NXT TakeOver: Respect: Three Takeaways from Tonight’s Show
By Evan Gomes
WWE.com
Sasha Banks-Bayley: WWE’s Best Ever Women’s Feud
There is not much that I can write here that hasn’t already been said about the tremendous work that Sasha Banks and Bayley have done, but I’m going to try.
The narrative that drives the feud between Bayley and Banks is one as old as wrestling itself: the quest to be the best. Banks believes she is the best in the world at what she does, and had the title to prove it for a long time. She reigned over the NXT Women’s division as the best in the business.
Bayley is the classic underdog story. She is a loveable person that you want to see succeed. Her story of getting so close to the title but never quite winning it made fans invested in her.
This all lead up to their classic match at NXT: TakeOver Brooklyn. The two women delivered what was the standout match of the night, and a bout that many people are calling the match of the year for 2015. There was no way they could follow it up, right?
Wrong. We were so wrong.
THIS JUST HAPPENED! #BayleyToBelly #NXTTakeOver #IronManMatch pic.twitter.com/6rGlY1EhgC
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) October 8, 2015
Banks came back to NXT with a new fire to prove she was the best. She said Bayley got lucky and wanted her to prove that she could beat Banks again. Bayley being a fighting champion was all too happy to give Banks her rematch. The two squared off tonight at NXT TakeOver: Respect in the main event – a 30 minute Iron Man match for the Women’s Championship.
The two delivered a match that captivated the audience and kept fans on the edge of their seats. Bayley was the resilient champion, Banks the fierce challenger. Bayley the strong babyface, Banks the nasty heel. Banks taunting Bayley’s number one fan Izzy at ringside was one of the strongest heat-creating moments in recent history.
Sasha's a perfect heel. #NXTTakeOver http://t.co/G3y8JTNAak
— ؘ (@wxrdlife) October 8, 2015
The match tonight may have ended their feud for now, but it will not be the last time these two match up. The future of the WWE Divas division is full of talent, from Paige to Charlotte to Becky Lynch. However, the battles for the next decade between Bayley and Banks will go down in history. Between their past two matches and their future competitions, this will be known as the greatest Women’s feud in WWE history.
Evan Gomes is a journalism student at Loyalist College in Ontario, Canada. Connect with him on twitter at @E_Gomes. For booking, contactegomes27@gmail.com.