WWE: Who is next for Sasha Banks?

Fresh off of an impressive victory over Carmella at the WWE TLC 2020 pay-per-view, Smackdown Women’s Champion Sasha Banks awaits her next challenge.  Who will be next to attempt to dethrone The Boss?

Since winning the Smackdown Women’s Title from Bayley at Hell in a Cell Sasha Banks has had to deal with the whispers, and in some cases screams, of the voices saying that she is unable to hold onto titles.  The first two opponents that Banks has put her title on the line against waged both physical and psychological warfare against The Boss prior to their title matches.

Through it all, Sasha Banks has persevered.  And with every successful title defense, those voices become quieter and quieter.

As we examine the Smackdown women’s roster it isn’t clear who will be up next to challenge Sasha for her title.   Quite possibly the two most talented opponents, Bayley and Bianca Belair are tied up with each other at the moment and that feud seems to be just getting started.

Billie Kay just isn’t a serious contender at this point, despite what it might say on her resume.  Mella was just defeated convincingly at TLC and Liv Morgan and Ruby Riott should have their sights set squarely on the new Women’s Tag Team Champions.

Natalya is a possibility.  Natalya is a fine worker and with it stuck in her head that she is the B.O.A.T. (best of all time), it wouldn’t be out of the question for Natalya to step up and challenge Banks on the next episode of Smackdown.  However, that would be a program that would be hard to get excited about.

Tamina is another unexciting possibility.  There is history there as both Tamina and Banks were members of Team B.A.D.  Tamina’s power would be a stark contrast to what Sasha just overcame by defeating Carmella.  But this just isn’t a program that is worthy of a pay per view.

An interesting darkhorse is Sonya Deville.  Sonya has been off of TV for some time as she deals with court dates surrounding the scary stalker incident that occurred at her home in August.  A recent uptick in her social media presence could be a sign that she is nearing a return.  That being said, it is more than likely that WWE would not want to risk starting a feud involving Deville only to have to adjust on the fly because she is needed back in court.

This brings us to our answer.

With the Raw Women’s division getting a shot in the arm with the return of Charlotte Flair, the Smackdown Women’s roster could use the same in the form of Rhea Ripley.

Ripley is far better suited to challenge Banks than any of the other women on the Smackdown roster.  She is capable of those jaw-dropping matches that we come to expect from Sasha and whoever her opponent happens to be.

It would also give us something that we haven’t had in a while.  A women’s title match with an unpredictable outcome.

If WWE decided to continue to cut Sasha Banks’ title runs short Ripley would be an exciting champion and give us all sorts of fresh matchups heading into WrestleMania season.  Or if Sasha were to overcome this challenge it would continue to build to a WrestleMania showdown with either Bayley or Bianca Belair.

We are heading into the most exciting time of the entire WWE season.  It is time to have some of the most exciting matchups.  And Sasha Banks vs Rhea Ripley fits that bill.