Foreshadowing an Evolution return?

[simpsons_fanatic742]

World Wrestling Entertainment has released yet another promotional poster for this year’s WWE Unfogiven pay-per-view. This time the poster does not feature Shawn Michaels, it now features Batista.

It looks like WWE are changing posters around like they have done for past events. The new poster features Batista in a yard at night in the rain doing Randy Orton's ring pose.

WWE Unforgiven takes place on September 7, 2008 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.

Now I don't know about you guys, but I can't really picture Batista doing the Randy Orton pose, it just doesn't fit him. Could this be a subtle hint by the WWE that Evolution could be returing with Batista and Randy Orton? Maybe I'm readying too much into this, but Batista doing Orton's pose is a little weird if you ask me.

What are your thoughts?

[Dark Blaze]

I was about to make a thread concerning this, 'til I checked out the poster on wiki, the pose is definitely not Randy's pose, Batista's legs are bent and his face seems in anguish, like he's frustrated at not getting to something, probably the title or something, check it out; only thing that pose and Orton's have in common are the outstretched arms, and it's still not held the same way. The main site's exaggerating it.

Anyway, I wouldn't mind seeing 'Tista turn heel and him and Randy forming a stable with maybe some other talent. However, I doubt that would happen, WWE may consider Batista too over to turn heel and lose out profits through his merchandise. Definitely wouldn't mind seeing a Orton-Batista feud though.

[Touchable]

Now I don't know about you guys, but I can't really picture Batista doing the Randy Orton pose, it just doesn't fit him. Could this be a subtle hint by the WWE that Evolution could be returing with Batista and Randy Orton? Maybe I'm readying too much into this, but Batista doing Orton's pose is a little weird if you ask me.

What are your thoughts?

Too me Orton's pose represents arrogance and Batista doesn't seem like the arrogant type. I really don't see this being a revival of Evolution but I wouldn't mind seeing it back with Batista and Randy Orton with a lead role and getting some younger talent a push.

[RadioGaGa]

An Evolution return would be pretty cool as I liked the way the original Evolution made Batista and Orton into legit stars. Those two had accomplished barely anything before Evolution but after it they were main eventers.

An Evolution return with just Orton and Batista would be a bit disappointing as they have the oppurtunity to boost the credibility of one or two young stars with the obvious choices being DiBiase and Rhodes. The whole Evolution return though is purely speculation and I don't read too much into PPV posters.

[Uncle Phatso]

I don't really see dave and randy doing an evolution stable again. Wwe kinda allredy did all they could with them a few years ago. They were shy of a chick holding all of the titles on raw. Granted there was talks of santino being in a heel stable a few months back. Maybe he could be in with them. I think if wwe gives santino a run with bigger tallent it would be gold. He has the stick all down, And he's not totaly bad. I've seen some older OVW shit with his russian gimmic in it. And he prolly was at a mid card lvl with that gimmic. Maybe with the right tallent he can get it up. Randy is solid on the mic most of the time. And Dave is just dave, He's allways been more of the enforcer type. Randy as the sly heelish type person, Dave as the backup , and santino as the mouth piece would be awsome.

[jpfizzle]

Orton is money, when he comes back I think it will be his time, wether that be leading an Evoloution faction with Batista which I will go into in a minute or a head of a second generation superstar faction.

Orton is one of the best heel characters around, getting Batista to turn heel would be a huge coup for him in storyline terms, I could easily see the two getting over massively. Whoever gets the rub would be extremely lucky because Batista and Orton would provide a serious push regardless of who it is.

Whilst an evolouiton faction would be good to watch though I think they should take Orton in another direction, I feel he is just that one fresh storyline away from becoming one of the biggest Wrestlers of this decade.

[Esteban Ochocinco]

The rumors have been circulating about this for a while, and the fire got poked a little bit back at One Night Stand. Remember, Orton came to Batista about a possible reunion of these two.

The original rumor was to have Orton and Batista reform Evolution to take on DX, but now with the Lame on Smackdown, it thankfully won't go down that way. The only problem I would have with an Evolution re-do is just who would they feud with? John Cena could be a potential target, but Cena vs. Orton has been done to death.

