Bayley is expected to be the SmackDown Women’s Champion heading into WrestleMania 36, but could a swerve happen at WWE Elimination Chamber 2020? Here are five possible opponents she could face inside the brutal structure.
Ever since turning heel in the Fall, Bayley has blossomed as the leader of sheep in the SmackDown Women’s Division. Although there are still several weeks – and a show in Saudi Arabia – before Mar. 8, Bayley could end up having to defend the title at WWE Elimination Chamber 2020.
There are reports indicating Bayley and Sasha Banks are expected to face each other at WrestleMania 36, and this would be a match for the ages. For years, fans have been waiting for Sasha and Bayley to have a main roster match at a major Pay Per View. The two women who had revolutionary matches in NXT on TakeOver specials have had quality matches on Raw, but they’ve never clashed on PPV.
A No. 1 Contender’s match is the easiest way to set up Sasha as Bayley’s WrestleMania opponent, but what if Vince McMahon and WWE have something else in mind? What if “The Role Model” is forced to defend the prestigious SmackDown Women’s Championship inside the chamber?
If so, here are five possible opponents for Bayley to face at once on Mar. 8.
Naomi
Most fans are hoping for Sasha Banks to be Bayley’s opponent for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 36, but if that doesn’t end up happening for whatever reason (Vince being dumb, for example), then Naomi is seen as the most interesting backup option.
After her incredible Royal Rumble return, Naomi made an awesome entrance on SmackDown and confronted Bayley, teasing a future big match with “The Role Model”. Naomi didn’t win a recent No. 1 Contender’s match for the SmackDown Women’s Title, as Bayley’s old friend from NXT, Carmella, superkicked her way to victory.
That may have been deflating for Naomi’s fans, but the positive is that it leaves things open for Naomi to have a big match with Bayley at a later date.
Since Sasha would be the favorite to win a title match or No. 1 Contender’s match en route to facing Bayley at WrestleMania, everyone else becomes a sleeper pick almost by default.
But don’t sleep on Naomi. She could be a great opponent for Bayley, and, more importantly, she would be absolutely fantastic in an Elimination Chamber match for the title. Naomi is a brilliant, creative performer who could have a field day inside the chamber, bringing “The Glow” to Philadelphia.
Alexa Bliss
Alexa Bliss is no stranger to defending a title inside the Elimination Chamber, as she retained the Raw Women’s Championship inside the structure two years ago before dropping the championships to her best friend Nia Jax at WrestleMania 34.
Since then, Bliss has quietly improved in the ring to the point where she’s one of the best wrestlers on the Raw and SmackDown rosters. Bliss hit a “Twisted Bliss” off the top of the pod in her first chamber match, which Sasha Banks sold perfectly. Seeing Bliss back in a chamber match with Bayley and Sasha as the heels would make for an interesting dynamic, and the three familiar superstars could have some great throwback moments.
There could also be the dynamic of Bliss and Nikki Cross working together inside the chamber. They’ve shown great chemistry together as tag team partners, including in a multi-women matches. Cross has shown a great degree of selflessness, and Bliss has reciprocated, whereas many probably thought Bliss would quickly revert to her old ways of putting herself before others (e.g. Mickie James, Alicia Fox).
Bliss is one of the biggest stars in the company, so it’d be great to see her in a huge title defense inside WWE Elimination Chamber 2020. As she showed us all two years ago, she can shine in these matches.
Mandy Rose
Partially thanks to her storyline with Otis, Mandy Rose has become one of the most discussed wrestlers on SmackDown over the past month. Rose showed breakout potential in 2018 and has consistently improved. It’s amazing looking back at her promos when she first started on Raw alongside Paige and Sonya Deville in the “Absolution” stable and comparing them to the work she is producing in 2020.
Fans are excited to see where this story between her and Otis takes them, and there’s a lot of anticipation around what will happen in the relationship between Rose and Sonya Deville. WWE have teased friction between them in the past, but it ended up making their bond stronger. Deville has repeatedly said in promos that she’ll do anything to put Rose before herself and is focused on winning titles with her partner, but Rose never seems to match her enthusiasm.
It could all come to a head inside the Elimination Chamber this year, and it would be the third time Rose and Deville are in the chamber together. And what would make their inclusion even more interesting is if Bliss, Banks ,and Bayley are all in there. Bayley and Banks will be close friends competing in a third straight Elimination Chamber with a turn marking their first and a title win their second. Deville and Rose, meanwhile, have always worked well together, but could this be the first year that’s no longer the case?
Rose could be in line for a big night on Mar. 8, especially since her stock has seemingly risen as a result of the interest in the angle with Otis.
Sonya Deville
It’s somewhat surprising to see that Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose haven’t won the Women’s Tag Titles yet as “Fire and Desire“, but both women are clearly destined for a great deal of future success as singles competitors. Both women have “future champion” written all over them, and there’s always been a steady groundswell of support for Deville, who is a massive fan favorite.
Deville and Bayley should have a great rapport in the ring inside WWE Elimination Chamber 2020, and while Deville has the least chance of winning a title or No. 1 Contender’s match, she’s also under the least amount of pressure. And if the chips falls where many fans think they will, Deville could be headed for a feud with Rose that allows her to break out more.
We’ve seen Deville show flashes of brilliance as a talker, but she really needs a rivalry that brings out the best in her. She could be a great babyface or heel in a rivalry with Rose, though because of her popularity, Deville would seem like the more ideal face.
Regardless, Deville would be another strong inclusion in an Elimination Chamber match given her experience and her consistently solid work on SmackDown over the past couple of years.
Sasha Banks
There may not be a better wrestler on the planet than Sasha Banks, who has been one of WWE’s most popular wrestlers since stepping onto the scene. Banks’ rise has been nothing short of remarkable, though her staying power is honestly even more impressive.
One of the best champions in NXT history and a four-time Raw Women’s Champion, The Legit Boss has yet to grab the SmackDown Women’s Title. Yet she’s never left the picture despite not getting an opportunity, as she’s sat there, lying in wait as her best friend Bayley flourishes in the midst of her second SmackDown Women’s Title reign.
Bayley and Banks are on the same page and clicking as the “two woman power trip”, but fans know that the other shoe has to drop at any given moment. The assumption is that Sasha will turn, but my colleague Mark Justice wisely predicted a Bayley turn on Sasha as something of a reversal of roles from their night inside the Elimination Chamber in 2018.
No matter what exactly happens, Banks will likely be made Bayley’s WrestleMania opponent for the Blue Brand’s most coveted championship. These two close friends are known for their intricate story-telling and callbacks, and since they have such a great depth of history together just inside the Elimination Chamber itself, we could be headed for a truly special chamber match on Mar. 8 if both members of the Boss’N’Hug Connection are in the match.
And if they aren’t and it’s “only” a No. 1 Contender’s match, Sasha Banks will still steal the show at the WWE Elimination Chamber 2020 Pay Per View. Because, well, that’s what she does!