WWE: Sasha Banks vs. Bayley must main event SummerSlam 2020

WrestleMania 36 is in the books and it’s already clear as day that Sasha Banks and Bayley should main event SummerSlam 2020.

WrestleMania 36 was easily the most unique and unorthodox WrestleMania we’ve ever seen, and it’ll likely never be topped in either of those respects. Truthfully, it probably shouldn’t be.

One of the best matches during this year’s two-day presentation of WrestleMania saw five of SmackDown’s top women competing in a Fatal 5-Way Elimination Match for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley had the odds stacked against her with Sasha Banks, Tamina, Lacey Evans, and Naomi all gunning for the title.

What followed was nearly 20 minutes of scratching and clawing for one woman to walk out as the SmackDown Women’s Champion. With the nature of an elimination style match, we saw several alliances, beginning with all four other competitors teaming up to take out Tamina.

After some more struggle, Naomi was the next competitor to face elimination. That left only Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Lacey Evans. The history between these three has been front and center during SmackDown on Fox in recent months, and that certainly showed here. Up to this point, Sasha Banks and Bayley had flawlessly worked together, even seeing Bayley save Sasha Banks from elimination.

Of course, all great alliances hit bumps in the road. We’d seen the very subtle hints of tensions between best friends Sasha Banks and Bayley in recent months. Whether it was where their eyes focused, or a specific word choice, or even avoiding certain questions, they seemed dedicated to not addressing the potential implosion of their friendship.

As this contest heated up, Sasha Banks and Bayley looked to end Lacey Evans and bring it down to just the two of them. Of course, no one really knew what would happen in that situation, but we didn’t get the chance to see it. A miscommunication between the two saw Bayley inadvertently strike Banks after Lacey Evans slipped out of the way.

In the ensuing argument moments later, Banks ended up eating a Women’s Right from Lacey Evans. When “The Boss” was being pinned, it looked as if Bayley didn’t even attempt to go make the save. Maybe she was stunned, but the hesitation still seemed present.

With Bayley and Lacey Evans alone, what followed was a grueling final act where it seemed Lacey Evans might overcome the previous double team attacks and snatch the SmackDown Women’s Championship from Bayley. Right as Evans was looking for victory, Sasha Banks suddenly slid in from ringside where she’d stayed after being eliminated and nailed Evans with a Backstabber.

Bayley added the exclamation point and pinned Evans, successfully retaining her championship. “The Role Model” had escaped with the SmackDown Women’s Championship, but she did it with the help of “The Boss.” Even in the aftermath, when Sasha Banks put the title around Bayley’s waist herself, “The Role Model” seemed unsure.

You can see it all over her face. She knew, in her heart, she didn’t try to save Sasha Banks. She let Sasha Banks get eliminated, because it allowed her to take on Evans alone and hold onto her SmackDown Women’s Championship. Yet, despite all of that, Banks still saved her.

When it was all said and done, Sasha Banks stood by her friend. Where does that leave us now? On the road to SummerSlam. While the status of SummerSlam 2020 remains unclear, and likely won’t be clear for weeks on end, there is no better choice to main event the show should it go on.

There is no more perfect rivalry to close out WWE’s “Biggest Party of the Summer.” Five years after stealing the show at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn on SummerSlam weekend, we need to see Sasha Banks and Bayley back at each other’s throats in the main event of SummerSlam 2020.

Only this time, the roles will be reversed. In 2015, Bayley was the beloved fan favorite and Sasha Banks was the opportunistic heel. In 2020, Bayley will do anything, including turn on Sasha Banks, to keep the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

And thus, the saga should close with Sasha Banks standing tall in her hometown of Boston, Massachusetts as the new SmackDown Women’s Champion to a roaring crowd. Until they write the next chapter.