I like the idea in theory. Big Dave Dudd is in desperate need for a heel turn. His character is stale and he is just an awful face. With Orton being the stick man, this could be a very good thing.

[AnthonyMango/NoFate007]

While I'd love to see Batista turn heel, as I find him boring as a face, that poster doesn't really look like its aiming in that way. The pose is a bit off (but then again, maybe Batista just botched it like everything else haha). Plus, we all know how much of a waste it is to look at magazine covers and posters in the WWE, as they change their minds up until the very last minute. Hardy's on the magazine reaching for the title, but he isn't even getting a title shot. So forth and so on.

But like I said, I wouldn't mind seeing Orton and Batista team up again. Feuding with people, though, that's the issue. As mentioned above by others, Orton/Cena has been done to death, and we already have had recent Orton/HBK and Batista/HBK feuds. I can't see them feuding with a combo of Cena and Mysterio, or Cena and Punk, or...well, there aren't any faces left really lol.

[DeadmanInc.]

I just saw the poster and...it doesn't look like Orton's pose at all. Batista looks more like he's in anguish rather than showing off his greatness, like Orton does.

I think an Evolution reunion would be great, especially for Batista. He has been the same bland face for years now and it's getting really stale. But like the above posters have said, who would they feud with? The only option that comes to mind is CTC but Cryme Tyme are not on the same levels as Cena, Orton, or Batista so I don't think that feud would work.

[Danmen001]

There is no way that Evolution will reform. It is over with, the title picture is crowded enough as it is without the likes of a faction reforming. What would they do with it, how can you see Batista and Randy Orton together.

If you look into it, they have no use in putting the 2 together. While people keep saying that Batista has to go heel, 'cause he is so stale as a face. How could they do it, I suppose he could sneak attack Cena. But when you look at all the faces who are having trouble going heel you would have to stop to think, can he do it? Y2J is basically asking people to boo for him. Kane is ment to be demented be he seems to be getting cheered still too (well I suppose that's not saying much :p ).

My point is Batista will really need Orton to help him get over as a heel, and even then I don't think it will work. Sure it may be interesting to watch, but the reaction level won't be there. And then people really won't care about him.

It most likely won't happen, this is just a link to nothing otehr than planting a little thought in our minds.

[Crimson Bonez]

i gotta say that when i 1st heard about, the "evolution reforming" that i liked the idea, but after awhile I started thinking that it wouldnt work.

1st off, these two are ME, who would they have to fued with. You remember when DX was brought back, who did they have to fued with, Mcmahon for a little which i think got boring quick, and then the sprit squad, who nobody toke seriously. It was beating after beating until they shiped them to OVW i think. And then after that, you had Rated RKO (also ME), the only formidible team that DX could fued with. Who would the new Evolution have to fued with, Cena and who else? There isnt any formidible faces for them to fued with.

You also have to put in account about the name evolution. The original evolution was past (flair), present (triple h), future (Orton, Batista). Okay so the new Evolution would have present in Orton and Batista, some are saying Team Priceless in it as well so i guess theyd be the future. That sounds good right? Sure it would but then youd have to take in count who'd they fued with. Okay so I've heard Cena with the team to fued against, so if you have him you got Cryme Tyme as well, so you have them going agaisnt Team Priceless, but agin who else would be in the oposing team. CM Punk? Dont think so this guy to me aint ready to take on both Orton AND Batista. HBK? Doubt it, hes tied up with Y2J right now and probably for a while. Kingston? Really? No not ready yet. So as ive said before theres no formidible team/oponent for the new Evolution to fued with. It would be squash after squash. UNLESS they pull somebody from smackdown Kennedy, Hardy, MVP, BUT Kennedy and Hardy both just got there so thatd be MVP, of course turning him face.

Now there is the idea of the Undertaker coming over to RAW after hes done with Edge which i think would be good, BUT how to get him on Smackdown. During the HIAC match, Kane comes down (mask or no mask) and attacks Taker, bringing Taker to RAW, but that would just put a Kane vs Taker fued, not Taker and Cena vs Evolution.

Now as the new Evolution idea to me wouldnt work, i think it be best if Orton were to instead lead the Next Generation stable instead. Having a ME and two up-and-coming stars, rather than having two ME in 1 stable with nobody to fued with. So to me, the new Evolution stable wouldnt work right now.

[TheOneBigWill]

I doubt Batista and Randy Orton would re-team up, using the name Evolution. And I doubt highly that the other two of the four (Triple H. or Ric Flair) would find their way back either. The fact is, I understand where you're going with the idea of Batista and Orton becoming partners.. but it'll never be in an Evolution setting.

What I'm refering to is, in that group you had a head guy, or leader.. then you had people beneath you. Batista and Randy Orton, if they find themselves teaming up again, will be more like Rated R.K.O.. they'll come together for a common goal, and be equals to each other, not one better than the other.

Furthermore, a team like that could help and destroy what little Tag Team division they already have. Obviously they both can't hold Heavyweight gold. And I'd assume Orton would somehow get the nod since Batista's been in the Main Event picture since 2005 more or less, (not that Orton hasn't mostly either) but the fact remains.. I'm assuming to show their power they'd become Tag Team Champions at one point. (ala Rated R.K.O.)

The flaw with that, is there isn't really a team that can match them, short of bringing together two OTHER single's wrestlers like John Cena & Shawn Michaels, or something to that effect. So really, I think what Batista and Orton should do is become an alliance, more so than a faction or a team.

Just be two guys, heels, that randomly help each other.. but aren't constantly around the other. (anyone remember Snitsky & Hedenreich?)

[Jack's_smirking_revenge]

I'd love to see Batista turn heel, whether joining Orton or not. But, the pose on the poster looks nothing like the Orton pose as others are saying. It looks more like Batista just standing in a rain storm looking angry kind of embracing the rain? haha but whatever it is, Batista's pose looks nothing like Orton's pose.

[Little Jerry Lawler]

I think it would be a good idea because if Orton/Batista recruit Team Priceless it can really elevate Rhodes/DiBiase just like it did for Orton and Batista......I have a feeling Orton will interfere in the Cena/Batista match giving Batista the win.....RAW needs a good stable again but the problem is who are they gonna face....I can see them feuding against Cena and Cryme Time but they need one more member
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If fear were snow, you would be a walking blizzard- Marty Janetty

[Dragonslayer]

Hm I don't see Batista and Randy Orton reuniting upon Randy's return either... as many have said, they are both Main Eventers and potential World Title contenders - back in the original Evo-days, at first only HHH was the single "real" main title contender, Orton was the IC/midcard guy and Batista the enforcer. Of course they did a great job in ultimately pushing both those guys into Main Event positions - but there they are now, and if they were to reform Evolution, how could one be the World title guy, and the other the midcard guy again? In any case, this would lead to a lot of tension (both in terms of keyfabe and in terms of potential feuds I think), and ultimately wouldn't work.

Instead, I rather see Batista vs Orton coming up; maybe a feud stemming from their Evolution days, some kind of "jealousy" angle... Maybe Batista getting a few title shots and Orton becoming envious of it, claiming he was more deserving, or Batista taking Orton's spot while he was injured... something of the like.
At some point, Batista definitely should turn heel again - but right now, I believe it's too early as WWE just has too few serious faces as far as I can tell:

1) There's John Cena of course, but he has been THE face of RAW for so long now; and with Triple H gone, he remains the only left.

2) CM Punk of course, but he is nowhere near that Main Event credibility status that Cena, Batista and Orton have - he might be a contender as he is champ now, but I believe it will take him one or two decent feuds in the upper card, maybe without the belt involved, to establish him as a real threat - thus far, in his encounters (even though he kept the title) he hardly was able to score clean victories over guys like Batista, JBL and such without interference from the outside. He needs to win clean over big names at some point (SSlam could be a good start, and JBL is big enough but not too big to elevate him if Punk goes over) to gain credibility

3) HBK yes, but he's a) involved with Jericho in what is easily one of the best feuds in a long time, and b) everyone knows HBK's time unfortunately is running out, and with his schedule limited it is pretty obvious he most likely won't be in for another title run, so even if he challenges for the gold from time to time, mostly it is for a one-match-contention situation, and not a long feud for the title.

