WWE Raw Results: Highlights, Analysis, and Grades for March 6

Sasha Banks vs. Bayley

Result: Sasha Banks defeated Bayley via submission

Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars

One of the good things about face vs. face matches is they quite often exist between competitors who are friends with one another. Sasha and Bayley are good friends – sisters, according to each other – so they are very familiar with each other’s style. This leads to a lot of reversal based offense, because both wrestlers know what to expect from the other.

Coming back from the commercial break, there was an extended sequence of pinfall attempts. Lots of highly technical sequences during the entire match.

Of course, with a potential spot at WrestleMania on the line for Banks, the intensity was sure to pick up. It got a lot more physical in the second half – more strikes and power-based moves.

But since it’s the Raw Women’s Division, clean finishes are a foreign concept. It’s stunning that for so much good to great in-ring work, that the promos and match finishes are such hot garbage. Charlotte and Dana Brooke leave the commentary booth to come down to ringside and interject themselves into the match. Sasha is able to lock in the Banks Statement, and Dana distracts the referee. Charlotte – not wanting a triple threat match – tries to assist Bayley. It backfires, and Sasha is able to roll into the middle of the ring and re-lock in the hold. Bayley is forced to tap out, and we get the submission variant of “[INSERT NAME] has pinned the Women’s Champion!”

Then, Charlotte ends the segment by laying out both women and posing with the championship. If we roll this match into the promo segment before, now there’s no one who looks sympathetic. 

If the finishes of these matches were clean, they would be the greatest parts of the show. It’s getting increasingly frustrating that the entire division is devolving into distraction finishes or “cheat to win” all the time.