WWE: Sasha Banks Is Back At Superstar Status With Rousey Feud

The WWE Universe has always understood that Sasha Banks can be one of the top stars in this industry, and she’s on her road back to superstardom thanks to this feud with Ronda Rousey.

Though WWE fans were once nervous about Ronda Rousey running down the Women’s Division, both Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair benefited from their interactions with Ronda and are expected to main event WrestleMania 35 against the former UFC Champion. But before that, Rousey must defend the Raw Women’s Championship against Sasha Banks at the Royal Rumble Pay Per View on Jan. 27, and Banks has already reaped the benefits.

Last week on Raw, Rousey stated on Alexa Bliss’s new “Moment of Bliss” show (the first edition of that show, in fact) that she’d like to face Banks at the Rumble. Nia Jax took issue with this, but Banks defeated her in an entertaining back-and-forth match that featured more of Sasha’s god-tier selling. Before her win, she showed off her excellent mic skills, too, telling Nia, “Bitch, what line?” when the “Facebreaker” told Sasha to head to the back of the line.

A four-time Raw Women’s Champion and one of the most respected wrestlers in the world, Sasha doesn’t step back for anyone. That’s why she found it so insulting when, tonight, Rousey basically assumed that she would defeat Banks at the Rumble, tapping her out with the armbar.

Banks quickly got in Ronda’s face and reminded the Raw Women’s Champion that she is equally capable of tapping out her opponents, including Rousey. Out to teach Ronda a lesson in losing with class, Sasha informed Rousey that it was her who tapped out Tamina in their tag team match (the significance of her scoring the win and not Ronda hasn’t been lost on fans either), one week after forcing Nia to submit to the Bank Statement, one of WWE’s most devastating submission maneuvers.

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In just a few minutes, Banks showed the fire that made her one of the greatest champions in NXT history. We saw “The Legit Boss” jump out, and when Ronda tried to reconcile with Sasha on the ramp, Banks wasn’t having any of that. She told Ronda that this is her “house”, and considering how often she’s had great matches on Raw, Banks is well within her right to state that.

Though many fans, like Ronda, have discounted Sasha’s chances of winning at the Rumble due to the impending WrestleMania 35 match against Becky (or Becky and Charlotte), Banks has a path to victory, especially if one of her fellow Four Horsewomen companions (perhaps Becky herself, given that she’s always said kind words to Sasha even in kayfabe) intervenes.

But win or lose, this feud is about putting Sasha back on top of the mountain, much in the same way that Finn Balor’s incredible victory in a Fatal Four-Way, which included pinning John Cena and getting verbally put over by the 16-time champ, did. Rousey’s admiration for Banks is well-documented and has only increased lately, and it seems like Rousey is willing to do whatever it takes to help Banks establish herself as a huge star.

The fan support online and in the live audience has always been there for Sasha Banks, who frequently gets praised by her peers to boot. Banks is back to prominence on Raw in the main title picture, and, again, regardless of what happens at the Rumble, the character work she’s been able to show has been a reminder to the WWE Universe of what she’s capable of.

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With a couple of more weeks remaining until the Rumble, there will be more chances for Sasha to continue to boost her stock heading into this huge matchup. And afterwards, hopefully WWE remains serious about pushing the motivated, hard-working, and extremely talented (both in and outside the ring) “Legit Boss”, who has been a mainstay in the Raw Women’s Division for more than two years.

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