Bianca Belair vs Becky Lynch must main event over Ronda Rousey vs Charlotte Flair

WrestleMania 38 is coming whether fan excitement around the show is down or not. Matches are being announced, and rumors are growing about potential surprises. Two title matches in the women’s division are planned with Charlotte Flair defending against Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch defending against Bianca Belair. Speculation is that Flair versus Rousey will headline night one, but if either of the two matches will close the show, it should be Lynch versus Belair.

Lynch, Flair, Rousey, and Belair are all important names in their own right. A line of thinking points toward Rousey’s dominance in mixed martial arts as the catalyst that led to WWE leaning into the “Women’s Revolution.” Lynch and Flair are two of the most important names in professional wrestling, with their contributions to the industry as well-recognized standards. Then there’s Belair, a newer face among the four but one that has already shown that she has a level of appeal that’s rarely seen in wrestling.

Lynch and Belair should be the headlining attraction if either of these matches are being considered.

First, WWE has more to gain with establishing Belair as a competitor that rivals the Four Horsewomen and Rousey. Right now, WWE tends to book those ladies leagues above the rest of the roster. Belair’s booking is a step below that of the Horsewomen, as seen with the debacle from SummerSlam in 2021. Fans revolted against that outcome and continue to push for her to have an established run at the top of the card.

Plus, WWE stands to gain with Belair becoming more of a crossover star as her value begins to touch brands beyond that company. Seeing her stand tall in two straight WrestleMania main events goes a long way in helping that growth.

Another point is WWE’s continued inability to build homegrown stars that are full-time roster members. Rousey’s return at the Royal Rumble and immediate elevation to the main event were met with a mild reaction. Mostly because of the state of the women’s division post her first run with the company, and it’s clear that she’s not going to be a full-time performer like the rest of the roster. WrestleMania should be used as an evening to highlight WWE’s main talent, but the company has done such a poor job doing so that it needs to lean on part-time talent like Rousey to generate attraction.

Flair has held the WWE Women’s SmackDown Championship for 129 days, obtaining the title back in October via a swap with Lynch. Since then, she’s defended the title only twice, neither of which occurred on PPV. That shows just how far this title is from a priority in creative and booking Rousey to win it during a main event doesn’t help as a long-term solution.

With five weeks left, WWE must step on the gas to build excitement for WrestleMania 38. Pushing Bianca Belair back into the main event with Becky Lynch is a step in the right direction, rather than leaning on the “star power” of Ronda Rousey’s match against Charlotte Flair.