And with Y2J and Kane both turning heel at the moment, that leaves RAW pretty faceless. So if you have Batista ALSO turning heel, you have the heel fraction of

Orton, Batista, JBL, Y2J and to a lesser extent even Kane as possible ME heel contenders, but basically only Cena as face ME guy.

The only option they would have in this cenario would be to elevate a mid-card guy into the ME scene; but whose turn is it now?

So I don't really see Batista going heel, as long as WWE doesn't have at least a second truly established face next to John Cena (be it CM Punk or someone else); maybe then Batista could be open for new things.

[I_Like_All_Wrestling]

Evolution as "evolution" wouldn't work. I wouldn't really call either Batista or Orton and storied veteran, and they wouldn't have a young star (at least that we know of yet). Could you imagine the terrible promos with that team, they are hideous on the mic. Now I don't think they would be bad as part of another stable but that stable in the form of Evolution just wouldn't work at this point.

[klunderbunker]

If this is based just on the poster I wouldn't think too much of it. It's just that, a poster with a pose on it. If you look at it that way, the first two Great American Bashes in WWE featured Torrie Wilson in the main event. The pose that Orton does is fairly basic anyway, it's just him with his arms up in the air and leaning back a bit. If Evolution is coming back jsut as these two, it could be interesting but I can't really picture it. They'd fit together well but Orton doesn't need someone to draw heat. He's one of the best pure heels in the business today, maybe second only to Edge. Batista is so insanely over taht it just wouldn't make sense to put these two back together right now, at least not to me.

[Razz]

One scenario I could see now is that if Batista turns heel, Evolution could be restarted up with Batista/Rhodes/Dibiase and someone else. Or Orton would be the leader, I dunno if both Orton and Batista would be in it. This would make sense since Cena has the CTC with Cryme Tyme, so Batista could join up with Rhodes/Dibiase..If Deuce aka Jimmy Snuka Jr ever debuts on RAW and gets a push he could be the third guy. That would be a true evolution three second generation wrestlers. Maybe they won't be called evolution though, or something else.

[simpsons_fanatic742]

I meant to post this earlier, but I saw the poster and although I don't think it's the Randy Orton pose, I can see it being slightly, just slightly similar. But overall I think he's just in some kind of anguish or anger or something like that.

[OIL]

They could reform Evolution, but it would only be a short term thing. Only for a few months. You could easily see Orton turning on Batista or the other way round, leading to a match. Could be one of the big Survivor Series matches.

However, I think you're reading too much into the poster. Like it says, they're changing the posters all the time. So it could mean nothing. Orton's pose is a very generic pose too, as it's simple to do. MVP has a similar pose.

[Mighty NorCal]

I cant see it working, becuase unlike many, im not delusional, and I know Batista will never be able to be full on heel again. His look is too good, his offense and entrance are too high impact, everything about him screams "cheer me". Shit, if they truned him total badass heel, he would probably get cheered MORE then, than he does NOW. Watch the SummerSlam crowd cheer for him harder than they do Cena. Just wait and see. Batista probably got his biggest reaction of the year when He was in a quasi-heel role against CM Punk. Shit, they can hardly keep people from popping for ORTON, let alooone Batista. Which btw, Orton will most likely receive a few pops when he first returns as well. Give to all this the fact that everyone would cheer for an Evolution rehash, regardless, it just wouldnt work. Unless of course they are trying to get the guys involved over as "cool" heels, then it makes perfect sense, but WWE has always shyed away from that.

And besides, the dynamic between JBL teaming with Priceless against CTC is too well set up, and easy. I dont think they would scrap that for something else. As Big Will said, I think the closest we will see to an evolution rehash would be an uneasy alliance between Orton and Tista.

