WWE: The Horror Show at Extreme Rules Predictions Roundtable

Bayley-Dos-Straps defends her Women’s Championship against Nikki Cross while Asuka defends her Women’s Championship against Sasha-Three-Shows. Who emerges victorious and what will be the state of the Women’s Division post-Extreme Rules?

MJ: Almost everyone knows by now that Bayley will be losing the SmackDown Women’s Championship to Sasha Banks later down the line, so she won’t be losing the championship here. To make things interesting, Alexa Bliss should betray Nikki Cross and turn heel by costing her the championship match. Since Bliss is out of both the Women’s Championship picture and the Women’s Tag Team Championship picture while Cross has a title match at this PPV, Bliss can use jealousy or frustration to explain this betrayal. This would set up a rivalrous SummerSlam program that should keep Bliss and Cross relevant.

In terms of Asuka vs. Sasha Banks, it would be delightful to see Banks win the RAW Women’s Championship to redeem herself from Hell in a Cell 2019 and battle her best friend, Bayley, in a Champion vs. Champion match at SummerSlam. However, it’s too soon for Asuka to lose the championship Becky Lynch bestowed upon her, and Banks is a SmackDown superstar, so it would be illogical for her to win the RAW Women’s Championship.

Bayley should “inadvertently” cost Banks the match to set up a SmackDown Women’s Championship match between them at SummerSlam. After the match, while Bayley and Banks are arguing with each other, Shayna Baszler will attack Asuka from behind with the Kirifuda Clutch to set up a huge RAW Women’s Championship match between them at SummerSlam.

AS: Bayley and Sasha Banks are the reason why the WWE Universe tunes into the weekly shows, at least for the past few weeks. A title change doesn’t look like a good decision keeping in mind that Asuka became RAW Women’s Champion on the night after Money in the Bank, and Nikki Cross doesn’t seem to be at that stage where a championship run will be a good idea.

If the company does go that way, then we would see a decline in her character. It is because she needs to get over with the WWE Universe in a much better manner. With the Women’s Tag Team Titles not being defended (as of this writing), it would be a good idea if WWE saves a Banks-Bayley feud for future. If the company wants to portray the Women’s Division seriously, they need to stop these karaoke-like segments.

PL: I think both champions will retain and this will continue to build tension between Bayley and Sasha Banks. I think Asuka will narrowly win and go on to have a farewell match with Kairi Sane. Then, she will possibly feud with Shayna Baszler. I think Nikki Cross is going to get close, but Bayley will do something to cheat. Overall, the RAW women’s division is in a much better position. SmackDown has put all the focus on Banks and Bayley and they haven’t done anything to build up another credible face to challenge for the title.

CJ: For the women’s title matches, I have Asuka and Bayley retaining their respective championships, with both finishes serving to move us closer to the much-anticipated Sasha Banks/Bayley title program. We’ll probably see Banks help Bayley fend off Nikki Cross in the SmackDown Championship match, and when Bayley tries to do the same for her bestie in the RAW Championship match against Asuka, it will backfire and resow the seeds of dissent (the other way could work, too, in that fans will wonder if Banks will help Bayley after an embarrassing loss).

Heading into SummerSlam, it seems like WWE is putting all their energy into the Banks and Bayley feud, as evidenced by their lack of effort in building up other credible babyfaces in the division. On the RAW side, Asuka’s reign could go in three directions: a dream match with Kairi Sane as a sendoff for Sane; a match with Bianca Belair; or the natural feud with Shayna Baszler. Those seem to be the only options given the lack of top star depth without Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair.