page_title: Evolution (professional wrestling)
section_title: Breakup (2005)
hierarchical_section_title: Evolution (professional wrestling) / History / Breakup (2005)
caption_attribution_description: English: my personal photo (taken 9/20/2005 at SD! Taping in Lubbock, TX)
context_page_description: Evolution was a villainous professional wrestling stable in WWE which was a part of WWE's Raw brand between 2003 and 2005 and during 2007 and 2014.
  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 to Edge, Chris Benoit, and the team of Booker T and Rob Van Dam respectively. Evolution turned on Orton the night following SummerSlam, when he won the World Heavyweight Championship and kicked him out of the group. 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. In October 2018, the original four members of the group reunited to celebrate the 1000th episode of SmackDown Live.
context_section_description: 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. 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. 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, last eliminating John Cena. As part of the match's storyline, Orton was concussed and then pinned to have Triple H retain the title, finally ending their feud until 2007-2009.
  Triple H tried to persuade Batista to challenge the WWE Champion John "Bradshaw" Layfield and John Cena 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. Batista defeated Triple H for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 21, then defended and retained the title in rematches at Backlash, and Vengeance in a Hell in a Cell match. Triple H and Batista made peace backstage afterwards and ended their feud. Batista was drafted to Smackdown as the last pick in the June 2005 WWE Draft Lottery ending Triple H's World Heavyweight Championship pursuits.
  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 teamed with Flair in a tag team match in a winning effort against Carlito and Chris Masters. After the match, Triple H betrayed Flair and attacked him with a sledgehammer, marking the end of Evolution.  Ric Flair would then go on to defeat Triple H in a Steel Cage match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship at Taboo Tuesday. Triple H then defeated Flair in a Last Man Standing match at Survivor Series.
caption: Batista during his first reign as World Heavyweight Champion
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