WWE Extreme Rules 2020 Predictions: The Fiend makes his return

Bayley (c) vs. Nikki Cross for the SmackDown Women’s Championship in an Extreme Rules match

Nikki Cross was an excellent choice to challenge Bayley for the SmackDown Women’s Title at WWE Extreme Rules 2020, because she’s one of the few people who hasn’t faced the Leader of Sheep one-on-one for the title.

Bayley has been one of the MVPs of WWE over the past couple of months, and she and Sasha Banks have been operating on another level recently. But Cross has also been enjoying a strong 2020 after breaking out on the main roster alongside Alexa Bliss in 2019.

Nobody is beating Bayley for the SmackDown Women’s Championship until Sasha does, but Cross will give her a real run for her money in an Extreme Rules match. This will be one of the best three matches on the show.

Prediction: Bayley

Asuka (c) vs. Sasha Banks for the Raw Women’s Championship

I’ve contemplated also making this an Extreme Rules match, but I’d rather see Asuka and Sasha put on a classic, straight-up wrestling match with a good 15 minutes to work with. Remember what they did in early 2018 not long after Asuka was called up to the main roster? Multiply that intensity by like 20. We are in for another Sasha Match of the Year candidate at Extreme Rules not but a month from her strong match with Io Shirai at NXT Great American Bash.

Honestly, I have to admit that I could see Sasha winning this match so that WWE can have their two biggest stars right now – Roman Reigns and Becky Lynch are off television for the long haul – on both brands. But SmackDown is lacking so much star power that they can’t break off their hottest angle yet, right? So that argument goes out the window. More importantly, you can’t keep teasing a big title match between these two after so many previous teases and then do this; it won’t make Sasha’s first title win since 2017 (seriously!) feel as special either.

Asuka is winning. I promise I won’t overthink it. More importantly, though, this is going to be one tremendous match that will, hopefully, open up more in the story between Bayley and Banks.

Prediction: Asuka