WWE: Why Ember Moon vs. Bayley should be a No. 1 contender’s match
On the second night of the Superstar Shake-up, Bayley and Ember Moon made the jump to WWE SmackDown Live.
If anyone women on the roster need a fresh start, it’s Bayley and Ember Moon. Bayley was just positioned as an ambassador for women’s tag team wrestling alongside Sasha Banks, but the rug was unceremoniously pulled from under her two weeks ago. It’s still unclear what exactly is going on with Banks, or when she will return. In the meantime, WWE can’t afford to let the Hugger lose any more momentum. Therefore, she needed to go to a new brand to remind fans how good she is as a singles competitor
She hasn’t been a credible contender since the program with Alexa Bliss in 2017, which did significant damage to her character. On the other hand, one of the positives about the Boss ‘N’ Hug Connection was that we saw how good Bayley is when given the opportunity. WWE needs to focus on her in-ring ability because that’s what made her fan favorite down in NXT. The character stuff will fall into place afterward.
As for Ember Moon, her time on the main roster has been largely forgettable. She was a fixture in six-woman tag matches or paired with others as an arbitrary sidekick. Then she was shoehorned into an angle with Nia Jax and Tamina before she was forced to take some time off to undergo elbow surgery.
Even when she returned at WrestleMania, there was no fanfare or even a big surprise entrance. Albeit, Moon looked good in Women’s Battle Royal, where she really could’ve used the win.
Both Ember Moon and Bayley need something to turn the last few months around. Last Tuesday, they were the first women to confront Becky Lynch, the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Champion. It was the right call and we immediately realized they’ve never faced each other outside of the long list of tag matches. Seeing the two former NXT Women’s Champions in a one-on-one bout is a dream match.
That showdown must happen at some point, and why not make it a number one contender’s match? They both deserve an opportunity to challenge for the SmackDown Women’s Championship, and this could be a chance to prove how much they want it.
In addition, WWE needs to decide which brand Lynch will eventually find a home on soon. The “champ champ” gimmick is cool and all but eventually, the novelty will wear off. After the shake-up, the SmackDown women’s division is stacked, and poised to be the company’s focal point for great women’s wrestling.
What better way to set the tone than Ember vs. Bayley? Moreover, either of them could be good options as a champion to build the division around for a few months if Becky heads to Raw.
The only possible flaw in this matchup is that one of them will have to lose. Still, the chance to showcase them as strong contenders outweighs the damage a loss could do to either of them. Even more, it doesn’t have to be a one-off. This could easily transition into a feud for the championship later.
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No matter who eventually challenges Becky Lynch, hopefully, WWE finds a way to proper utilized Ember Moon and Bayley on SmackDown. They are so talented and they have proven they can be capable champions in the past.