|
The rise and fall of Evolution: photos0 T7 G @& o- ~* q% r( ^1 Y$ s
- @6 O9 z- j7 [ C2 l
' a2 u: ]* I# \# F: ] z/ ^4 ^' A4 M7 z: o( I' c# Z, {! M
Evolution began at Unforgiven 2002 when Ric Flair aligned himself with World Heavyweight Champion Triple H.
) G2 {$ D- G" B- ~" M5 D E5 Y6 q$ F6 D- j, k0 o
8 p: K9 u: _+ P) R8 Z+ l; n9 a# W1 U
" o" A" E# ?9 j; w. @! ~4 G- ~
' ]9 [7 S1 P0 R ]% T* `7 H
Batista and Randy Orton joined the group on Jan. 20, 2003 by helping Triple H and Flair put a beating on Scott Steiner.: }8 z# M2 N. w0 I
. W( K1 G% p- u
, d/ a$ P7 [$ I5 C H; U& ~' Z& F- R' b, H6 U; }
2 k- j- t$ `- Z4 [9 [
* z9 V( E& T9 o% U/ T6 b3 ^
) L5 O3 ^2 F8 e0 a" W1 r% j1 }) g
The four Superstars officially adopted the name Evolution, representing the past, present and future of WWE.0 p) E2 U% l. \8 \) Z
/ E% t) g' a( T. y5 ?! w- Y p( g, o& ]8 J6 t4 A$ g
8 p( N( X* t% j$ v1 |& d5 u
# T* A: b' u* E( S! i1 V! y c/ W' l4 k$ s
Shortly after their formation, Evolution was dealt a blow when both Orton and Batista were sidelined with injuries.7 I$ `, g: {* L3 ^! X1 {8 s7 Z# W4 ]
" u) l4 r% a2 b4 F
6 k, g# x8 G: h! V3 R# n& M( {3 _" H! ?& [( r- ?% E0 s: J
& F+ F; Y' w( m# }. m
. o( |' l; e& u/ v, ^4 J. }The Viper returned on the May 26 episode of Raw, the first sign that Evolution was regaining their strength.
R; b/ B6 t; Q6 a( T( \5 w% J6 G3 o+ N- M. |: U h% I
) `# J2 [6 M) W# {, l9 \# `1 l* l6 n6 T
& e, P4 L+ c$ d+ a7 r
% ~2 b8 g3 |5 N; WBatista returned that October and destroyed The Game's rival, Goldberg.
2 g0 P Y; |) h! ^: }
8 o& w" {" k Q
7 J1 R# H$ ]0 O* T3 I3 M
) I- D* [4 r2 @0 R' q7 r0 g) a. y/ `, d4 S. d' p" E' l, H
5 ]! z8 s) j$ l! l" A2 Q/ R D# M$ X3 C. ], n# p* H& ]# F9 V
1 t4 k! A, v+ g
J5 x# j0 z. C' R. k- }6 {( |) z# t0 Z, V |& o
X: @4 X3 n ?' h4 p, Z2 R* O
9 `$ T- f) j% }( A8 Z2 C4 @0 D/ J
3 y0 y5 @( r" c* [# d. V: Z6 A r/ _2 @ l" ?8 K
9 j- X8 g; _% \( v: R/ c
! ]! @1 T4 ]. t: l! X- e8 J
) C0 l. V, T. A1 F
" N7 ^" ~, U4 WOrton, Flair and Batista bested The Rock 'n' Sock Connection at WrestleMania XX.
?! h! f' L' y2 Q* X
! o0 g7 u: F) g& s4 C/ y- W: y. I Q4 y+ u3 O" ?8 f# ]
- x' b) r8 q" f: Q. t
; G5 A7 a. `7 D# h$ d+ F# l& p2 \& M {
1 ?( ?3 ^9 f5 J7 i2 {+ x# | l' \ L+ [4 o) }$ Q
# c9 \( d- [- w+ t) J
! T* v" l: Q6 Q; ~4 n4 \# o( g% A
3 `! g6 e j9 G4 F5 p+ ]
8 ]: s( n1 `4 y- M( i) \! j+ I; i+ m& J
) k; n' S: I6 {; j
/ |- c, y3 [# n |1 `5 c
The Viper was dismissed from Evolution after winning the World Heavyweight Title.) r6 q$ n4 V4 {8 x- T H
4 l8 O2 f; R0 y1 }# T
3 T3 a5 c! n5 t' V0 b* ^( R7 v, I4 ?% n% }
: H' _6 E; @- V7 l
- O6 n) _1 |! G" m6 [- p
2 p, r5 b5 H$ v& r2 I, M0 e, Q! Q
5 u% k' K. H" [2 \. y/ E2 i L/ h" q1 r2 \ I: k4 c
' M. a, Q% L R- e$ f- m# m/ }Batista left Evolution after setting his sights on The Game's World Heavyweight Championship.
k* t6 [, ^! p! O5 O% N% L8 ^! w6 V( B; Q
: R' {: K. S6 M2 g# ~2 o
; b8 p4 d9 D; b5 @4 n) B9 ?
, ?+ F0 ]7 J5 R P/ p
1 `& J& ]9 ^$ x: {7 J2 {( V2 A5 {
! V% i3 H- m: Q1 \8 s6 y$ Q- I
0 k1 f) t7 z* S- w5 L. b* w7 B8 Z7 U9 n2 d% t2 F: m8 F- h" K% y8 n
4 b4 q6 }8 B3 F9 c; _; `" o# ]* y' s2 `
6 ]. J1 G; l; J" Z+ {! j0 `
Triple H, Flair and Batista reunited on the 15th anniversary of Raw to take on Rated-RKO and Umaga.1 M6 a+ M/ l3 Q# a1 ?
& `/ ^9 L6 R& P7 {8 ^
: V$ K/ B. s. E4 C% a4 \ G5 Y
& Z) E6 Y6 ~4 W. J
y! v2 m- y: L/ |9 J4 x
+ G. [ _# N- B- b- Q |
|