[Dark Blaze]

I cant see it working, becuase unlike many, im not delusional, and I know Batista will never be able to be full on heel again. His look is too good, his offense and entrance are too high impact, everything about him screams "cheer me". Shit, if they truned him total badass heel, he would probably get cheered MORE then, than he does NOW. Watch the SummerSlam crowd cheer for him harder than they do Cena. Just wait and see. Batista probably got his biggest reaction of the year when He was in a quasi-heel role against CM Punk. Shit, they can hardly keep people from popping for ORTON, let alooone Batista. Which btw, Orton will most likely receive a few pops when he first returns as well. Give to all this the fact that everyone would cheer for an Evolution rehash, regardless, it just wouldnt work. Unless of course they are trying to get the guys involved over as "cool" heels, then it makes perfect sense, but WWE has always shyed away from that.

And besides, the dynamic between JBL teaming with Priceless against CTC is too well set up, and easy. I dont think they would scrap that for something else. As Big Will said, I think the closest we will see to an evolution rehash would be an uneasy alliance between Orton and Tista.

That is true, when Orton came back during the Million Dollar Mania, the crowd did pop a bit for him, he had to stamp those out quickly. I do agree with you slightly about JBL & Priceless, the gimmicks are so closely related it was obvious they would be teamed together. I would have preferred though they make some sort of stable in general instead of just teaming together when their feuds overlap, it'd help Priceless even more being with a heel like JBL.

As for Orton and Batista, it is true that it would just be tremendously difficult to turn Batista heel now, he'll get cheered regardless, however like Justin said in the BR, if WWE is really keen on making a faction with Orton ala Team Rated RKO, why not have an Orton- Jericho alliance?

[MisterRob]

Cena/Batista are the tag team champions now. They won those championships from Dibiase/Rhodes. I think Orton's going to return at the PPV and interfere in the Cena/Batista match, not so Batista can turn heel (although that would be an interesting idea) but to start a stable with Orton, Dibiase, Rhodes, the foundation is already there for the feud on all levels from Orton's history with both Cena and Batista to Dibiase/Rhodes out to get the tag team championships back, to all three of them being second/third generation wrestlers.

[Dark Blaze]

Cena/Batista are the tag team champions now. They won those championships from Dibiase/Rhodes. I think Orton's going to return at the PPV and interfere in the Cena/Batista match, not so Batista can turn heel (although that would be an interesting idea) but to start a stable with Orton, Dibiase, Rhodes, the foundation is already there for the feud on all levels from Orton's history with both Cena and Batista to Dibiase/Rhodes out to get the tag team championships back, to all three of them being second/third generation wrestlers.

That does make sense, all Randy can say is that he's tired of established guys holding down the young, up and coming talent, disrupting their pushes, like they did him so to say, and there it'd be. That way we get our Batista & Randy matchup and Di-rhodes get into the Me and actually do something with those belts.

[FTS]

I agree with DragonSlayer that it would work if there were main event faces. You just can't turn Batista at this point. Drafting Jeff Hardy ruined any chance of a dominant heel stable. if he were still on Raw, then you could team Hardy and CTC and possibly have a chance.

If this were 1990, it could work. That was a time when all the faces hated the bad guys, and the enemy of my enemy is my friend. So Sting could take the Horsemen on by himself. Unfortunately, all the faces are anti-heroes now, doing what is best for themselves, without interfereing in others' business.

[twisterwrw929]

I can see them forming an alliance once Orton returns. I'm sure they'll talk about their past with evolution, but I highly doubt they would form a team calling themselves evolution. I also have no idea what they could possibly do together if they did form an alliance, but for some reason I can see these two working together, with Batista turning heel for at least a short time. If they do this, I could see it leading to a match at Wrestlemania 25, I think most people were expecting Batista vs Cena for the first time ever at WM 25, but now that Cena/Batista is taking place at Summerslam, they would have to do something different.

Now Orton and Batista have faced each other a couple of times before, but it's never been anything big. I can't recall these two ever facing each other one on one in a ppv matchup. If they use an alliance angle, it would be a good start to a feud, not to mention the history that these two have together. They came to the company at roughly the same time, and were both in the most dominant stable this decade, they could build a match between these two to be huge, and I can definitely see it happening.

