WWE Raw: Sasha Banks’ Heel Turn Shouldn’t Be Rushed

A villainous Sasha Banks can take over the Raw Women’s division, but her inevitable heel turn shouldn’t be rushed.

Sasha Banks continues to tease a turn to the dark side, most recently last Monday on Raw. After initially congratulating Raw Women’s Champion Bayley on successfully defending her title at WrestleMania, Banks made clear “that moment is over”.

Alexa Bliss’ arrival on Raw as part of the Superstar Shakeup briskly steered the spotlight away from Sasha, but we’re left wondering what The Boss might have gone on to say.

Charlotte Flair held a vice grip over Raw‘s top heel spot for over a year, but her switch to SmackDown Live opens up an opportunity for Banks to grab the reins and take her character to a new dimension. The Summer of Sasha awaits, but a slow burn is the right approach.

A turn now would be a waste. Alexa Bliss fits perfectly as Bayley’s next challenger, and Sasha should be pushed away from the championship scene altogether. More on that later.

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As noted earlier, Bliss is an excellent antagonist for Bayley heading into Payback and beyond. The two-time SmackDown Women’s Champion should seal her arrival on Raw with a title victory at Payback, winning the gold in two weeks time.

Bayley’s character works best when chasing the championship, and a back-and-forth feud with Bliss would give the title picture a necessary change-of-pace.

Bliss’ ability as a heel makes her the right fit as champion. As seen on SmackDown, she should use every trick in the book to one-up Bayley and keep hold of the strap. Whether that’s through outside interference, controversial finishes or simply getting herself disqualified, Bliss should continue to walk away as champ and force Bayley to chase.

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All the while Sasha is out of the title picture entirely. Here she can go toe-to-toe with Nia Jax. What we don’t see is the mounting frustration growing inside the three-time champion. Banks’ last one-on-one match for the Women’s title came at Roadblock last December, and she knows it.

Now Sasha’s frustrated. Desperate to reclaim what she feels is rightfully hers.

Again, the inevitable shouldn’t be rushed. Before turning on her buddy, Sasha can use Bayley to get what she wants. First, she helps Bayley regain the title from Alexa Bliss, but unlike last time, The Boss can hint at a possible change in personality.

From “inadvertently” costing her friend the match when they pair up in tag-team action, to taking subtle jabs on the mic and getting Bayley disqualified when trying to “help” her win in singles competition.

When the time is right, the full transition takes place. After pinning Bliss clean on Raw in a championship rematch, Bayley is congratulated in the middle of the ring by Sasha.

Now comes the moment to snatch the spotlight and emphatically re-enter the title picture, viciously attacking Bayley to set up a Raw Women’s title match at SummerSlam.

Timing is everything, just as it was at the end of Chris Jericho and Kevin Owens’ friendship. If done correctly, Sasha’s betrayal of Bayley can be special.

Next: Five Exciting Potential Feuds on Raw Following Shakeup

Not only should Sasha walk out as a four-time champion, but also cement her spot as The Boss of Monday nights.