech" promos (and CM Punk "pipe bombs"). I've always hated it, it does absolutely nothing to promote a match, develop characters or tell an actual story. It's like watching some crappy comedy roast. And she makes the point that it's Ashley who's been divorced 3 times, not the character of Charlotte which I completely agree with. Any real story is pushed aside for "ooooh" and "gotcha" moments. Must be fucking miserable to work at a place where a colleague can publicly mock your personal life at any moment to huge cheers and they'll be rewarded for it.

Every time this happens and when i see a tweet saying "That was defintly a shoot" or "They went off script" etc etc I just roll my eyes, that's exactly what they want.

[The Dart]

1 hour ago, LaGoosh said:

And she makes the point that it's Ashley who's been divorced 3 times, not the character of Charlotte which I completely agree with. 

I tried making this point when people were complaining about Rusev & Lana being paired with others (Ziggler, Lashley etc) on TV, when they're married in real life, years ago.   I'd say Rusev & Lana are not married.  Rusev & Lana are fictional characters, who are not married.  People wouldn't have any of it though.

[Drfunke]

I think there is just a reality that even amongst wrestling fans, there isnt an appetite for this, regardless how much a small minority try argue there is. 

[Supremo]

Would love to know the ratio of successful worked shoots. Feels like for every, “turn Vince into a heel because he’s a cunt in real life,” there are literal decades of abject failures. At best they’re a complete waste of time and at worst they actively put off an audience who can’t keep up. I watched in real time as my kids wanted to see baddie John Cena and goodie Cody Rhodes, only to drift back to Minecraft as they began talking in Wrestling Observer Riddles. 

It’s the lesson of the last five years. All the greatest successes have been the pure fiction of Roman Reigns as a mob boss, Sami Zayn accidentally joining a cult and Hangman Adam Page losing his mind before turning it all around.  The biggest bomb has been John Cena’s originally well received heel turn becoming a meta load of shit.

I’ll be interested to see if it’s addressed in that new Netflix documentary. Tenner says we see Triple H’s massive Growth Hormone Head as he explains, “our fans crave reality, we are the Masters of blurring the lines.”

Edited July 10, 2025 by Supremo

[d-d-d-dAz]

On 7/9/2025 at 8:13 AM, mim731 said:

https://www.theplayerstribune.com/charlotte-flair-wwe-wrestling

Might have been posted elsewhere, but it seems to be tied into Evolution in terms of timing. Yeah, I like Charlotte a whole lot more after reading this. 

I'm not sure. It sort of absolves herself of any guilt in that situation. 

There are two options, you take the cynical route as a poster above did and say it's all secretly a double bluff work and they're trying to get a reaction. In which case the above is all moot anyway.

I don't really believe that in this case, so the only other option is to take that feud and that 'shoot' segment at face value; and at face value Charlotte, as the experienced hand, did absolutely everything she could to undermine, undercut and humiliate the younger worker, who eventually snapped back.

It was an absolute shit show, but there's plenty of blame to go around.

Edited July 11, 2025 by d-d-d-dAz

[Snitsky's back acne]

On 7/10/2025 at 9:22 AM, LaGoosh said:

And she makes the point that it's Ashley who's been divorced 3 times, not the character of Charlotte which I completely agree with. Any real story is pushed aside for "ooooh" and "gotcha" moments. 

Tiffany Stratton isn't dating Ludwig Kaiser either so it works both ways. 

[d-d-d-dAz]

Just now, Snitsky's back acne said:

Tiffany Stratton isn't dating Ludwig Kaiser either so it works both ways. 

Well, that was her reply to be fair. I don't think you can use that in reply, but even up until that point she wasn't exactly working with Tiffany.

Just don't anyone ever cross that line into crap roast battle shoot promo bollocks. It's been shit for at least a decade.

[thatvinylgeek]

I don't think there is a real problem with "shoot" type comments, they have there place and they definitely pop some people. However, what I do have a problem with is dropping lines about people's personal lives without running it past them first.

It gets blurry, but I think it can be valid....for example CM Punk is very visible online as a presence, it may be Phil Brooks posting but he does it under the CM Punk name, so I think it's fine for people to call out his past behaviour in promos (again as long as he knows about it).

Whereas with the divorce thing, there is a clear character divide between the WWE Charlotte and the real life Ashley...so it is murky territory. Just steer clear.

I mean you wouldn't have two people at a uni debate calling out the affairs they were having away from the subject matter...or maybe you would...

If it isn't agreed before hand, it just stinks to me of someone not being able to think on their feet and reverting to "Yeah well, YOUR MUM!".

[Snitsky's back acne]

Just now, d-d-d-dAz said:

Well, that was her reply to be fair. I don't think you can use that in reply, but even up until that point she wasn't exactly working with Tiffany.

Just don't anyone ever cross that line into crap roast battle shoot promo bollocks. It's been shit for at least a decade.

Agreed, and as you say, the narrative reads very much like Ashley/Charlotte absolving herself of any responsibility in that scenario. 

My point was that she can't really go "Ashley is divorced three times, not Charlotte, that's bringing up personal stuff that's unnecessary" and then go "Your real-life boyfriend, who you have absolutely no affiliation with on screen, is in my DMs!" in the same breath. I get it, it was in the moment and Tiffany did it first but it does read like Charlotte has given herself a platform to further bury Tiffany and take heat off herself. She may not have intended to do that but that is how it reads.

Charlotte, the more experience colleague, belittled and humiliated the newer, less experienced colleague (according to all accounts) - the newer, less experienced colleague takes it for a while but eventually fires back (just once) and the more experienced colleague then claims victimhood whilst completely ignoring what made the newer, less experienced colleague take the shot in the first place.. I've seen it happen in workplaces loads of times and it is usually agreed (off the record) that the more experienced colleague was being a prick and the retaliation was justified.

 

[Chico Torres]

The line gets blurry. It could be that the character of Tiffany Stratton is a racist who calls black men “boy” and her colleague a “black bitch” but the actress who plays her is not racist at all. The mysteries of kayfabe.

[Lorne Malvo]

Kind of similar to how Hulk Hogan has a massive cock but Terry Bollea does not. 

[Snitsky's back acne]

22 minutes ago, Chico Torres said:

The line gets blurry. It could be that the character of Tiffany Stratton is a racist who calls black men “boy” and her colleague a “black bitch” but the actress who plays her is not racist at all. The mysteries of kayfabe.

[OzExile]

Rhea and Iyo Sky was fantastic.  I couldn't tell where it was going to go throughout. Some great moves and bumps too.  Home run.