How much longer can WWE postpone Sasha Banks vs. Bayley?
There isn’t a single rivalry that would generate more interest in WWE.
Sasha Banks and Bayley are in familiar territory. Two years ago, WWE fans were anticipating either a WrestleMania 34 or SummerSlam 2018 match between the two world-class wrestlers, but they were told to wait.
In a way, the wait was worth it, because instead of a rivalry, fans got to see a few poignant segments, such as Sasha professing her love for The Hugger after a brawl and a “You ain’t s**t!” exclamation from a fired-up Bayley. And then months later, the former NXT rivals won the Women’s Tag Titles together inside the Elimination Chamber.
But this year, it’s felt like Sasha vs. Bayley could actually happen. Bayley has been the SmackDown Women’s Champion since the Blue Brand moved to FOX and The Role Model won back her title from Charlotte Flair. She has beaten just about every babyface in the division, save for a few names like Dana Brooke, blossoming as one of WWE’s top heels. Just recently, she outsmarted Charlotte Flair in a tremendous champion vs. champion match.
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WWE had to hold off on Sasha vs. Bayley at WrestleMania 36 due to an early-year injury to The Boss, as well as a lack of fans for the massive match due to COVID-19.
So fans looked at SummerSlam 2020 in Boston – Sasha’s hometown – as the natural date for a huge title match between the long-time best friends/rivals.
Now, WrestleTalk’s Louis Dangoor reports that WWE wants to extend the rivalry instead of having it at SummerSlam.
Firstly, it’s unlikely fans will be able to attend SummerSlam this year, as Boston’s mayor Marty Walsh basically told WWE ahead of time that they won’t be able to run a show with a large gathering in his city due to COVID-19.
If WWE are somehow able to find a state willing to do this – all eyes on Florida – then we can’t put it past Vince McMahon to do such a thing, as awful as that is. But regardless, SummerSlam isn’t happening in Boston, nor is it at all likely for the show to happen in front of fans at all.
In any case, Dangoor reports that WWE wanted Sasha Banks and Bayley to have a match in Boston to maximize the reaction for Banks. That’s an important factor in telling their story, too, but it is worth noting that Banks gets amazing reactions everywhere. The real issue would be about the atmosphere at all. Banks is a superstar who gets reactions that the very best wrestlers receive, but if there’s no crowd, that makes this match feel less special by definition.
The problem is this, though. Can WWE afford to keep postponing this match? It might not be possible for WWE to draw out this program for more months. The brand invitational, a few more challengers, a repeat of matches with others in the division, or even a new draft could prolong things, but WWE must realize that in this new world, they aren’t going to get their ideal situation lined up.
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At some point, they are going to have to trust two of the best wrestlers in the world to knock this out of the park, like they always do. Bayley and Banks can continue to play up the intrigue of their storyline for a little while longer, but WWE will have to press “Go” at some point, knowing that even if it’s not ideal, Sasha and Bayley can make this memorable.