[Starchild]

I have a hard time envisioning this as well. Evolution was a dominant stable that everyone loved to hate, and looking back I can see that they were one of my favorite factions ever. But there is only one way Orton and Batista could work in a stable together, and that's if one was injured and not wrestling. Both are established main eventers and multi-time world champs. The egos would just be too big for these two to coexist. Maybe a short-lived alliance but other than that not much.
What could work great would be if Orton became the leader of a stable with Rhodes and Dibiase. It could be a second generation stable with the young stars that all have huge egos and think it's their time. Rhodes and Dibiase could be the tag team and eventually go on to midcard status after the IC title. No one else really fits the bill to be an enforcer type so it would just be the three of them. It would have been great if Natalya had come to Raw then she could be in it too and they could capture all the gold on Raw.

[v12dpk]

I sort of liked the idea of an Evolution return, albeit just Batista and Orton, but still im sure they would make a powerful force, however they wouldnt have many people to fued with as a tag team so that kind of cancels it out.

Also have you noticed that the new SD! vs RAW 2009 game is based on tag teams and making playing as a tag team 'awesome', well if this is really the case, why is the tag team division collapsing, IMO they should unite the tag titles and give them to Evolution 2.0, and start to re-ignite the tag team division.

[KillBill]

If Sid returns, he could be Ortons henchman. Throw in Priceless, your good. Cena, Punk, Mysterio, Batista, there are plenty of guys. Or throw some up and comer in there such as Charlito, The Hass, Punkhass, or whoever!

[MasterDebator]

This sort of the thing could work but I doubt it will have anything to do with Evolution. Evolution is dead. No HHH or Flair makes it so. Norcal said it best -- Batista would be extremely difficult to turn heel anyways. He oozes face, almost as much as Cena these days, especially now that Cena is on the sidelines.

Priceless, however, could do well with Orton on their side. I liked the direction they went with on Raw the other night in which Priceless not only wanted to prove themselves to Orton, but also to themselves. It would be interesting, but I'd only subscribe if a fourth member was added and I don't see one on Raw right now. Sid Vicious? Eh. Why is he even coming back? And who cares? Even though his insertion into an angle that involved him teaming up with one of WWE's biggest stars in Orton and the tag champs would immediately get him air time as well as a sense of importance, I'd rather see a younger guy get the protection and importance that would come from such a team.

[PDecicco]

Call me crazy...(you're crazy laugh track)... but what about Ezekial Jackson?

Think about. In Evolution you had a current star with HHH, a mentor in Rick Flair, an up and coming superstar in Orton and muscle in Batista right?

Well what if you had a current superstar like Orton as your mentor, Cody and Ted as up and coming superstars and Ezekial as the muscle? I see him almost taking a Batista route to the top anyway. Deacon Bautista eventually became The Animal Batista. My Man Zeke could really follow the same path to success.

And while I wouldn't call this group Evolution, I think it could be successful. You could even throw in Beth Phoenix. She eventually decides to side with Orton over Santino and takes her role as women's champion as seriously as she did during her first run.

[Prodigy]

i think they wont do it. its very dissapointing because tht would be amazing seeing as raw needs a dominent stable. but unless batista makes a heel turn(which i like him better as a face). i do not see batista turning heel and teaming with orton even though thats what i want. i just cant see it happening

[AMERICANFIRE]

well it looks like we have our new evolution only i dont see how afa jr fits in. though he has great in ring skills and is already good on the mic. maybe there will be a fifth member but i dont know. orton must be trying to get pricless attention by gaining there respect for him as their leader. as far as aface stable i think it will suck mainly because punk is the voice of the stable and how does he fit in with cryme time and kingston. how does this stable fit at all. it doesnt thats why. now if you ask me i would use batista as the face leader to opose his old friend. if kingson must stay so be it but i say punk should be next then the tag team should be ray and evan bourne this stable would be way better then the one wwe is creating.

as far as ortons goes well this looks great so far orton still his unique self. priceless is cocky and young and need a leader why not the 3rd generation star to control all the 3rd generation stars.:headbanger: