The WWE made history on Saturday night at NXT TakeOver Brooklyn. Bayley and Sasha Banks had arguably the most exciting women’s match in WWE history. The WWE needs to capitalize on this momentum immediately and seize the day with Bayley.

Taking nothing away from Sasha Banks, Bayley was the star of the match and the show. I can’t even tell you what it is that she has, but the fans absolutely love her. It could be her girl-next-door looks, her bubbly personality, or her selling that rivals Ricky Steamboat, nonetheless she is a mega star in the making. Unfortunately for the company, the way I see it, the WWE has all of about 48 hours to capitalize on this otherwise her moment was all for nothing.

The WWE will be in that same building tomorrow and Monday night. On one of those nights, Bayley needs to come out, beat the Divas champion, and start a revolution. They need to book her hot and keep her away from any kind of an alliance, at least on the first night. Considering that the win would come in this same building, with predictably many of the same fans, the reaction would immediately make Bayley a star to the millions of RAW viewers that didn’t watch NXT and are seeing this for the first time.

The WWE has no time to get cute with Bayley. They will not have another opportunity like this in that you have her two nights later in the same building after a classic match. Even if they debuted her with a title win next week or the week after, the reaction wouldn’t be the same, and while she’d be hot she wouldn’t be the mega superstar she’d be perceived to be if it happened in New York.

We have seen them blow golden opportunities like this more than they’ve capitalized. At a time when Ronda Rousey is introducing a new genre of fans to female fighting, the WWE could have their own female superstar this Monday night. The beauty of Bayley is that this all happened organically and she could really resonate with a lot of that same fan base.

As easy as this all seems we are talking about a creative team that has botched more than they’ve gotten right in recent years. Do they feel the same sense of urgency I feel when it comes to giving Bayley a mega push?

I guess we’ll find out within the next 48 hours.

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Triple H kicks off the proceedings with a direct message to the audience, saying they are the reason NXT is where it is today because of them. He then fires the crowd up to which they respond with a chorus of NXT chants. Nice start to the show.
The first match of the night is Tyler Breeze vs Jushin “Thunder” Liger. Breeze gets a tremendous reaction as he makes his way to the ring. Liger also gets a good reaction but not on the scale of Breeze. Breeze starts his arrogant posing almost immediately, but Liger replicates Breeze’s top rope pose. Liger is in control before using Breeze’s selfie stick to check himself out. Breeze takes control after a supermodel kick, before hitting a nice looking backbreaker to work down Liger. Liger hits back with a rolling kick, before hitting a rolling thunder off the apron onto Breeze to put himself in control. A Liger bomb shortly after sees Liger pick up the victory on his WWE debut.
Having Liger in a WWE ring was a brilliant moment. He clearly brought hype and it lived up. It was a decent contest. A great way to open the event. Whether Breeze should have lost in questionable. Breeze didn’t really need a loss, but he isn’t heavily hurt by defeat. A solid 7/10 to start the show.

The tag team title match between the Vaudevillains and Blake and Murphy took place next. Vaudevillains got a tremendous reception as they came out, and actually got a tremendous reception throughout the entire bout. Alexa Bliss insulted the Vaudevillains before the match before they called out the returning Blue Pants to be in their corner to even the numbers. Gotch attempts an armbar to start the match, but the heels soon take control and Blake and Murphy trade tags while keeping the faces down with submission holds and taking out the English on the apron to prevent a tag. Blake and Murphy inadvertently collide, allowing English receive the hot tag and hop in the ring. Blake and Murphy attempt to double Suplex English off the top rope, but Gotch powerbombs them both and English hits a senton for a close two. Bliss attempts to get involved but Blue Pants follows her into the ring and takes her down. A roll up almost see the champions retain, but Gotch and English hit the Rolling Derbish to win the tag team titles. Crowd go wild as the three count is made. A decent tag team match didn’t quite have the pace that would have made it even better. Still, a decent enough match that sees the incredibly popular faces win the titles. 7/10

The debut of Apollo Crews is up next as he faces Tye Dillinger. Crews performs a big cartwheel followed by a huge backflip before leading the crowd in a ten chant as Dillinger usually does. Crews hits an impressive dropkick for a man his size, but Dillinger hits a dropkick of his own to assume control. A few submission holds gives Dillinger a brief time in control, but Crews gets back in it with another huge kick. A slam followed by a standing moonsault from the big man gives him a debut victory. Crews spent a bit too much time on the floor but it was good the match wasn’t a complete squash. A nice showcase of his athleticism though. He will go far with that ability. 7/10 but was never going to be an absolute classic in a debut match.

William Regal appears on a tape next, announcing an upcoming tag team tournament in honour of the late Dusty Rhodes. Having Regal appear was a nice move, and this announcement is fitting in honour of a man who done so much for NXT. I can imagine this will be an emotional tournament and will be taken very seriously, especially given the talent with NXT’s tag division.

Samoa Joe vs Baron Corbin is next. Joe immediately goes in for a submission hold but Corbin gets out of the ring. Joe shows some athleticism with a high kick and flying dropkick that knocks Corbin back out of the ring. Joe goes to fly out of the ring but Corbin catches him with a forearm. Powerful offence from Corbin as he is starting to take control. However, Joe adjusts a roll up into a leg submission move. Joe applies a lot of submission moves in this match as he applies a cross-face onto Corbin. Joe throws Corbin into barricade as he is now control in this match. Corbin applies his own submission, a heel lock, to get back into it. Both men are knocked down by respective kicks to the head as both men stand their ground. Both men exchange strong strikes to the face. Corbin attempts End of Days but Joe applies his clutch submission. Corbin escapes but cannot escape as he is put back into it only moments later. Corbin passes out as Joe wins the match. A strong brawl between two powerhouses where both looked strong. This was by far Corbin’s best show to date while Joe looks strong going forward. A very solid 8/10

Stephanie McMahon makes her way to the ring. She references how the divas revolution started right here in NXT. She bills the women’s title match as the second main event of the night. Sasha Banks vs Bayley is next. Banks gets out of a car and makes her way to the ring and is surrounded by bodyguards in doing so, giving her a main event like entrance. She receives a huge pop, especially for a heel. Bayley fires out the block after Sasha taunts her, calling her pathetic and a loser. Bayley hits a springboard elbow, showcasing her grit and desire to win. Bayley avoids the knee drop by Banks but gets booted off the ropes by Banks. Sasha is in control and hits a slap to Bayley’s face. Banks keeps Bayley in submission before throwing her into the corner. Bayley avoids another knee drop but hits the turnbuckle. She doesn’t avoid a third knee drop by Banks, but Banks hits this one on the top rope. Incredible move by Banks. Sasha is constantly winding up Bayley with taunts which Bayley responds with an attack that is quickly countered. Banks then shows the aggression and ruthlessness she possesses when she boots the steel steps with Bayley’s hand trapped behind. It was good to see the women showing such aggression. Banks flies over the ref and out of the ring on top of Bayley with an incredible flip, greeted with this is awesome chants. Bayley selling the injured hand brilliantly as she attempted a punch with it but showed how it hurt her immediately. A corner Suplex as Bayley takes control. Bayley attempts to hit Bailey to Belly but Sasha counters Bailey. Banks gets Bailey into Banks Statement submission hold. Sasha stamps on Bayley’s hand to stop her reaching the rope. Attempts to roll back to get away from ropes but Bayley counters into her own variation of Banks Statement. Banks gets a foot on the rope eventually. Incredible sequence by both women. Bailey hits her finisher, Bayley to Belly, finally but Banks kicks out at 2. Bayley attempts a move from the top but Banks pushes her off the top and Bayley hits the ground. Big move. Banks jumps on Bayley from top with her knees and falls into the cover but Bayley kicks out. Crowd split of who to cheer for as both women are gaining a serious amount of respect from the audience. Both women end up on the top again. Incredible move by Bayley off the top before hitting Bayley to Belly. Bayley goes for the cover and gets the three count. BAYLEY HAS WON THE WOMEN’S CHAMPIONSHIP!!! A remarkable bout between two fantastic athletes and characters. A beautiful moment after the match as Charlotte and Becky Lynch enter the ring, Sasha hugs Bayley, and all four embrace. The four original members of the revolution, all soaking in the applause, a well-deserved ovation for fantastic athletes. They have all thoroughly deserved it for what they have done for women’s wrestling. The pre match vignette for the women was an exceptional decision, as it made this match even bigger. This is how the women should be booked. An absolute 10/10 for the match of the night.

Finn Balor defends his NXT championship against Kevin Owens in the final match of the night. Showing Owens walking to the ring was a good idea, as it gave an old school feel to it. Balor’s entrance was fantastic. When he does that at Wrestlemania, it will be one of the best ever. Owens sits in a chair, bored, and almost falls asleep during the entrance. A remarkable moment from a remarkable heel. Owens has Finn on the floor early on and he dominates his opponent. A cannonball into the corner really has Owens in control. Owens mocks the fans chanting of Zayn by faking an arm injury. Balor capitalises on a lack of concentration by taking down Owens. Owens makes a run for the ladder by Balor hits him from behind and takes the ladder himself. Owens teases a huge move with the ladder propped up against Balor but only teases it. The fight then spills into the crowd. Owens is flipped over barricade back into ring area before Balor leaps onto Owens, who catches him and throws him over the announce table. Owens takes the top of the table off, throws it at Balor before mocking Balor’s taunt. Balor delivers a dropkick off the table into a ladder that hits Owens’ face. Balor hits an incredible height as he jumps over the top onto Owens. Owens drives a ladder into Balor in a back and forward contest. Owens attempts a pop-up powerbomb onto a ladder but Balor counters and drops Owens on the ladder instead. Owens attempts a cannonball into Balor who was sat up against a ladder but Balor moves out of the way and Owens hits the ladder. Finn Balor hits the Coup de Gras from the top rope. Owens then pulls Balor off the top off the ladder and catches him with the pop-up powerbomb. Balor lifts the ladder with Owens on it and Owens falls into the turnbuckles. Owens dodges a coup de gras outside the ring off the apron and hits a pop-up powerbomb into the apron on Balor. Balor then knocks Owens off the ladder onto another ladder in a brutal looking fall. Balor then hits Coup De Gras off the top of the ladder. Finn climbs and retains his title. BALOR WINS!!! A Brilliant main event with some brutal looking spots. Some of the spots with ladders looked seriously painful but both men kept going. A fantastic main event but wasn’t quite on par with the women’s match. A strong 9/10

Summary
What a show. This was fantastic from start to finish. The NXT talent put it all on the line and put on an exceptional show. Two big title changes and two strong debuts made this a night that will be remembered. Sasha Banks and Bayley put on a match that will go down as one the greatest women’s wrestling matches ever. Samoa Joe and Baron Corbin both put on their greatest match in NXT to date. Apollo Crews looked remarkable in the ring. And a special mention to the heel work of both Sasha Banks and Kevin Owens, who were both exceptional with their heel work. The only sour note was Tyler Breeze losing to Jushin Liger. It gave Liger his WWE moment, but having Breeze lose was a strange decision, one that wasn’t needed. Still, the show was exceptional, and the fans were the real winners. NXT is really here. Well done to everyone who competed, you were all fantastic.

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The next WWE NXT TakeOver event takes place this week, and is the first since the historic Brooklyn show from August. This time round, the main event is a blockbuster 30 minute iron match for the Women’s Championship. The conclusion to the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament as well as the debut of Asuka make this another unmissable event for NXT. Here’s how I think each match will go down at NXT Takeover: Respect.

Bayley vs Sasha Banks in a 30 minute iron-man match for the NXT Women’s Championship

Winner – Bayley wins and retains the title

Apollo Crews vs Tyler Breeze

Two men who massively need a big win, yet are facing each other. Apollo Crews needs a victory to continue his early momentum, whereas Breeze needs a victory following recent defeats at TakeOver events. The signs point to Crews getting his biggest win yet, which will be a bit of a shame for Breeze who seems really stuck going forward. Following this defeat, either Breeze goes on to get a massive victory at the next TakeOver in December, or he moves to the main roster immediately. If he doesn’t, he faces loses all momentum he’s gained with the NXT audience and risks becoming a Bo Dallas on the main roster.

Winner – Apollo Crews

Dana Brooke vs Asuka

Asuka arrives. This lady is scary and talented, and her striking ability is remarkable. Given the correct support and booking, she will go on to have special matches against the best in the company. Right now, she faces another accomplished wrestler in Dana. This match for Dana isn’t about winning or losing. This is her chance to show her ability, to show she can mix with the best and deserves the hype she’s been getting. Hopefully, she blossoms, even if it is in defeat.

The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic semi-finals and final

The final four teams in this tournament are all interesting choices to have come this far. Firstly, I find it remarkable that a tag team tournament doesn’t have the tag team champions involved. I wouldn’t have had them win, but I would have had the Vaudevillians at least get to the semi-finals. Not only are they extremely interesting, but they are also good competitors. Secondly, no tag team really stands out as one who will definitely win. Rhyno and Baron Corbin are a makeshift team and are unlikely to go all the way. Jason Jordan and Chad Gable seem on the verge of splitting given their recent disagreements, so they don’t seem like heading for victory. Samoa Joe and Finn Balor are heading towards a battle against each other, and their fallout is likely to happen at TakeOver. And Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson don’t exactly scream out as favourites to win. It’s all a bit strange, as the better and more popular tag teams seem to have taken a step back here. I feel like Balor and Joe will win their semi-final, Chad and Gable will win theirs, and then Joe and Balor will win the tournament. Then, as they are being presented as the winners, Joe beats down Balor and begins their feud. Regardless of who wins and how they win, the end is going to be a touching moment for all involved at NXT, especially the fact that Dusty’s children, Cody Rhodes and Goldust, are going to present the award to the winners. Expect a few wet eyes around the arena.

Winners – Samoa Joe and Finn Balor

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We kick off WWE  NXT TakeOver: Respect with a glimpse of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic trophy while the fans chant Dusty’s name. Finn Balor is out first.

Finn Balor and Samoa Joe vs Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder

The first semi-final opens the show. Dash Wilder attacks Finn Balor just as the bell rings, which sets Joe off on a flurry of attacks. Dawson pulls Wilder away from Joe and the established team take control of the match. Joe answers with a kick to the head, and as Dawson attempts to attack Balor on the apron, the champion jumps down, which leaves Dawson distracted and Joe can make the tag. Balor kicks them both out of the ring before flying over the top rope on them both. Wilder blocks a Coup De Grace attempt on his teammate and is flung out of the ring, but Dawson recovers and hits a hard spear to Balor’s leg. Dawson and Wilder spend time working on the leg now to weaken Balor. The crowd rally behind their champion to try and tag in Joe. Dash and Wilder pick up a near fall after pulling Joe away and double teaming Balor. Balor finally tags in Joe who instantly goes on the attack. Joe hits his Muscle Buster before Balor goes up top to hit the Coup De Grace on Dawson. Balor plays up the leg injury as he crawls to make the cover. Joe takes out Wilder and Balor picks up the victory as the two superstars make it to the final.

Result – Balor and Joe win

Jason Jordan and Chad Gable vs Rhyno and Baron Corbin

The second semi-final follows straight on from the first. Jordan and Corbin begin the match. Jordan lifts and plants Corbin a couple of times to show his strength before Corbin shoulder tackles him to the ground. Rhyno enters, and after exchanging offenses with Chad Gable, finds himself on the receiving end of a beat down from his opponents. Incredible move by Gable as he goes to the top rope, falls back but holds onto Rhyno’s arm and puts in a submission on the ropes. Corbin gets the tag though and annihilates Gable on the outside. Gable tries to tag out, but Corbin strongly pulls him back by his head and delivers a huge boot to the face. Jordan comes in and quickly takes out the two big men. He hits a huge spear in the corner to Corbin while Rhyno is down. He tags Gable in but this gives Corbin a second and clotheslines Jordan. Quick paced action going on. Rhyno takes down Jordan which leaves Corbin and Gable, the two legal men, in the ring. Gable with another remarkable move as he rolls up Corbin but goes further and German Suplex’s him in the same move to attempt a pin. Rhyno breaks a pin and then hits a Gore on Jordan. Gable ducks a clothesline and swings round Corbin but Corbin catches him and hits him with an End of Days. Victory for Corbin and Rhyno who will meet Balor and Joe in the final.

Result – Rhyno and Corbin win

Notes – firstly, I was shocked to see two makeshift teams make the final. It will make a compelling final but it was a strange move. That being said, what a match. Absolutely brilliant. The pace was fast, there was some jaw dropping moves. Gable looked outstanding as the crowd rallied behind him. Corbin put in another good showing that will help his credentials. And it is still amazing to see Rhyno go at it.

Dana Brooke vs Asuka

Dana comes out first accompanied by Emma. Asuka then arrives to a warm reception from the crowd. Dana breaks herself away from an early submission and patronisingly taps Asuka on the head before a slap to the debutants face. Asuka smiles. Asuka hits a flurry of quick attacks before mocking Dana’s signature pose. Dana isn’t happy but Asuka pulls her down to the canvas and locks in an arm submission. Emma interferes as the ref tends to Dana and Dana is able to ground Asuka and gets some offense in. Dana locks in a submission from behind but Asuka rapidly escapes. She then applies an ankle lock that turns into a German Suplex. Wow. Asuka gets Dana back into an armbar, this time resembling Becky Lynch’s Disarmer. After two strong kicks to the head, Asuka locks in her finishing move, the Asuka Lock, and makes Dana tap. Winning debut for Asuka.

Result – Asuka wins

Notes – future main roster champion. Scary and scarily good. Quick, innovative, and a master of many submissions. She got in a lot of offense in her debut which was good. Fans loved every minute of it. Dana didn’t really have enough time working down Asuka to judge if she has gotten any better yet.

The vignette for Nia Jax is then shown but with a difference. She is coming. Next week.

Tyler Breeze vs Apollo Crews

That huge dropkick from Crews sends Breeze out of the ring. Breeze goes for a suplex but Crews lifts Breeze up instead and holds him up there for a good few seconds. Breeze sees a counter from Crews coming and counters it himself, but attempts a roll up which Crews avoids. Breeze instead dumps Crews out of the ring. Crews is then launched into the LED board, back first, at the side of the ring. Big back breaker by Breeze as he focusses on the back of Crews. Breeze locks in a sharpshooter as he tries to make Crews tap. Breeze argues with the ref after Crews gets to the rope which allows Crews to recover and hit a flying clothesline. Incredible kick by Crews to the back of Breeze’s head. Crews leaps over Breeze but feels the back as he lands. Breeze hits the Supermodel Kick for a two count. Crews hits the Gorilla Press to set up the standing moonsault but Breeze holds his leg to prevent it. Crews manages to get up anyway but Breeze lifts his knees to block. First time Crews hasn’t managed to hit his combination finisher. Massive big boot knocks Breeze back before a powerbomb lays out Breeze. Crews picks up the victory off that powerbomb.

Result – Crews wins

Notes – sigh. My disappointment from the match wasn’t about Crews winning. He is fantastic, and I will be backing him all the way to future championships. The match was brilliant too, and Crews adding a new finisher was a nice touch. It’s Breeze losing yet another big match that annoys me. The crowd still love him and he can put on matches like this, yet he always loses when it comes to important matches. He needs a huge win at the next TakeOver.

Finn Balor and Samoa Joe vs Rhyno and Baron Corbin in the final of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament

Rhyno and Balor start the match but Corbin is immediately in and eyes up Balor’s damaged leg. Joe comes in and works down Corbin. One big slam changes that and Joe is being worked by both his opponents. Corbin looks at his strongest when dominating his opponent, and he does so for a while to Joe. Joe finally breaks away with a big kick and Balor tags in. Balor goes on the attack but the injured leg gets to him. Rhyno, on the outside, attacks Balor’s leg to slow him right down. Corbin, as he had wanted to from the start, works down Balor’s leg. Joe and Rhyno come in and Joe hits a big kick followed by a senton. Rhyno with the gore to Joe! Balor breaks up the tag. Balor with a DDT to Corbin and puts him on the outside. Rhyno lines up another gore but is instead set up for the Muscle Buster. Hits it! Coup De Grace! Victory for Balor and Joe. They’ve won the tournament. After the match, the Rhodes family enter the ring, including Cody Rhodes and Goldust, and Cody delivers a beautiful speech in honor of his father.

Result – Balor and Joe win

Bayley vs Sasha Banks in a 30 minute Iron-Man Match for the NXT Women’s Championship

For the first minute or so, the women stood and absorbed the crowd, who were chanting “This is Awesome” before they even locked horns. Chants of “Women’s Wrestling” and “You Deserve It” broke out too. Both women attempt early pinfall covers to try and gain an early point. Bayley attempts to flip Sasha over twice but on the second attempt, Sasha doesn’t go fully over and lands badly on her neck. Looked very painful. Early attempt at their respective finishers but both are blocked. Bayley plays nice girl and helps Sasha up from the corner but Sasha attacks her. Bayley nearly runs into the ref in the corner, Sasha does the same but she blocks the ref into the corner, pokes Bayley in the eye and rolls her up for a three count. 1-0 SASHA! Sasha attempts her knee drop in the corner but Bayley counters and drops Sasha. Sasha goes up top but Bayley pulls her off… BAYLEY TO BELLY! IT’S 1-1! Bayley attempts a sliding kick to Sasha on the outside but Sasha catches her. Sasha throws her into the steel steps! Sasha throws Bayley into the steps two more times before mouthing off to Izzy (Bayley’s biggest fan) at ringside. Sasha walks Bayley up the ramp and throws her into the LED board at the top of the ramp! As she walks back, she steals a hair accessory off Izzy and parades around the ring with it on her head whilst mockingly crying. This is absolutely incredible heel work! Sasha throws the hair accessory back in the direction of Izzy who is in tears at ringside. Sasha has made a kid cry! Incredible! Amongst all this, Bayley has been counted out. SASHA LEADS 2-1! Sasha now applies a submission and she stamps right on Bayley’s hand that she broke not too long ago. Sasha has been an absolute heel tonight. Bayley reverses another submission and rolls Sasha up. SHE GOT HER! IT IS 2-2! Bayley rallies after her move of desperation got her level. Bayley sets up Sasha upside down, hanging her from the turnbuckle. She then hits an elbow to knock Sasha off. Nasty move. Bayley gets set up in the same position moments later though and Sasha hits double knees. Bayley works down Sasha’s left arm using the ropes and the steel steps. Bayley now sets up the steps on the outside. She runs up them and delivers a flying clothesline! She is booted into them by Sasha though as she tried to pick Sasha up. Sasha dives through the ropes but Bayley catches her. BAYLEY TO BELLY ON THE OUTSIDE! INCREDIBLE! Sasha is rolled into the ring but kicks out at two. Both women showing their tiredness. OH MY GOD! BAYLEY TO BELLY FROM THE TOP ROPE! UNREAL! BUT SASHA GETS HER FOOT ON THE ROPE AT 2! Bayley sets up Sasha for a hurricanrana from the top, but Sasha lands… BAYLEY TO BELLY BY SASHA!!! KICK OUT!!! BANKS STATEMENT WITH TWO MINUTES TO GO!!! She can’t lock it in properly though because of the hand injury. Bayley attempts to reverse the Banks Statement but its locked back in. MINUTE TO GO AND A BANKS STATEMENT IS LOCKED IN! Stamps to the hand by Sasha. Bayley crashes Sasha’s hand and the lock is broke. BACK BREAKER BY SASHA TO SET UP THE BANKS STATEMENT! NO! REVERSED! BAYLEY HAS A SUBMISSION LOCKED IN! TEN SECONDS! SASHA SUBMITS! 3-2 BAYLEY! THE BELL RINGS TWICE! THE MATCH IS OVER! BAYLEY WINS 3 COUNTS TO 2 AND WINS THE IRON MAN MATCH! WHAT. A. MATCH!!! After replays, we see the NXT roster out on the ramp applauding Bayley and Sasha for their remarkable match. Sasha makes her way up the ramp, and William Regal goes to give her flowers which Sasha breaks down in tears. Pure emotion from a true hard worker. Triple H enters the ring and embraces Bayley and gives her flowers as well. The entire building applauds. Bayley ends the show standing in the ring alone, tears in the eyes, title and flowers held high.

Result – Bayley wins

Notes – Incredible match. Enormous pressure to deliver and they done just that. A proper main event with emotion. That’s how both main events and women’s wrestling needs to be booked. People will debate whether they outdid their performance at Brooklyn, but they will not deny this was awesome. Sasha played up being a true heel and both left it all in the ring. The end was touching as well. The respect shown from everyone was moving. It almost felt like an end of an era, as this is probably Sasha’s last match on NXT, and it meant that three of the four horsewomen are now gone. It was the best way for Sasha to go out, though.

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To become the next big WWE Superstar or Diva, you need to be constantly working on your game and getting better in every facet of pro-wrestling and these eight people have gone the extra mile in 2015 and are all currently reaping the rewards of their improvement.

All eight of these Superstars and Divas showed potential before 2015 but have all gone to the next level and cemented their futures within the WWE.

Before the list is unveiled, it’s worth noting that this list is predicated on improvement from people within the WWE from last year. Which means the likes of Chad Gable, Dash Wilder, Scott Dawson and Dana Brooke who have all broken out in NXT in 2015 won’t be on this list as they weren’t established in the WWE in 2014.

With the list narrowed down to eight, there are a few people unlucky to miss out and they will get a mention here.

Secondly, Nikki Bella is another one who has improved massively in the ring, but misses out given how much time she’s had on the roster to improve and get to this level. John Cena is in a similar boat with his in ring work going to a whole new level in 2015.

Thirdly, Xavier Woods doesn’t make this list only because it seems like he’s been at this level for a while now and just needed an opportunity to show it.

Finally, Tyler Breeze has really established himself as a performer in 2015, becoming a reliable top name in NXT while becoming a lot more diverse in the ring.

Without further ado, here are the eight people that made the cut.

Note: Eva Marie will not be on this list because going from a model who can’t wrestle to a model who can take a couple of bumps still doesn’t make her worthy of being in the WWE.

Number Eight: Cesaro

Cesaro is probably the best wrestler in the WWE and possibly the world, but has made this list for slowly becoming the sports-entertainer to match his wrestling ability. Cesaro has always been incredible to watch, but without charisma and a connection to the fans, he was never much more than a good hand. Turning face in 2015 has been a blessing for Cesaro who has become one of the most popular Superstars in the WWE. In the last year, Cesaro has found the link he was missing and the Cesaro Section just proves that. 2016 could be his year.

Number Seven: Baron Corbin

Baron Corbin still has a long way to go as far as in-ring wrestling is concerned, but he has gone from the silent, squash match king to someone who really knows how to work a crowd. In his few opportunities to have longer matches, he’s shown he can hold his own, but he’s still going to need a lot of work to make it as a super heavyweight in the WWE. The jury is still out on Corbin, but his improvement in 2015 has been undeniable. By this time next year, he needs to have a few stellar singles matches under his belt to really establish himself.

Number Six: Sasha Banks

The only reason Sasha Banks isn’t higher on this list is because she was already amazing in 2014, which just goes to show you how good she is to go to a whole new level this year. Kevin Owens’ incredible debut year is the only thing that is going to stop Sasha Banks from winning the Breakout Star of 2015 Slammy Award because there is no Divas Revolution without what Sasha has done in NXT. The NXT women’s division sparked the change up on the main roster, there is no questioning that, but Sasha Banks has been in every single notable women’s match in NXT this year and she continues to show that she might just be the most talented asset, male or female, the WWE has – and she’s only 23!

Number Five: Becky Lynch

If someone asked you who Becky Lynch was in 2014, you’d either say you didn’t know or you’d say that NXT girl who can’t jig. Late in the year she aligned herself with the aforementioned Boss of NXT and from there, everything changed. Becky was always a good wrestler, but she was always a little awkward with everything she did be it in the ring or on the mic, she has really streamlined and smoothed her performances in 2015, culminating in a breakout, match of the year candidate with Sasha Banks at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable. She still has a lot of work to do to get better on the mic, but Becky Lynch is going to be a massive player in this women’s division for years to come and could even make this list again next year, she has that much upside.

Number Four: Big E

Any long time NXT fan knows Big E was always entertaining, but this man has put the ‘E’ in sports-entertainment this year. The New Day could be on this list as a whole, but Kofi has been first-class for years now and Woods just needed a chance to shine. By comparison, Big E has gone from a good wrestler who goes in and does his thing, to a much more reliable wrestler who’s entertaining from start to finish. His match with Dolph Ziggler on Raw this week was a perfect example. JBL believes Big E has all the natural ability to be a World Champion, who knows, maybe he’s right.

It’s almost hard to put into words how much Bayley has improved in her time with WWE. In 2013, the potential was painfully obvious, but she was still raw and learning. In 2014, she was starting to put the pieces together, but still was a little awkward in the ring and not very confident on the microphone. The latter was smoothed over though because her microphone work being a little awkward almost suited her character. But 2015 has been the year Bayley arrived. The storyline of the NXT Women’s Division in 2015 was all revolved around Bayley’s ascension to the top of NXT and she has earned everything she has gotten. It’s almost unfathomable to think that in 2014, Bayley was nothing special in the ring, having matches where she was being carried by the likes of Sasha and Charlotte and in 2015, she’s having match of the year candidates, including the best singles match of 2015 alongside Sasha at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn. Bayley was always going to get better and better but her improvements have been remarkable.

Number Two: Roman Reigns

Are there still people out there who don’t think Roman can wrestle or cut a promo? Anyone who thinks that now is simply in denial. Yes, Reigns was not ‘ready’ to main-event Wrestlemania last year, but he did it and he had the best match of the night, mind you. Ever since that night, Reigns has gone on a streak of quality pay-per-view match after quality pay-per-view match. He even turned a Last Man Standing Match with the Big Show into a really good match! Roman Reigns can almost be compared to Batista in 2006, coming off a Wrestlemania main event and just getting better exponentially. Hell, Roman is much better than Batista was back then. His promo work has improved, his ring presence has improved and he adds new moves to his arsenal almost every time we see him. There is no longer a question over whether Reigns can cut it. He is a legitimate WWE main eventer.

Number One: Alexa Bliss

Don’t think many expected Alexa Bliss to be atop this list, but she is. Her improvements have been rapid. Even around Wrestlemania time this year, she wasn’t worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the Four Horsewomen of NXT, but now she well and truly should be. She spent a lot of 2014 getting better in the ring and she is still doing so in 2015, but it’s her transformation as a performer that brings her to the number one position. What even was her gimmick as a face? She liked glitter, skirts and smiling? Now, she is legitimately the best heel in the entirety of NXT, Kevin Owens handing his crown to Alexa. Nobody is better at drawing legitimate heel heat than she is and she turned Blake and Murphy from an alright face tag team into heels worthy of being NXT Tag Team Champions. You have to ask yourself what is this list about? Improvement – Roman Reigns, Bayley, Big E and so on have all improved enormously, but you could make a case for why all of them were always going to get to the next level, whereas Bliss’ rise through NXT has been more unexpected. Bayley is the clear number one woman in NXT right now, but Alexa Bliss is now number two and would be a justified NXT Women’s Champion.

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Almost two weeks ago, it was revealed on the PWI Female 50 that Nikki Bella topped the coveted list, adding to the controversial and notorious year the Diva has had.

Passing AJ Lee’s 295 day WWE Divas Championship reign was primarily the reason why Bella was named in the top spot. In addition, Bella is also complimented on improving in the ring this year. As the year passed, many fans have speculated as to why Bella, of all Divas, kept the title so long. Especially when there is other Divas who are far better and more deserving of such praise that she is currently getting.

But there was no greater controversy with this list than the shade Sasha Banks got. Banks was ranked number three on the PWI Female 50 this year. It was noted that this was the highest debut for a woman, but still, fans were left scratching their heads at this one.

If ANY woman had a stellar year in 2015, it was Sasha Banks. With the four NXT Takeover events that happened this year, Sasha Banks stole the show in all of them. Starting at NXT Takeover: Rival, Banks captured the NXT Women’s Championship, kicking off a memorable run with it. Since then, Banks put on classic after classic with the likes of Becky Lynch and Bayley. Each match at Takeover was going down as Match of the Year candidates and some of the greatest women’s matches of all time. Banks went on to main event NXT Takeover: Respect by participating in the first ever Divas Ironman match this past October.

What did Nikki Bella do? She captured the WWE Divas Championship last November, and held it for 301 days. Her matches didn’t leave fans wowed by the time the win was secured. None of her matches were considered by fans as Match of the Year candidates. The only history making she did other than pass the reign was the being the cause of Give Divas a Chance movement. Those two things are clouded in a negative way.

Simply, put Banks’ work next to Bella’s and there’s honestly NO comparison.

I will give credit when credit is due; yes Nikki Bella has improved. Compare her and her sister Brie from three, even five years ago, it’s a startling contrast. But Bella is not that seasoned as she claims, and it definitely shows when she’s in the ring with more talented women. Furthermore, I have yet to see a match from Bella that I would consider anywhere near the caliber of Banks. Bella may have had a great year. But she could only dream of having the body of work Banks possesses.

Fans definitely notice and know the difference. And they want a piece of what Sasha Banks has to offer. If you have been watching Raw or SmackDown over the last month or so, there is always an audible “WE WANT SASHA” chant each time there’s a Divas match. They chant it when she’s out there, and the chants are louder when she’s absent from the ring. No other Diva on the main roster is more in demand than Banks.

Even though Banks is a heel character, she is popular with the fans. Other than her exceptional performances, Banks has stated many times how much she loves this business. Sasha Banks is passionate about professional wrestling – women’s wrestling in general – and it shows in everything she does.

Nikki Bella on the other hand, doesn’t seem to care about those things. She has only improved significantly the last three years, even though she’s been around for around eight. Bella always comments on having haters; the things she posts on social media and says on Total Divas doesn’t do her any favors in that department, thus the lack of fans’ respect. Bella talks the talk, but can’t walk the walk, so to speak. Her performances reflect that.

While The Bella Twins are overexposed between TV time on Raw/Smackdown and Total Divas; you have Sasha Banks making appearances on TV here and there. Just last week, Banks and Becky Lynch wrestled on Main Event. The same two women who put on their classic match at NXT Takeover: Unstoppable was put on that show. That adds to the frustration of fans who are growing tired of the Divas Revolution.

Which brings up the fact, the Bellas didn’t start the Divas Revolution. They were the reason why the Revolution started.

Case in point: Nikki Bella claims that the infamous thirty second tag team match with her and Brie versus Emma and Paige was her idea. While that was going on Sasha Banks was still in NXT wrestling in ten, fifteen minute matches with her other Horsewomen combatants. The Give Divas a Chance movement was started because fans were tired of seeing the Bellas dominate in short, meaningless matches. Fans wanted to see the women on the main roster do what the NXT women were doing. That turned into the Divas Revolution with the debuts of Lynch, Charlotte and Banks.

While the Revolution itself hasn’t been perfect it at least put the NXT Divas on the main roster and making others step up their game. Maybe it’s a “crawl before you walk” situation as to why Banks hasn’t been unleashed to her full potential just yet on the main roster. If and when she is unleashed, it won’t even matter Sasha Banks was shaded on the PWI Women’s 50. Give it due time and the world will be hers for the taking. She’s already started the journey.

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If you told anyone five years ago that not only did WWE’s developmental house the best women’s division on the planet, but that it was arguably the main draw of the entire thing, you’d probably get pointed and laughed at. The NXT Women’s Championship has totally redefined and revolutionized women’s wrestling within the WWE and the quality of matches put on by these women is almost single handily responsible for the awfully named ‘Divas Revolution.’

So it’s time to rank the top 10 NXT Women’s Championship matches and considering the title has only existed for a little over two years, it’s a strong top 10.

Note: This will include title matches on NXT TV but not live events.

Before the list is unveiled, here are two candidates that just missed out on the top 10. Firstly, the most recent NXT Women’s Championship match that took place this week between Bayley and Alexa Bliss was Alexa’s first real opportunity to show how much she’s improved this year and as good as she’s gotten as a character, she still has some work to do to crack this powerful top 10. Secondly, the first rematch between Sasha Banks and Charlotte on NXT TV after Sasha won the title was great, but is just edged out by a few longer matches.

10. Paige versus Emma – NXT Episode 58

The first match on this list is also the first ever NXT Women’s Championship match. This was the match where Paige became the inaugural champion of the brand and the match that set the tone for the future of the division. The girls were given 13 minutes which was unheard of at the time and they delivered an action packed match with some great near falls. A fun side note here, this was the final of a tournament that took place over a number of episodes. In that tournament, both Bayley and Sasha Banks were eliminated in the first round by Alicia Fox and Summer Rae. How things have changed since June 2013.

9. Charlotte versus Bayley – NXT Takeover: Fatal 4-Way

This was Bayley’s first shot at the title and really the beginning of the crowd getting behind her as the ultimate underdog she is. Both Bayley and Charlotte have improved immensely since this match and while this was great, the real treat will be the next time these two face each other. You could make a strong argument in saying that this match was the beginning of the year long story arch that saw the rise of Four Horsewomen of NXT and the crowning of Bayley as NXT Women’s Champion.

8. Charlotte versus Sasha Banks – NXT Takeover: R Evolution

These two have incredible chemistry. Every time they step in the ring together, we get something special and this was no different. The finish involved Charlotte hitting Natural Selection from the top rope which was very cool.

7. Sasha Banks versus Charlotte – NXT Episode 155

This was the second rematch Charlotte received after dropping the title to Sasha and one of Charlotte’s last high profile matches on NXT. Charlotte came out and teamed with Banks to take on Emma and Dana Brooke and in return wanted a title shot the following week. At over 15 minutes long, they were given the chance to put on one final epic encounter in front of the NXT crowd and it really felt like the culmination of all their matches to that point. Excellent storytelling sees this claim the number seven spot.

6. Paige versus Emma – NXT Arrival

Like the match above, this really felt like the culmination of all of the clashes between these two girls. It was a match filled with counters, reversals and just smart wrestling. As the first NXT Women’s Championship match to really get any spotlight, it absolutely delivered and began the streak of quality Takeover matches that still exists to this day. As great as this was, there is a gap between it and the incredibly strong top five.

5. Charlotte versus Natalya – NXT Takeover

To put this in perspective, if this match had been for the Divas Championship, it would have been the best Divas Championship match of all time – such is the quality of this NXT Women’s Title. This was an instant classic with Natalya reminding everyone of just how good she is and Charlotte got her first opportunity to shine on the big stage. With Ric Flair and Bret Hart in their respective corners, this was a memorable clash filled with probably the best submission wrestling we’ve seen in a WWE women’s match.

4. Charlotte versus Sasha Banks versus Bayley versus Becky Lynch – NXT Takeover: Rival

The birth of the Four Horsewomen! This was the beginning of a super 2015 for the NXT Women’s division, the year it became the best women’s division on the planet and the year it became the most interesting thing on WWE television. This match was brilliant and all four women really stood out and showed how good they are. It told a perfect story of Bayley proving she was right on the cusp, Becky Lynch proving she belongs and Sasha showing she’d do anything to become the champion. It was also the beginning of the greatest women’s championship reign the WWE has ever had – the reign of The Boss, Sasha Banks.

3. Sasha Banks versus Becky Lynch – NXT Takeover: Unstoppable

This was supposed to be a filler match to eat up a few weeks before Sasha Banks’ big feud with Bayley and instead we got a classic. Becky Lynch went from Sasha’s heel enforcer to a babyface with a legitimately heart-warming story about how hard she worked to get to NXT and from the moment that bell rang we treated to something special. The crowd began the match cheering for Sasha, as you would expect, but finished the match right behind Becky and even gave her a standing ovation afterwards. This match launched Becky’s career and proved just how good Sasha Banks is as they treated us to a legitimate match of the year contender.

2. Bayley versus Sasha Banks – NXT Takeover: Respect

You already knew what the top two were going to be from the moment you clicked on the article, it was just a matter of ordering them. This was the first ever women’s main-event, the first ever women’s ironman match and the longest women’s match in WWE history and it lived up to those expectations. It was 30 minutes of perfect storytelling as the two enemies traded pinfalls and slowly but surely got us to a finish that went down to the final moments. It wasn’t a perfectly wrestled match and there were clearly some nerves early on, but that actually made the match better, it actually suited the emotion and the intensity of the match. Sasha Banks made a little girl cry, what more needs to be said?

1. Sasha Banks versus Bayley – NXT Takeover: Brooklyn

As of right now, this match sits as the best match of 2015. An insane Brooklyn crowd, a perfectly executed match and brilliant storyline all culminated in the crowning of Bayley as NXT Women’s Champion. An outcome we all knew was likely, but one that didn’t detract from the match whatsoever. The finish involving a reverse hurricanrana into a Bayley-to-Belly suplex was insane and the final cherry on the top was the curtain call with Charlotte and Becky joining them in the middle of the ring while 15,000 people applauded women’s wrestling.

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The final WWE events of 2015 have come to a close and with there being 128 pay-per-view or live special matches in 2015, it’s time to rank the best 50.

This list will include every WWE pay-per-view as well as every NXT Takeover, but will not include Beast in the East or Live at Madison Square Garden as they were technically house shows.

50^th: NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder versus Enzo Amore & Colin Cassidy (NXT Takeover: London)

This was a well booked match off the back of a fiery feud, the likes of which we haven’t seen from Enzo & Cass before. Dawson & Wilder retaining clean was smart and it’s probably time for Enzo & Cass to make their way to the main roster.

49^th: The Money in the Bank Ladder Match (Money in the Bank)

This year’s briefcase ladder match did not get close to the quality of last year’s match. Having said that, there were still some excellent spots and great swerves in the match with The New Day helping Kofi, and Wyatt attacking Roman adding some much needed chaos. Sheamus winning was rather anti-climactic which hurt the match overall.

48^th:  United States Championship Match: Rusev versus John Cena (WrestleMania)

This was your classic John Cena beats the odds match and it lead Cena’s brilliant run with the United States Championship. In hindsight, considering they wrestled at the following two pay-per-views, Rusev probably should’ve gone over here.

47^th: Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Semi-Final: Samoa Joe & Finn Balor versus Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder (NXT Takeover: Respect)

What made this match great was the psychology of it. The way Dawson & Wilder went straight after Finn and then tried to pick him apart showed that they knew they were dealing with two guys above them on the roster, but it showed they had a game plan. Dawson and Wilder, while not flashy, continue to prove how good they are in the ring.

46^th:  Tag Team Championship Match: Cesaro & Tyson Kidd versus The New Day (Extreme Rules)

This was the beginning of The New Day Era. Cesaro & Kidd were an awesome tag team and along with the New Day, they put on a great match here with The New Day cheating to get the win, setting up what they’d become all about.

45^th: Dolph Ziggler versus Sheamus (Payback)

Ziggler and Sheamus’ feud may not have been about much, but they sure did a good job of pounding each other. You could feel the ferocity between the two and they put on a great match, thankfully minus the butt kissing stipulation.

44^th: Last Man Standing Match: Roman Reigns versus Big Show (Extreme Rules)

This match was surprisingly good and by surprisingly good, I mean did anyone expect this to be any good at all? Show and Reigns keep a fast pace and beat each other to a pulp for 15 entertaining minutes. It was the continuation of Roman’s streak of good pay-per-view matches.

43^rd: Divas Championship Match: Charlotte versus Nikki Bella (Hell in a Cell)

This was much better than their first encounter and showed that Nikki can hang with the better Divas, if only just. The spot of the night was an Alabama slam on the ring apron.

42^nd: NXT Championship Match: Sami Zayn versus Kevin Owens (NXT Takeover: Rival)

This wasn’t actually that great of a match considering the build up to it. However, the finish with Owens beating Zayn to the point where the referee had to stop the match was brilliant and earns it a spot on this list.

41^st: Divas Championship Match: Charlotte versus Paige (TLC)

This was a good match storyline wise, showing Charlotte’s continued transformation into a heel. However, it was overdone slightly and the lack of a babyface in this match made it a little odd.

40^th: Divas Championship Match: Charlotte versus Paige (Survivor Series)

This was the better of their two matches. They were given close to 15 minutes and despite a really awkward spear off the barricade, the two put on a really good match. If the finish had been a little less abrupt, this would be much higher.

39^th: Tyler Breeze versus Finn Balor (NXT Takeover: Unstoppable)

This was originally meant to be a triple threat match involving Hideo Itami, but Itami’s injury forced this into a singles match. It wasn’t anything special, especially by the standards both of these men have set for themselves, but it was a solid match nonetheless. Balor jumping off the titantron was something we hadn’t seen in NXT before.

38^th: Tag Team Championship Match: The Prime Time Players versus The New Day versus The Lucha Dragons versus Los Matadores (SummerSlam)

The re-crowning of The New Day as Tag Team Champions was great and had enough interesting spots and near-falls to keep the loud crowd into it. Despite these types of matches usually feeling overcrowded, this was done really well.

37^th: Tyler Breeze versus Apollo Crews (NXT Takeover: Respect)

Another match that probably should have been higher on this list considering the quality of the two performers, but it was still an excellent match with Breeze doing a great job of countering a lot of Apollo’s offense. Crews is going to be something special.

36^th: Bray Wyatt versus Roman Reigns (Battleground)

Roman and Bray did a great job of making this match the brawl it needed to be. The finish with Luke Harper interfering probably hurt its ranking because this was a good match up to that point.

35^th: Becky Lynch versus Sasha Banks (TLC)

How the best two Divas in the WWE are confined to a kickoff show without any build up or storyline is beyond me. What’s worse was the three minute ad in the middle of the match. Despite that, these two did what you would expect from them, putting on a quality match with a finish that made sense and gave Sasha a win in her hometown.

34^th: WWE World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match: Sheamus versus Roman Reigns (TLC)

Yes, the main-event only just eclipsed the pre-show match and you can put that down to how hard both men worked when it came to some of the more vicious spots of the night. In the long run, the storyline of this match worked out really well and it was about as good as the feud, which no one cared about, was going to get.

33^rd: Brock Lesnar versus The Undertaker (SummerSlam)

The more I watch this match, the more I enjoy the finish. It makes perfect sense. If a person is tapping out, that means they are asking for the match to stop because they’re in too much pain and, especially with a move that has broken people’s arms, it was a great idea to have the timekeeper stop the match. From there, Taker stealing a win was genius and set up what would be a far better match at Hell in a Cell.

32^rd: Dean Ambrose & Roman Reigns versus Bray Wyatt & Luke Harper (SummerSlam)

This was another match that was exactly what it needed to be. It wasn’t a wrestling clinic, it was more or less four guys who want to beat each other up and these four know exactly how to do that.

31^st: Asuka versus Emma (NXT Takeover: London)

They turned what was really just a showcase for Asuka into a match where you could genuinely believe that Emma was going to steal the win. There was just enough shenanigans for it to be exciting and not weigh down the match. Once Asuka starts getting her offense in, there are few wrestlers more fun to watch.

30^th: Tag Team Championship Two out of Three Falls Match: The New Day versus Tyson Kidd & Cesaro (Payback)

Despite the finish being a little stupid with the referee not being able to tell apart Kofi and Xavier, this was one of the best tag team matches of the year and was probably the best babyface performance of Tyson Kidd’s WWE career.

29^th: NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Blake & Murphy versus The Vaudevillains (NXT Takeover: Brooklyn)

This was just an exciting, fast paced match from start to finish. The usage of Alexa Bliss and Blue Pants made sense and the crazy Brooklyn crowd made this special.

28^th: NXT Women’s Championship Match: Bayley versus Nia Jax (NXT Takeover: London)

As far as matches go, there are probably 45 better wrestling spectacles on this list. However, you probably won’t find more than a handful of matches with better storylines. This match was perfectly executed with Jax coming off as a dominant, but inexperienced heel who looked like she was going to batter Bayley until her eventual crowning as champion, but she got cocky and frustrated which lead to the resilient and experienced champion escaping with the win.

27^th: Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match (WrestleMania)

This was the perfect way to kick off a great WrestleMania. You had probably three most popular babyfaces on the roster with Ambrose, Ziggler and Bryan, all of whom you could believe would leave with the title and that made for a great match. Harper powerbombing Ambrose through a ladder was awesome and the finish with Dolph and Bryan exchanging headbutts was incredibly unique.

26^th: WWE World Heavyweight Championship Fatal 4-Way Match: Seth Rollins versus Roman Reigns versus Dean Ambrose versus Randy Orton (Payback)

This was a great match that just didn’t quite get to the level of some of the other top championship matches this year. The spot of the match and one of the coolest moments of 2015 came when we got our brief Shield reunion with the hounds of justice powerbombing Orton through the announce table.

25^th: Hell in a Cell Match: Roman Reigns versus Bray Wyatt (Hell in a Cell)

This match was a weapon-filled car crash of a match that delivered something very different to the other Cell match on the card. While the feud between Bray and Roman was a little lacklustre content wise, their final encounter was worthy of being inside the Cell and they delivered a match befitting it.

24^th: United States Championship Match: John Cena versus Kevin Owens (Battleground)

This was the third of three great matches between Cena and Owens. Unfortunately, it had to live up to the outstanding first two matches and it couldn’t quite do it. However, this match Owens look like a star and confirmed that Cena’s run as United States Champion was the best U.S Championship reign of all time.

23^rd: Daniel Bryan versus Roman Reigns (Fastlane)

This match was great because the animosity between the two stars felt real which meant the stakes, which was the main-event of WrestleMania, also felt real. As far as telling a story with wrestling goes, there is no one better in the world than Daniel Bryan and that’s exactly what we got here with a powerhouse like Reigns fighting a much smaller grappler like Bryan. This was the beginning of Roman’s streak of excellent pay-per-view matches.

22^nd: Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Semi-Final: Baron Corbin & Rhyno versus Chad Gable & Jason Jordan (NXT Takeover: Respect)

This instantly became one of those matches you just want to watch over and over. Speaking of over, this match was the arrival of Chad Gable and Jason Jordan who have become the most popular superstars in NXT. Gable hitting a rolling German suplex on Corbin late in the match was one of the coolest moves of 2015. Expect these two to have quite a few matches on this list in 2016.

21^st: WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: Seth Rollins versus Dean Ambrose (Elimination Chamber)

Bloody WWE teasing us with having Ambrose actually win the match before having the title taken off him. It was so unfair and shows that when Ambrose eventually does get his moment, the crowd will go absolutely nuts. Despite the screwy finish, these two did what they’ve done since their days in FCW, deliver a top quality match.

20^th: Seth Rollins versus Randy Orton (WrestleMania)

This was the feud that carried Raw for much of the lead up to WrestleMania and the match certainly delivered. Of course, the best part of the match was the finish with Orton countering a curb stomp into an RKO. Seth went on to have one of the greatest WrestleMania moments of all time later in the show, but they did a fantastic job here.

19^th: Kevin Owens versus Dean Ambrose (Survivor Series)

This was really the only good match in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament at Survivor Series. The final was too rushed and Del Rio and Reigns was a predictable bore fest. Thankfully we can rely on these two to deliver a quality match no matter the circumstances.

18^th: Kevin Owens versus Cesaro (SummerSlam)

It’s amazing how Cesaro seems to deliver a quality match every single time he is on a pay-per-view. It’s like he’s one of the best wrestlers in the world or something and deserves to be showcased more often. These two had a great little feud which culminated in a much needed win for Owens.

17^th: United States Championship Match: Seth Rollins versus John Cena (Night of Champions)

While this one didn’t quite reach the heights of their SummerSlam encounter, Cena and Rollins once again demonstrated the incredible chemistry they have in the ring together. The subtle storyline of Rollins knowing he had to face Sting immediately after this match added a lot of depth to the match as well.

16^th:  Intercontinental Championship Match: Kevin Owens versus Dean Ambrose (TLC)

A great back and forth wrestling match on a card filled with stipulations that had an unexpected but awesome ending. Ambrose pinning Owens the way he did also leaves the feud open to continue on into 2016. Expect these two to steal the show again in the future.

15^th:  NXT Championship Ladder Match: Finn Balor versus Kevin Owens (NXT Takeover: Brooklyn)

There’s a lot of Kevin Owens in this top 20… and you people didn’t vote him as the Breakout Star of the Year? This was a brilliant ladder match that varied from the usual style of there being tonnes of ladders everywhere. These two had only two or three to play with and they made the most of it. Finn hitting his finisher off the top of the ladder onto Owens was only topped by Owens pinning Balor with a ladder, sprinting at him, slowing down, and punching him in the face. Only Kevin Owens could make that look cool.

14^th: WWE World Heavyweight Championship Ladder Match: Seth Rollins versus Dean Ambrose (Money in the Bank)

This one just pips the above ladder match due to the way Seth and Dean constructed their match. The match probably was a little longer than it needed to be and that cost it from being higher up the list, but everything from Rollins burying Dean under ladders to the title slipping through Ambrose’s fingertips at the end made this a great match.

13^th: NXT Championship Match: Finn Balor versus Samoa Joe (NXT Takeover: London)

This represented everything a big championship main-event should look like. Joe dominated the match, but Finn was still able to get in the high intensity offense that makes him so good to watch. What added to this match was that you could make a strong case for both men to win, leaving everyone on their toes for the near falls. Balor retained, but this certainly won’t be the last title match between the two foes.

12^th: NXT Women’s Championship Fatal 4-Way Match: Charlotte versus Sasha Banks versus Bayley versus Becky Lynch (NXT Takeover: Rival)

This was the match that started the rise of the Four Horsewomen who would soon become the faces of the WWE’s women’s division. They put on a match that stole the show and worked the fatal 4-way stipulation to perfection. All four girls got a chance to shine and putting the title on Sasha was the best result they could’ve chosen. Give this match a lot of credit for the #GiveDivasAChance movement.

11^th: John Cena versus Kevin Owens (Elimination Chamber)

This was a brilliant match between two polar opposites of the wrestling world that had an ending that drove people everywhere out of their seats. Owens pinning Cena clean elevated Owens and lead to where we see Owens today. The spot of this match was Owens reversing a Superplex from Cena into one of his own. It’s a move that is very rarely if ever seen in a WWE ring and little things like that made this match feel important.

10^th: Triple Threat Tag Team Championship Ladder Match: The New Day versus The Usos versus The Lucha Dragons (TLC)

This match speaks for itself. Every spot was amazing, from Big E bench-pressing a ladder with two people on it to Sin Cara diving onto a ladder outside the ring to the jaw dropping Salida Del Sol from Kalisto off a ladder through a ladder. Well done to all three teams for putting on an incredible ladder match. Xavier Woods on commentary was also a very nice touch.

9^th: Title For Title Match: Seth Rollins versus John Cena (SummerSlam)

If Seth had pinned Cena without interference, this would have been in the top three, that’s how good this match was. Rollins and Cena pulled out all the stops on the big stage and Cena highlighted just how much he’s improved in 2015 by keeping up with Rollins and putting on an outstanding match. There were so many highlights in this match that it’s impossible to narrow them down, but Rollins hitting a Superplex before rolling back up and hitting another one was amazing. The interference involving Jon Stewart was a little overdone and hampered what was otherwise a match of the year candidate.

8^th: Adrian Neville versus Finn Balor (NXT Takeover: Rival)

You won’t see a match with better near falls than this one. The final five minutes of this match were a whirlwind filled with awesome moves and highly entertaining counters. Finn was always going to win this one which counts against it slightly, but that doesn’t change how awesome it was. It might also have been the best commentated match of 2015… if that’s a thing.

7^th: NXT Women’s Championship Match: Sasha Banks versus Becky Lynch (NXT Takeover: Unstoppable)

This was the second major NXT Women’s Championship defence of 2015 and to that stage, it was the best of them. This was Becky Lynch’s breakout match and her first chance to show just how good she is. The best thing you can say about this match is the crowd started the match chanting for Sasha, the heel, but finished cheering for Becky because she had won them over with her spectacular performance. Full credit to Sasha too, once again showing that no one, past or present, can touch her.

6^th: Kevin Owens versus John Cena (Money in the Bank)

Honestly, I don’t know why this match doesn’t get the credit it deserves. Of the three encounters, this was easily their best match up. The crowd was electric from start to finish, the two raised the bar move set wise and Cena winning made sense to set up the rubber match. They delivered an excellent story and Owens attacking Cena post-match was true to character and exactly how the match needed to finish.

5^th: WWE World Heavyweight Championship Triple Threat Match: Brock Lesnar versus Roman Reigns versus Seth Rollins (WrestleMania)

Titling this one was difficult, because before Seth made his way down to the ring, Lesnar and Reigns were doing a fantastic job of putting on a classic match anyway, but it was Seth that took this match into the top five. Starting with Lesnar and Reigns, the two beat the absolute hell out of each other for 15 minutes with Lesnar not being able to keep Roman down no matter how hard he hit him. That led to Lesnar making a mistake, opening the door for Reigns who capitalized. They fought to a stalemate before the new ultimate opportunist scooted down, stole the win and created one of the greatest moments in WrestleMania history.

4^th: NXT Women’s Championship 30 Minute Ironman Match: Bayley versus Sasha Banks (NXT Takeover: Respect)

This was not only the first ever women’s ‘pay-per-view’ main-event in WWE history, but it was also the longest women’s match in WWE history – by a very, very long way. With that came the task of keeping the audience invested for half an hour and these two did that with ease. You could tell they were nervous early on and that hampered the match slightly, but once they got going, these two told the best story of 2015. No match tops this one in terms of the story told during the match. Everything from Bayley attacking Sasha’s hand as payback for Brooklyn, inadvertently making it difficult for Sasha to lock in the Bank Statement to Sasha Banks, literally, making a little girl cry by stealing her headband was executed brilliantly and kept the crowd hot for 30 full minutes. The final five minutes in particular stood out as just a brilliant series of counters, locked at two falls apiece.

3^rd: Hell in a Cell Match: Brock Lesnar versus The Undertaker (Hell in a Cell)

This was one of those matches that just reminds you why pro-wrestling is awesome. The fact that The Undertaker, at 50 years of age, can still produce matches of this quality is insane. Not to mention the beating his body took from Brock throughout this awesome match. Of course, the best part of the match was Lesnar ripping up the canvas to expose the wooden floorboards before taking a chokeslam onto the exposed floor. It was a genius match and Brock winning after the low blow that brought this whole rivalry full circle, was outstanding.

2^nd: WWE World Heavyweight Championship Triple Threat Match: Brock Lesnar versus John Cena versus Seth Rollins (Royal Rumble)

Think about it this way, this match saved the 2015 Royal Rumble from being the worst pay-per-view of all time. Lesnar, Cena and Rollins gave us arguably the best triple threat championship match in WWE history and part of that was because all three men could have left with the title. Rollins’ briefcase possibly coming into play also made things that much more exciting. The best part of the match was a tie between Rollins breaking Lesnar through the table and Rollins hitting a phoenix splash on Cena, before Brock rose like the aforementioned bird, tearing the house down and retaining his title.

1^st: NXT Women’s Championship Match: Sasha Banks versus Bayley (NXT Takeover: Brooklyn)

This match was perfect from start to finish. Sasha and Bayley tore the house down showing what women’s wrestling can be when you give it the spotlight. Sasha Banks and Bayley had the best rivalry of 2015, with this match being months in the making. The match itself had everything, but the highlight of the match was without a doubt the finish with Bayley hitting a reverse hurricanrana into the Bayley to Belly for the win. The Brooklyn crowd was rabidly behind both girls and the place exploded when Bayley won. The curtain call post-match with all four Horsewomen standing in an NXT ring together for the last time was one of the best moments of 2015 and this match gave Triple H and NXT officials no choice but to put the rematch in the main-event of the next Takeover.

WWE: Best of RAW & SmackDown 2015

WWE: Owen – Hart of Gold (Blu-ray)

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Since the last time I had talked about Sasha Banks, we were discussing how fans are frustrated that WWE hadn’t seemed to want to pull the trigger on the Diva. It was as if WWE were holding her back, keeping her with Team BAD just because while Team PCB was falling apart and took center stage in the Divas Division. I discussed how it could be a “crawl before you walk” situation as to why WWE wouldn’t unleash Banks’ full potential. Fans were chanting for her every week, and in return we got little teases of Miss Banks here and there. Fans wanted more, and they just weren’t getting it.

Since then, the good thing was that Sasha was starting to get the credit that she deserved. PWI made up for the head scratching placement on the PWI Women’s 50 and named her as “Woman of the Year”, and was bestowed the “Match of the Year” award for her unforgettable performance with Bayley at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn. She and Bayley also won Match of the Year for the NXT Year End Awards.

But, the shade had continued after my “Shade of Sasha” blog was published. The recognition was starting to show, but her time on the main roster said otherwise. It was underwhelming, at best. This isn’t how Banks should be presented. She’s a main player and your casual WWE fan wouldn’t know otherwise if they were unfamiliar with NXT.

Nikki Bella was the face of the Divas, yet her 2015 paled in comparison to Banks. So when Bella was injured and put out of action, it left room for someone to take her place. Most fans wanted Banks to take that place Bella had left behind. However, Banks was just coasting along with Team BAD, with no real direction since the Divas Revolution storyline had all but come to a screeching halt. Charlotte had already assumed the role by winning the Diva’s Championship, and was feuding with Paige, now Becky Lynch. Fans hoped it was a matter of time before Banks made her presence known in the Divas Championship picture.

But after her twerking performance with The New Day, Sasha Banks quietly slipped away for a few weeks. Sure she posted on Twitter and Instagram, but the elephant in the room was enormous due to rumors of a supposed injury she had. She never addressed it, and it left fans wondering if we would see the resident Bosslady come WrestleMania season.

Well, fans got their answer during the Royal Rumble. After Charlotte defeated Lynch, Banks came out to a thunderous ovation. After kicking Lynch while she was down, Banks appeared to have joined forces with Charlotte, which was very reminiscent of their NXT days. Fast forward about a minute later, Banks turned face as she snatched Charlotte from behind and into the Bank Statement. From there, Banks grabbed the Divas Championship and held it up to a huge pop.

Banks didn’t even have to say a word. The scene before us last night said it all. Finally, after what seemed like a drawn out wait, Banks made the long awaited declaration fans longed for: She’s back and coming for the Divas Championship.

With the Divas Revolution to a low simmer, a feud with Banks and Charlotte (with the possibility of Lynch) could see the story come to a head when WrestleMania stops in Dallas. Charlotte has been on fire since changing her attitude with the Diva’s Championship. With daddy Ric Flair by her side, Charlotte has the security blanket to protect her Championship run as she plows through the likes of Lynch and Paige. A feud with Banks is a whole different ballgame. Banks is quite on a winning streak in singles competition, proving that she is indeed a threat to Charlotte’s reign.

It’s time for WWE to stop playing games with Banks. Her credentials are there; let her make an impact on the main roster. Don’t tease us anymore. No more BS, no more twerking with The New Day. Let Banks spread her wings and fly. It’s time to release her from Team BAD, and let her continue to build the legacy she started creating while in NXT. Banks is a superstar in the making, and all she needs is that one moment on the main roster to solidify that. WrestleMania can very well be her moment.

Banks turning face is the way to go to take her to superstardom. It’s almost like when John Cena was starting out. Cena was hot as a heel, and once he turned face, his career skyrocketed and he never looked back. Banks most certainly is heading that way and WrestleMania could be her culminating moment for capturing one of the grandest prizes in women’s wrestling. She has her peers, legends and fans behind her. All that separates her from that is how the story will play out in terms of creative.

And when Banks does capture that Divas Championship, a new face of the Divas Division will be crowned. A superstar will be born. As her song says, the sky’s the limit for Miss Sasha Banks. And you can bank on that.

WWE: Best of RAW & SmackDown 2015

WWE: Owen – Hart of Gold (Blu-ray)

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There is a “Divas Revolution” going on in the WWE. Two women scored the coveted prize of NXT Match of the Year, something many fans never thought was possible. For some reason after all these years, WWE has finally chosen to take its female wrestlers seriously again. Even though the WWE Divas are still battling for a belt with a butterfly on it, good on them!

So what is so great about Sasha Banks and Bayley? Are they really deserving of the best match?

Are they better than Trish and Lita were?

Are they better than AJ and Paige?

Or what about Eva Marie and Rosa Mendes? HA!
The Divas have quite a history. You have your actual wrestlers and you have your models trying to be wrestlers because why not? Sometimes these Divas succeed and sometimes they fall flat on their faces. Literally. The average lifespan of a WWE Diva is about three and a half years. How many WWE Divas have we seen over the years then? Is it possible to name them all?
Yes is it!
And what better way to do it than by ranking every last one of them from worst to best.
To qualify…
a) Any woman who has wrestled in a WWE ring or pulled hair in a WWE ring will be on the list.
b) If she hasn’t wrestled or pulled hair, but was involved in the storyline and was hired by WWE with the intention of doing more with her, she’s on the list.
c) No ring announcers or backstage interviewers. Sorry Rene. Sorry Lillian.
d) Women who were signed by WWE but never appeared on Raw or Smackdown!, and only worked under a development territory like OVW, FCW, or even NXT do not qualify.

Sorry, Bayley, You’ll top a list one day.

We begin the list with…

SUNNY

No, Sunny isn’t the worst Diva of all time. In fact, she’s a Hall of freakin’ Famer. I will be merely using Sunny as a starting point because it was not until a bombshell like Sunny arrived that many more followed suit. Hence for better or worse, the birth of the term “Diva”. Therefore…

e) Anyone who wrestled before Sunny and never in a WWE ring again will not be on the list. Because let’s face it. Alundra Blayze isn’t a Diva. She’s a wrestler and she could probably kick your ass. And we all know Sensational Sherry would top this list if she were qualified.

This leaves us with a list of 82. So who is the worst Diva in history? It’s a tie.
82) Lauren Jones and Rochelle Loewen

After the first Diva Search in 2004, WWE seemed only interested in hiring models. As a result, the Divas division suffered for it and these two are prime examples of this. These Divas were kind of useless. They didn’t do a whole lot, they obviously didn’t have much passion for the business and, well, I’m pretty sure Randy Orton pooped in one of their bags. Sorry, not sorry.

Active: 2004-2005

81) Muffy

Having a brief stint as Stephanie McMahon’s fitness instructor, Muffy might be even more forgettable than Lauren and Rochelle, but at least, she had a gimmick.

Active: 2000

80) Lena Yada

Her claim to fame was making it into the final three in the 2007 Diva Search. On ECW, she hated on Kelly Kelly and interviewed a couple of wrestlers backstage. Yada Yada Yada.

Active: 2007-2008

79) Brooke

We all know Brooke went on to better things in TNA, but her stint in WWE was very forgettable. She was that other member of Extreme Expose and that’s pretty much it.

Active: 2006-2007

78) Trinity

Coming into the WWE as a capable wrestler, WWE seemed to do nothing with her. She did win an ECW Halloween Costume Contest one time. You go, girl!

Active: 2006-2007

77) Marianna

Also known as Mrs. Cleavage, Marianna played a mother who may or may not have had a sexual relationship with her son Chaz Warrington. Only in the bizarre world of WWE.

Active: 1999

76) Ariel

A tarot card reader who looked like a vampire, Ariel didn’t amount to much. She was on the ECW brand, managed Kevin Thorne and slapped Kelly Kelly around a few times.

Active: 2006-2007

75) Carmelle DeCesare

Making it into the final two in the first ever Diva Search, Carmella was popular for about a hot minute. Mainly because all of the other Divas in the contest were awful to her. And deservingly so. Carmella was kind of awful. She did manage to compete in a Pillow Fight against Christy Hemme, but was quickly disposed of like a box of tissues on a fifteen-year-old boy’s nightstand.

Active: 2004

74) Ashley

The first Diva to make the list to be involved in such pivotal storylines, teaming with Trish Stratus, and even competing at Wrestlemania 23 against Melina for the Women’s championship. Sure, Ashley was good-looking and willing to pose nude for Playboy, but what Diva wasn’t at the time? Surely there were better options for a push, no? She may have tried, but she couldn’t wrestle. At all. Yet Divas like Victoria were jobbing to her every week. Bye!

Active: 2005-2008

73) Ryan Shamrock

Known as Ken Shamrock’s sister, Ryan Shamrock was… well, she was captured and sacrificed by The Undertaker which is pretty cool. She also had a bad case of PMS.

Active: 1999

72) Amy Weber

One of the first Diva Search contestants with potential, Amy landed herself a decent gig as JBL’s image consultant in The Cabinet. But then she left because of some backstage drama.

Active: 2004-2005

71) Joy Giovanni

Another Diva Search contestant, *yawn*, who was given a pretty decent gig, being involved in storylines with Big Show and Kurt Angle. Joy was hot, so she won Rookie Diva of the Year in 2005, but soon left the company. Oh, but she was brought back for a match at Wrestlemania. Remember that Divas battle royal at Wrestlemania 25 that Santino won? Sorry, I reminded you.

Active: 2004-2005

70) Maxine

Remember that other girl on the all-girl cast of NXT? The one with AJ Lee, Naomi, and Kaitlyn? Yeah, that other girl’s name was Maxine. Although most of her stay with the company was in NXT, Maxine did manage to sneak herself into a Divas tag match on Raw one time.

Active: 2010-2012

69) Krissy Vaine

Krissy Who? She was on Smackdown!, once. Literally, one time. And all she did was brutally attack Torrie Wilson and then disappear. That’s pretty badass.

Active: 2007

68) Francine

Her stint in WWE was very brief. A few appearances here and there, a few cat fights every now and again. Though she didn’t do much, fans were excited to see her, especially at the WWE produced ECW One Night Stand pay-per-view, when she and Beulah (only contracted for two One Night Stand appearances) relived their glory days with one final catfight.

Active: 2005-2006

67) Cherry

She wrestled sometimes and had a 1950s in-ring persona.

Okay, Cherry.

Active: 2007-2008

66) Rosa Mendes

Of all current active Divas on the roster today, Rosa Mendes is first to make the list.

She was in the 2006 Diva Search, was brought in as Beth Phoenix’s crazy stalker fan, managed Primo and Epico to Tag Team Championships, and… um… well, she hasn’t really done anything else worth mentioning. Like nothing at all. And she’s been with the company almost ten years.

Active: 2006, 2008-Present

65) Serena

She had her head shaved and was part of CM Punk’s Straight Edge Society. Serena appeared as if she had loads of potential, but was apparently released for not portraying her straight-edge persona in public. Calm down WWE, we all know it’s fake. Give the girl a break, will ya?

Active: 2010
64) Kristal

Emerging from the 2005 Diva Search, Kristal did your typical Diva gyrations, competed a couple of times in her bra and panties, and even had a wedding on Smackdown!. But as most WWE weddings go, things went south when her fiancé Teddy Long had a heart attack. The poor girl must have been so heartbroken, she left WWE never to be seen or heard from again.

Active: 2005-2007

63) Aksana

She competed in NXT Season 3, married Goldust so she could stay in the country, dyed her hair black, flirted with Teddy Long and Cesaro for a few hot seconds, and… oh, she also wrestled.

Active: 2010-2014

62) Nicole Bass

Sable’s henchman. She choked bitches and she looked intimidating.

Active: 1999

61) Hiroko

Hahahaha. Hiroko. Kenzo Suzuki’s chick. She was annoying, but it was cute.

Active: 2004-2005

60) Mama Benjamin

Hahahahahaha. She was the best. Poor Shelton Benjamin must’ve been so embarrassed to have Mama Benjamin up in his grill every Monday night. It won him an Intercontinental championship, though! Eventually, Big Show scared poor Mama Benjamin and she had to leave the company for heart surgery. Here’s hoping it was a #speedyrecovery

Active: 2006

59) Katie Lea

Debuting as Paul Burchill’s creepy sister, Katie battled Mickie James a couple times for the Women’s title. That’s pretty much it. WWE didn’t know what to do with her.

Active: 2008-2010

58) Shaniqua

Formally known as Linda Miles, a Tough Enough Season 2 winner, she took on a dominatrix persona and managed the Basham Brothers, even competing in a Handicap match with her fellow brethren for the WWE Tag Team championship. Oh, and one time Bradshaw gave her quite the “clothesline from hell”, as it miraculously caused permanent swelling to her breasts.
No, I didn’t make that up. WWE used this in a storyline as a way to explain her new implants.

*Face palm*

Active: 2002-2004

57) Sharmell

King Booker. Therefore, Queen Sharmell.

Active: 2005-2007

56) Cameron

One-half of the former Funkadactyls, Cameron is the second Diva on the active roster to make the cut. Don’t get me wrong, I like Cameron. But she’s been overshadowed by Naomi, and unfortunately for her, everybody knows that her favorite match is Melina vs. Alicia Fox.

Active: 2012-present

55) Eva Marie

Most people would place Eva Marie lower on the list, but hey, the girl gets the most heat out of everyone else on the roster, male or female. That says something.

But yeah, I know. She sucks.

Active: 2013-Present

54) Tamina

Another Diva on the active roster, she is the daughter of Jimmy Superfly Snuka. Tamina wants to be intimidating, but she doesn’t really win any matches. Currently, she seems to be riding the coattails of Team B.A.D. Come on, Tamina. Do something cool. We believe in you.

Don’t we?

Active: 2009-Present

53) Jackie Gayda

Also known as Miss Jackie, she had “that match” on Raw where she teamed up with Christopher Nowinski against Trish Status and Bradshaw and botched the f*** out of it. Her career highlights include competing in a match at Wrestlemania 20 and marrying Charlie Haas.

Active: 2002-2005

52) JoJo

Starting off as a member of Total Divas alongside Eva Marie, JoJo wrestled a few times but has since become a backstage interviewer. Why does she beat so many other Divas on the list? Because she’s adorable.

Active: 2013-Present

51) Tiffany

Starting off in the 2007 Diva Search, Tiffany was appointed Assistant General Manger on ECW just because. Drafted to Smackdown!, she faced off against LayCool a few times before being let go due to an incident involving real life husband Drew McIntyre.

As we know, like Brooke, Tiffany would go on to much better things in TNA.

Active: 2008-2010

50) B.B.

Aka Big Boobs. I mean Barbara Bush. She was an EMT who came to the rescue of injured wrestlers. Ivory had a problem with her, and so did the Dudley Boys apparently. They power bombed the poor girl through a table and we never saw her again.

Active: 1999-2000

49) Christy Hemme

This was another Diva with potential. She was fun, danced around, posed for Playboy, and competed for the Women’s championship at WrestleMania 21. Fans seemed to like her, but soon after she was drafted to Smackdown!, she was released. Why? I don’t know.

Active: 2004-2005

48) Kharma

If she would have stayed in WWE, there’s no doubt this “Diva” could have been one of the bests. But due to unfortunate circumstances, Kharma didn’t stay very long. She annihilated Michelle McCool and is one of only three women to have competed in a Royal Rumble.

Active: 2010, 2012
47) Summer Rae

A Diva who once flourished in NXT has since become a ditzy blonde more focused on finding a man than wrestling. Fandango. Dolph Ziggler. Rusev. And most recently, Tyler Breeze. She plays a total bitch on Total Divas, but she really is a total sweetheart.

Present: 2013-Present

46) Lana

The queen on the mic, fans love the ravishing Russian. But recently, WWE doesn’t really know what to do with her. Either she’ll succeed or she will crash and burn. I’m rooting for her.

Active: 2013-Present

45) Gail Kim

How is Gail Kim, one of the most respected female wrestlers in the world, number 45 on this list? Because this is a WWE list and WWE had no idea what to do with her. She won her first and only Women’s title on her debut and did nothing after that worth noting.

She also kissed Daniel Bryan a few times too.

Active: 2003-2004, 2008-2011

44) Emma

Emma is a very good wrestler. A recent match with Asuka at NXT Takeover was incredible. On the WWE roster, however, Emma has never really been given much of a chance.

#GiveEmmaAChance

Active: 2014-Present

43) Jillian Hall

She debuted with a mole only to have it viciously bitten off by the Boogeyman. Eventually, Jillian’s career went downhill when she turned herself into Britney Spears. To her credit, Jillian is a former Divas champ, even though the reign only lasted for five minutes.

Active: 2005-2010

42) Kelly Kelly

So nice, you have to say her name twice. Kelly… Kelly. A lot of people liked her, and some people really didn’t like her. Brought in as a glorified stripper, Kelly Kelly grew up before our eyes and quickly became the face of the division and eventually captured the Divas title from Beth Phoenix. Also, Kelly Kelly is the only Diva to ever defend the World Heavyweight championship. She was like the female John Cena. Except John Cena can run the ropes.

Active: 2006-2012

41) The Kat

Formerly known as Miss Kitty, and remembered for being the ex-wife of Jerry Lawler, The Kat managed to capture the prestigious Women’s championship at Armageddon 1999, defeating Ivory, Jacquelyn, and B.B. in a swimming pool. Throughout her career, she also wrestled in mud, chocolate pudding, and snow. What a historic career, no? As we know, the WWE never took the women seriously during this era. But The Kat owned it.

Active: 1999-2001

40) Vickie Guerrero

Excuse me. At first, it seemed like Vickie Guerrero had overstayed her welcome, but you have to give it to her. She played an amazing heel. It was bittersweet to see her go.

Active: 2005-2014

39) Dawn Marie

Dawn Marie had sex with Torrie Wilson’s father until he died. She also tried breaking up Charlie Haas and Miss Jackie’s marriage. Talk about diabolically evil.

Active: 2002-2005

38) Tori

Not many Divas can say they were part of Degeneration X, but Tori can. She competed in the first ever Divas hardcore match, competed at Wrestlemania 15, and assisted Stephanie McMahon into winning the Women’s championship. Not bad, Tori. Not bad.

Active: 1998-2001

37) Debra

A former Women’s champion, believe it or not, who could forget Debra’s cookies?

Active: 1998-2002

36) Terri Runnels

A former Hardcore champion (lol), this horny little she-devil debuted as the cigar smoking Marlena, manager and then wife of Goldust. Although Terri will never be remembered for her wrestling ability, who didn’t like Terri? Her career highlights include winning a “match” at Wrestlemania 2000 and murdering a mop. Yes, a mop. Sorry, Perry Saturn.

Active: 1996-2003

35) Nidia

One of the first winners of Tough Enough, Nidia started off as Jamie Noble’s trailer trash girlfriend on Smackdown!. They were an entertaining pair, but Nidia was eventually drafted to Raw to compete in the women’s division, but unfortunately for her, it didn’t last very long.

Active: 2002-2004

34) Alicia Fox

She has a devastating scissors kick and can take a mean bump, this former Divas champion hasn’t been utilized as strongly as she should be. Though she has been part of the Divas Revolution, it’s time for Alicia to break free from the Bella Twins and make a name for herself.

Active: 2008-Present

33) Maria Kanellis

One of the most popular Divas to come from the Diva Search, Maria was once voted Diva of the Year by the fans. She has wrestled in the main event of Raw with John Cena, posed for the pages of Playboy to earn herself a Wrestlemania match, and even landed a gig on Donald Trump’s The Apprentice before being let go by the company because she wanted to make an album or something silly like that.

Active: 2004-2010

32) Layla

The only winner of the Diva Search to hold both the Women’s and Divas championship, Layla and Michelle McCool ruled the division for years. But unfortunately after McCool left, Layla was unable to hold onto the top spot and her Divas title reign is very forgettable.

Active: 2006-2015

31) Kaitlyn

Winning NXT Season 3, Kaitlyn seemed destined for greatness. She quickly improved in the ring, won the Divas championship, and wrestled in some memorable matches with Eve and AJ. Too bad she decided to leave before she had the chance to really make her mark.

Active: 2010-2014

30) Luna

One of the scariest looking Divas, Luna started off managing Shawn Michaels but was later brought back as Goldust’s manager. This lead to a memorable feud with Sable, but unfortunately, for her, she never won the Women’s championship. Existing in the era of mud wrestling and Bikini challenges, Luna was in the division at the wrong time.

Active: 1993-1994, 1997-2000

29) Eve Torres

Another Diva who left just as she was making a name for herself, it was disappointing to see Eve go. Yes, she accomplished good things, winning the Diva Search, winning the Divas title and competing at Wrestlemania, but Eve was just getting started. She became one of the best heels on the roster towards the end of her run and even wrestled in the main event of Raw.

Active: 2007-2013

28) Candice Michelle

Another Playboy cover girl, this Godaddy girl, and former Women’s champion was geared to be the next Trish Status. She had the drive and the passion and Candice actually became a credible wrestler, but a few injuries lead to her eventual release.

Active: 2004-2009

27) Natalya

If I have to write this list again in five years, I hope Natalya places higher than #27. She’s been with the company for years but hasn’t been used to their full advantage. Not that it’s surprising given she is part of the prestigious Hart family, but Natalya can wrestle a great match with just about anyone so it’s baffling why she isn’t in the title hunt more often than not.

Active: 2007-Present

26) Maryse

Unlike Natalya, Maryse wasn’t actually the best wrestler. But she is a two-time Divas champion. She was also kind of hilarious and like Eve and Kaitlyn, I think she left too soon.

Active: 2006-2011
25) Naomi

Starting off as the other half of the Funkadactlys, Naomi overthrew Cameron and broke out on her own and has since become a fan favorite. Her new change of attitude led to the formation of Team B.A.D. But the question is “Will Naomi ever be able to overthrow Sasha Banks?”

Active: 2010-Present

24) Brie Bella

Yes! Yes! Yes! Maybe we love her so much because she’s the wife of Daniel Bryan. Or maybe we love her because she’s beautiful. The first of the Bella twins to make the list, this former Divas champion seemed like she was going to become the more popular of the Bella Twins, landing herself a high-profile feud with Stephanie McMahon in the summer of 2014. But Brie has since taken a backseat to Nikki and has yet to get her groove back.

Active: 2008-2012, 2013-Present

23) Melina

A five-time champion, Melina dominated the division for most of her career, competing in several memorable matches with Trish Stratus, Mickie James, and Michelle McCool to name a few.

Sasha Banks owes a lot to her.

Active: 2004-2011

22) Jazz

Originally from ECW, Jazz erupted into the scene and kicked ass, winning herself the Women’s championship from Trish Status. Trish would remain her arch nemesis throughout her career and it was their matches that established Trish as a legitimate wrestler.

Active: 2000-2004

21) Stacy Keibler

She had legs and she knew how to use them.

Diving into the WWE during the Invasion, it didn’t take long for Stacy to become one of the most popular Divas of all time. Though Stacy is not known for any matt classics, the crowd loved her. And they especially loved seeing her get in and out of the ring.

Active: 2001-2006

20) Torrie Wilson

A two-time Playboy cover girl, the master of the Bikini Contest and the Queen of the Bra and Panties match, who didn’t love Torrie Wilson and her puppy? Mainly used for eye candy, she knew how to get the crowd going even if she wasn’t the best wrestler.

Active: 2001-2007

19) Jacqueline

Jacqueline was one tough chick. When the Women’s championship was brought back in 1998, she was the first to capture it. She would go on to win the championship once more by defeating the only man to have held the title, Harvey Wippleman. She would later defeat another man, Chavo Guerrero for the Cruiserweight championship before being let go from the company.

Active: 1998-2004

18) Sable

This is for all the women who want to be her, and all the men who come to see her.

The first WWE Diva to pose for Playboy, Sable was a pioneer in her own right. If there was no Sable, there’s a chance we may have never had future Divas like Trish Status. Though unlike Stratus, Sable never took the time to learn how to really wrestle, but she did play the sexy vixen oh so well. And unlike The Undertaker, Sable can say she is undefeated at Wrestlemania.

Active: 1996-1999, 2003-2004

17) Becky Lynch

One of three NXT women to be pushed onto the main roster last summer, Becky Lynch has made quite the name for herself in very little time. This lass kicker is just getting started.

Active: 2015-Present

16) Charlotte

Woooo!

Being the daughter of the legendary Ric Flair, Charlotte has some very big shoes to fill and she’s holding up quite well. She ended Nikki Bella’s historic title reign last year to win her first Divas championship. A gifted athlete, Charlotte has one hell of a career ahead of her, but eventually, she’s going to have to break free from her father to become her own person.

Active: 2015-Present

15) Sasha Banks

Though Charlotte and Becky Lynch have had much more time in the spotlight since the Divas Revolution began, “We want Sasha!”, Sasha Banks is the one getting the cheers. And she’s the only Diva on the active roster who can call herself a Match of the Year winner.

Active: 2015-Present

14) Ivory

Ivory emerged in the Attitude era and immediately started kicking ass, winning the Women’s championship three times. Also, she was part of what had to be the most hated group in WWE’s history, the Right to Censor. She is a future Hall of Famer, no doubt.

Active: 1999-2005

13) Fabulous Moolah and Mae Young

These two may have wrestled before Sunny but they continued even way after Sunny, wrestling into their eighties against Divas like Ivory, Victoria, and Torrie Wilson to name a few. Fabulous Moolah has been RKO’d and has had her head smashed in with a guitar. Mae Young has been power bombed through a table. Twice. Off a stage! And who can forget when Mae Young gave birth to a hand? Also, we all know about Fabulous Moolah’s 30-year title reign.

Fabulous Moolah Active: 1999-2007
Mae Young Active: 1999-2013

12) Michelle McCool

Starting off in the 2004 Diva Search, I don’t think many expected Michelle McCool to become such a breakout star. She ended up becoming incredible in the ring, was involved in the infamous “Piggy James” storyline, and was the sole Diva to unify the Women’s and Divas championships. I kind of wish she hadn’t left so soon, because it would’ve been great to see her square off with the current generation of Divas. The Undertaker picked a good one.

Active: 2004-2011

11) Nikki Bella

Along with her sister, John Cena’s boo has become a huge star due to the success of Total Divas. Nikki is the longest reigning Divas champion of all time, as she reminded us over and over, and although it may be because WWE wanted to wipe AJ Lee clean from the history books, Nikki has managed to hold her own, surprisingly becoming a solid performer in the ring.

Active: 2008-2012, 2013-Present

10) Paige

She won the Divas championship on her Raw debut and has wrestled a lengthy number of quality matches with AJ Lee and the Bella Twins, the four of them competing at last year’s Wrestlemania together. For such a new talent, Paige has already solidified herself into the top of the division for many years to come. After all, this is her house.

Active: 2004-Present

9) Molly Holly

Entering the WWE as the younger cousin of Hardcore and Crash Holly, Molly transformed herself into Mighty Molly and teamed with Hurricane Helmes before breaking out into her wholesome virginal persona, eventually defeating Trish Status for the Women’s championship. Molly would at a later date defend the title at Wrestlemania 20 in a Title vs. Hair match, getting her head shaved at the grandest stage of them all. Talk about a trooper.

Active: 2000-2005

8) Stephanie McMahon

You can’t complete a WWE list without a McMahon. Once a sweet girl madly in love with Test, Stephanie turned into one of the most hated heels WWE has ever had, teaming with HHH for over a decade. Though not usually a wrestler, she is a former Women’s champion, having more than a few memorable matches in her career against Trish Status, Sable, and Brie Bella.

Stephanie McMahon’s slaps by the way? Ouch. Her poor mother even took one.

Active: 1999-Present

7) Victoria

Debuting in the WWE as one of the Godfather’s hos, Victoria would later turn into the psycho we loved to hate. Her high profile feud with Trish Stratus brought the division to whole new heights, and although Victoria was hardly a threat in the later part of her career, she is a two-time Women’s champion and also wrestled in the first and only women’s Cage Match against Lita.

Active: 2000, 2002-2008

6) Beth Phoenix

I feel kind of bad for Beth Phoenix. Though she’s had many credible opponents and feuds in Candice Michelle, Mickie James, Melina, and Michelle McCool, Beth was stuck in a division where she had to carry both Maria and Kelly Kelly through Wrestlemania matches, never being fully able to showcase her skills the way she could have at the grandest stage of them all. Despite this, Beth is a four-time champion and one of three women to compete in the Rumble.

Active: 2006-2012

5) Mickie James

Partaking in possibly one of the best Diva matches ever at Wrestlemania 22 against Trish Stratus, it didn’t take long for Mickie James to become the fan favorite. When Trish and Lita retired, Mickie took over as the face of the division for several years until she was let go of her contract after the Piggy James storyline with LayCool. It’s a shame WWE didn’t keep her.

Active: 2005-2010

4) Chyna

The Ninth Wonder of the World, no Diva has yet to accomplish as much as Chyna. She is the first woman to be in the Royal Rumble match, she is the only woman to hold the Intercontinental championship, and she wrestled the men more than she did the gals. Chyna is a true trailblazer, and it’s time WWE forgives and forgets and inducts her into the Hall of Fame.

Active: 1997-2001

3) AJ Lee

The only Diva from the current era to make the top 5, AJ Lee started off in the all-girl season of NXT. She didn’t win, but she eventually won the hearts of not only the fans but several of her male counterparts, John Cena, CM Punk, Kane, Dolph Ziggler, and Daniel Bryan. She was as cunning as she was sweet, it’s a shame the three-time champion had to go so soon just as the Divas Revolution was about to begin, something AJ publicly protested for. We all know about that tweet with Stephanie McMahon. Too bad they never got to square off.

Active: 2010-2015

2) Lita

The cool diva who could do moon sault, Lita debuted with Essa Rios in 2000 but it didn’t take her long to ditch him, eventually teaming with the Hardy Boys in Team Extreme. Trish Status will always be known as The Rock to her Stone Cold, both Divas involved in pivotal storylines together throughout their career, even main eventing Raw in a Women’s title match. Despite going from most loved to most hated, once news broke of Lita’s affair with Edge, fans were quick to forgive the four-time Women’s champion and she has since become a Hall of Famer.

Active: 2000-2006

1) Trish Stratus

I think we all knew Trish Status was going to top the list. But let’s be real here. There hasn’t been a single Diva in the past 15 years who has had as much success as Trish has.

The epitome of a perfect Diva, Trish was not only beautiful but she could kick ass in the ring. While her debut as the manager of T&A was a success, it was her on-screen relationship with Vince McMahon that turned her into a star, getting the opportunity to share the ring with some of WWE’s best, The Rock, Kurt Angle, and Triple H. It wasn’t until she won the vacated Women’s championship in a Six Pack Challenge at Survivor Series 2001 that she proved herself to be just as badass in the ring as she is beautiful on the beach. A record-setting seven-time champion, this cover girl is also a Hall of Famer. And something tells me we’ll see her in the ring again one day. Maybe teaming once more with Lita to take on the Bellas? Charlotte and Sasha Banks?

Let’s make it happen, WWE.

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On the 19th of September 2010, the WWE merged the Women’s Championship with the Divas Championship, leaving us with the pink butterfly belt as the prize of the Divas division.

While it was a blemish on women’s champions of the past, at the time, it wasn’t that big of a deal because the women’s division was treated as nothing more than time filler.

With a few exceptions, the women’s division was dominated by models or attractive women who were taught a few moves in the ring but were certainly not good enough to warrant being in the number one wrestling company on the planet.

That’s because the women’s division wasn’t seen as a wrestling division, it was a sideshow so people in the audience could look at attractive girls for a few minutes between matches.

Thanks to the efforts of Triple H, Sara Amato and others down in NXT, the women’s division is now better than it has ever been and will be a vital part of WrestleMania 32.

The division has skyrocketed thanks to the hiring of legitimate women’s wrestlers who have broken down barriers and made people take women’s wrestling seriously.

Soon, there will be so much female talent on the main roster, there will be a valid argument to introduce a secondary championship or a tag team championship, but before that, the WWE must capitalize on the momentum the division currently has by bringing back the Women’s Championship.

How they go about doing this starts at WrestleMania with Charlotte defending the Divas Championship against Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch in a triple threat match.

It appears they’re going to have Charlotte take on Brie Bella at Fast Lane and that match can almost serve as the final nod to the ‘Divas Era’ of women’s wrestling in the WWE as Brie is one of the last relics of that era left on the roster.

Others of that era have either stepped up their game, like Nikki Bella or returned to developmental.

The Women’s Championship returning must be built up as the biggest match in the history of the women’s division and because of this, it should be saved for SummerSlam.

This is how we get from WrestleMania to SummerSlam.

At WrestleMania, the WWE should pull a swerve and have Becky Lynch win the Divas Championship rather than putting it on Sasha like most people expect.

Becky has done an incredible job in getting herself over and is taking a lot of momentum into WrestleMania making her the perfect person to be more or less a transitional champion leading into SummerSlam.

The night after WrestleMania, Paige comes out and cuts a promo about how this is her division and how she deserves a title match – she calls Becky out and wants a championship match on the Raw after WrestleMania.

Instead, out comes Bayley, making her debut after dropping the NXT Women’s Championship to Asuka at Takeover Dallas.

The irony being Paige made her debut in virtually the exact same way.

Bayley takes on Paige on Raw, but mid-match, out comes Emma who beats down Bayley.

Emma and Paige shake hands, forming an alliance based on being the two women who take credit for forming the entire Divas Revolution.

At Extreme Rules, Charlotte gets her rematch with Becky Lynch in a submission match and the two finally get a chance to put on a one-on-one match with no cheating and no interference.

Becky retains her title and slowly but surely each big title match sets the standard for what the women’s division in NXT was all about.

Meanwhile, Bayley continues to be a target of Emma and Paige’s new alliance, calling themselves ‘The Revival’.

Emma and Paige go on a winning streak, cheating to get wins over the likes of Sasha Banks and Natalya.

Bayley finds an unlikely ally in her nemesis Sasha Banks (angry about her loss to The Revival), but together, at Extreme Rules, they take a loss to Emma and Paige who prove to be a much better team – Sasha and Bayley spend most of the match fighting among themselves.

A battle royal takes place the next night on Raw to determine Becky’s number one contender at Payback.

The final four are the same four from the match at Extreme Rules with Emma and Paige eliminating Bayley before Emma then eliminates Paige.

Sasha takes advantage and eliminates Emma while everyone is distracted.

Emma claims that her alliance with Paige is all about getting the Divas Championship and in a battle royal, she was always going to take every opportunity she could get.

Emma’s character needs to entirely revolve around being sickened about not holding a title in the WWE, despite being just as good as everyone around her.

Think of a heel version of Daniel Bryan in Team Hell No, but without the comedic elements.

Back to the championship, Sasha Banks versus Becky Lynch is set for Payback and the two build on their history as both teammates and enemies from NXT to set their match up.

Bayley finds herself in Charlotte’s crosshair as Bayley eliminated Flair from the battle royal.

Charlotte puts Bayley down by saying she doesn’t deserve to be on the main roster and that she was a big fish in a small pond in NXT, stating that she wasn’t called up to the main roster with Sasha and Becky because she isn’t good enough.

Once she comes to the main roster, Bayley must take a lot of losses, be it clean or distraction, because she needs to be constructed as this fighter who can’t be kept down but grows with every match.

Bayley almost has to return to how she was early on in NXT, slightly starry-eyed and too trusting of other people.

As she gets beaten down over the months by the likes of Emma, Paige and Charlotte but keeps getting back up and fighting, she’ll build the same fan support she had in NXT and we’ll slowly have her redevelop the hard edge she had later on in NXT.

At Payback, Sasha Banks defeats Becky Lynch and wins the Divas Championship.

Becky and Sasha continue their feud through to Money in the Bank with Becky getting a rematch.

Meanwhile, the week before Money in the Bank, Bayley should defeat Charlotte clean for the first time and a big deal should be made of it.

Sasha retains her championship over Becky at Money in the Bank.

Becky offers Sasha her hand afterwards as a sign of respect, but Sasha turns her away and walks off, gloating with the title.

The night after Money in the Bank is when the big announcement happens.

Stephanie McMahon should kick-off Raw and announce that at SummerSlam, a one-on-one match will take place to crown the inaugural WWE Women’s Champion.

She should reveal the new belt here and everything, but the belt should not be the same belt from the attitude era, but rather a new belt with a hybrid design between the NXT Women’s Championship and the original Women’s Championship belt.

Stephanie should announce that at the Battleground pay-per-view, one of the members of that SummerSlam match will be determined in a Fatal 4-Way match.

Stephanie also announces that the Divas Champion will be the other entrant into the Women’s Championship match and that champion will get the right to be known as the woman who retired the Divas Championship.

As in, they go down as its undefeated champion.

Sasha comes out and interrupts Stephanie saying that as the Divas Champion she’ll gladly take that spot at SummerSlam.

Stephanie tells Sasha off for interrupting her, but Sasha doesn’t back down and gets right in Stephanie’s face saying that it’s her division now.

Stephanie says that she was going to let Sasha take the final spot at SummerSlam, but instead, she’s going to have to defend her title at Battleground against Becky Lynch one last time – in a No Holds Barred Match.

Becky’s music then hits and she comes out and attacks Sasha, angry about her not shaking her hand at Money in the Bank.

Over the course of Raw and SmackDown, qualifying matches take place to determine the four competitors in the other women’s match at Battleground.

Charlotte is the first to qualify, defeating Natalya on Raw.

Naomi is the second to qualify, defeating Alicia Fox on SmackDown.

Paige is the next to qualify, defeating Brie Bella on Raw with serious help from Emma in her corner.

The final match is later that night on Raw and it’s Bayley vs Emma, with Paige in her corner.

Bayley gets the win, using Paige against Emma and capitalizing on the distraction to steal a win.

The four women build the match around how much holding the Women’s Championship would mean to them.

Charlotte talks about how it’s her destiny to be the Women’s Champion, Naomi says she deserves it, after all, these years and Paige says her motivation is being in the WWE Hall of Fame and being the first one to hold that title would put her there.

Bayley talks about how it’s the only thing she’s ever wanted in her life and how she’s worked to this moment since she was a little girl.

At Battleground, Sasha Banks retains once more over Becky in a match that must stretch the boundaries of women’s wrestling in the WWE and must use the no holds barred stipulation as much as possible.

In the Fatal 4-Way, Bayley pins Paige and takes the other spot in the SummerSlam match.

Bayley versus Sasha Banks at SummerSlam is the perfect match to crown the new WWE Women’s Champion.

Everything about this screams the perfect way to introduce the WWE Women’s Championship.

In the same building on virtually the same night the year before, Bayley and Sasha stole the show, delivering the best women’s match in WWE history and arguably the best match of 2015 at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn.

Now, a year later, they fight in identical conditions but on a much bigger stage to determine the inaugural WWE Women’s Champion.

Sidenote: The title should be referred to as the WWE Women’s Championship as it sounds a lot more important with the name on the front.

Bayley and Sasha Banks then have a month to build this as the most important match in the history of the women’s division and can use their natural chemistry and natural kayfabe dislike for each other to make this feel big.

At SummerSlam, Sasha Banks should defeat Bayley and become the inaugural WWE Women’s Champion because everyone will be expecting Bayley to win.

Without a doubt, they’ll steal the show and deliver a main-event calibre match that immediately catapults the Women’s Championship to levels of importance the Divas Championship never could reach.

It will use all the momentum built up by Charlotte, Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks in the final year of the Divas Championship and put the now-dubbed Women’s Division on a stable path long term.

Finally, at Night of Champions, Bayley should get her rematch against Sasha Banks in the main-event of the pay-per-view, similar to how things unfolded in NXT a year beforehand.

Bayley should defeat Sasha and win the championship.

From there Bayley should hold the title right through to WrestleMania where she defends it against all three other members of the Four Horsewomen in a Fatal 4-Way Match for the ages.

There is so much talent in this women’s division and the road from WrestleMania to SummerSlam, if booked right, could make the women’s division as important on the main roster as it is in NXT.

Then you have the likes of Asuka, Nia Jax, Alexa Bliss, Peyton Royce and Athena to slowly rise up from NXT and help fill the depth of the division.

Then you have women from outside the company like Santana Garrett, Evie, Kellie Skater and Kay Lee Ray who can be the next generation of awesome women’s wrestlers to come into the company.

Who knows, maybe the company can even lure Ronda Rousey in for a WrestleMania.

If they book the women’s division like this, there’s a far better chance of her wanting to do so.

Regardless, the return of the WWE Women’s Championship can completely change the game for the Divas division if done right and this is the way to go about it.

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WWE WrestleMania 32 is shaping up in its final stages, and in no time we will come to April 3^rd.  One of those matches on the card is the Triple Threat Match for the WWE Divas Championship.  Reigning champion Charlotte will defend the Championship against rivals Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks.

These three women have come a long way since this time a year ago.  A year ago, the Four Horsewomen Era was in its strongest phase, with Bayley in tow as they all were making serious waves, tidal waves even, in NXT.  Lately it seems that history has followed these ladies as they transitioned from rookies to NXT Women to the main roster.

The same three women in this WrestleMania match debuted the same night onto the main roster in what was the start of making a statement with the Divas Revolution.  Charlotte came out on top since then, dethroning Nikki Bella as the dominant Diva with her Divas Championship win.  Meanwhile, Lynch and Banks were in the shadows with their respective Divas Revolution teammates.  Only at the turn of the year saw both ladies chasing Charlotte for the Championship.

Notice that?  At the turn of the year, Charlotte has found herself feuding with Lynch and Banks, her adversaries and fellow Horsewomen from NXT.   History will continue to be written as WrestleMania is upon us.  For all three ladies, this is their debut WrestleMania.  Again, they are sharing a big moment together.  This is a testament considering their place in NXT one year ago.  No one is even thinking about the other Divas match that is bound to be atrocious and a train wreck all in one.  That’s for another blog if my head stops hurting from thinking about it.  What I’m saying is, there might be two Divas matches, but this Triple Threat Match is what the WWE Universe is paying attention to.

The hype is already started.  Charlotte and Natalya tore the house down at WWE Roadblock over two weeks ago.  Charlotte praised Natalya after the match via Twitter and noted that if not for Nattie, she wouldn’t be near the performer she is today, noting the classic match the two had at NXT Takeover that put her on notice with fans.  Banks recently conducted an interview and stated that she was excited about what was to come at what is supposed to be their biggest WrestleMania yet.  Banks is also teasing a special entrance, which is rarely done, if ever done for a WWE Diva.  Lynch stated in one interview she was in for the “night of her life”.  The ladies know and understand how serious, momentous and how important this match is to them.

The new kids on the block are taking the stage at WrestleMania and if the Divas Championship changes hands, it definitely will tell the WWE Universe that the new generation of the Divas Division is taking over and steering the course into a new direction.  Rumors of Bayley making a main roster debut soon and Brie Bella retiring only add to the speculation.  It fuels the fire to the scenario that is being crafted before us.

After Mania will come the summer, which with these three ladies and their history thus far, will tide over the fans for the seasonal ride to SummerSlam should the Championship change hands.  That is, depending on what plans WWE has for the Divas.  Either way, WWE has showed the effort and commitment to make room for the three women who are changing the game in women’s wrestling.  They’re already put on the pedestal, and chances are high that someone’s life and career will change course come the three count in Dallas.  Charlotte, Banks, and Lynch will all be vying for a WrestleMania moment.  This Sunday, the world is all of theirs for the taking.

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As we all know, WWE’s Divas division desperately needs a revival. The WWE Universe has made it known that they prefer to see women in professional wrestling be portrayed as something other than sex objects; they prefer to see them portrayed as competent, authentic, worthwhile competitors. For this reason, fans have become less invested in WWE’s Divas division, and are now completely enthralled by NXT’s Women’s division. The women in NXT have impactful, meaningful storylines. They are given copious amounts of screen time, which helps their ability to tell the audience a story over the course of a match. Overall, NXT’s female performers are completely equal to their male counterparts, and it just works.

As history shows us, every crusade needs a leader. As mainstream sports show us, every organization needs a franchise player. This idea holds true in professional wrestling as well. Every era, company, division, etc. has a performer who serves as its cornerstone and foundation.

When WWE finally decides to turn their Divas division into a legitimate showcase of the most talented female professional wrestlers in the world, they will need their leader, their franchise player; a performer who serves as the pillar in which the entire division is based around. Luckily for WWE, they already have that person under contract, and her name is Sasha Banks.

Sasha Banks is the reigning NXT Women’s Champion. She has an overabundance of charisma and is a magnificently talented wrestler. Matches involving Banks are as highly anticipated by fans as the headlining matches that involve men. Banks’ work in NXT is undoubtedly a glimpse into a bright future for not only her, but for WWE’s female performers in general. Thanks in part to the attention she is bringing women’s wrestling as a whole, the conversation about women having more meaningful roles within WWE has quickly gained more momentum than it ever has before.

Paige and Charlotte were two of the first women in NXT to begin this sort of paradigm shift for female talent. They opened the door so to speak, and Sasha Banks followed by completely kicking that door in.

At one time in WWE, it was difficult to think of a standout match involving women. Banks has now made that task much easier due to her acclaimed matches against the likes of Charlotte, Becky Lynch, and Bayley. Her latest match against Lynch at “NXT Takeover: Unstoppable” in May was her greatest accomplishment to date. The promotion for the match itself was that of a main event, and it lived up to that title. It was the type of match that had fans gasping, cheering, and cringing simultaneously. It wasn’t an excellent match by women’s standards; it was an excellent match by all standards. Even more impressive is the fact that this match was not the apex of what Banks is capable of. It was only a preview of what she could possibly accomplish on WWE’s main roster, provided that the company is ready for her to do so.

WWE’s Divas division does in fact have some incredible performers; Paige, Natalya, and Naomi immediately come to mind. However, Sasha Banks is the absolute best female performer at the moment on any stage, in any division. Her in-ring skills are penetrating, her character is viciously entertaining, and she has already mastered the ability to blend technical skill and showmanship to create the ideal professional wrestler.

Personally, I view what goes on inside of a wrestling ring as a work of art. Sasha Banks’ work inside of the ring is exactly that; artful. The way she is capable of painting a picture for the audience during a match will play a major role in her rise to greatness. Her surplus of different skills is what makes her a one-of-a-kind talent that WWE can place on center stage. Banks is fully equipped to handle being the pillar that WWE leans on as they revolutionize their Divas division.

Banks can be seamlessly transitioned to WWE’s main roster. Place Banks against any woman on that roster and it instantly becomes electrifying to watch. Paige vs. Banks, Naomi vs. Banks, Nikki Bella vs. Banks; all of these promise to be matches that will draw the eyes of the WWE Universe back towards the Divas division.

Sasha Banks also has the rare gift of being able to bring out the best in her opponents. Many of Charlotte’s most memorable matches included Banks. Becky Lynch’s tour de force came against Banks, as well as Bayley’s. Both women came up short in the end, but put on the best matches of their career, even in a loss. Even when she’s working with newer talent such as Alexa Bliss, Banks has proved that she can produce a quality show. That talent will make it even easier for WWE to build the Divas division around her. She expands their number of options for feuds, and guarantees a high-quality bout on each and every show she is on.

Rebuilding a new and improved Divas division will of course take more than one performer. WWE has a plethora of other talented women who are capable of elevating it. The company will have to afford their female performers more time and more valuable narratives. Vince McMahon and the powers that be must adopt a new line of thinking about the way women are portrayed in the company. The redevelopment process is not going to be easy or fast by any means, but WWE does have the foundation on which to start that development in Sasha Banks.

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It’s the Raw after Payback. Charlotte has just retained the WWE Women’s Championship over Natalya in the match of the night and she comes out to gloat about being undefeatable. She’s immediately interrupted by Shane McMahon, who was put in charge of Raw the previous night, who states that since the Tag Team Championship Number One Contenders tournament was so good, a Women’s Championship one will begin tonight on Raw. Every woman on the roster will get an opportunity with the final taking place at Extreme Rules and the winner getting a title shot at Money in the Bank.

The first round of the tournament is announced as such:

Becky Lynch versus Natalya

Paige versus Naomi

Sasha Banks versus ______

Emma versus ______

Shane explains that Sasha Banks and Emma’s matches will take place next week on Raw with two qualifying matches taking place this week on Main Event and SmackDown in order to determine their opponents. On Main Event, Alicia Fox takes on Tamina and on SmackDown, Summer Rae faces Lana. While Summer Rae versus Lana won’t quite be the wrestling match that Natalya versus Becky will be, as a spectacle, it should be interesting remembering their history with Dolph and Rusev.

Starting with the two first round matches taking place on Raw, Paige defeats Naomi to advance to round two and Becky Lynch defeats Natalya in a far longer match that should end with both women shaking hands.

Alicia Fox defeats Tamina on Main Event to qualify for round one because the ledger needs another babyface and Alicia Fox is far better than Tamina. On SmackDown, Summer Rae defeats Lana by count out after Lana walks off mid match. Summer starts celebrating, grabs a microphone and talks about how no one can stop her in this division. Out comes Sasha who beats Summer up and walks off without saying a word.

On Raw, Sasha Banks then defeats Summer Rae easily and Emma defeats Alicia Fox in a quick match. Those results set up round two as such:

Becky Lynch versus Emma

Sasha Banks versus Paige

On SmackDown, the four women get a chance to talk about how important a shot at the title is for them. Sasha is out first and talks about how she didn’t lose at WrestleMania and how she deserved an opportunity. If she has to earn it, so be it. Paige, her opponent, is out next and says she’s been deprived of opportunities in 2016 and Charlotte cheated to beat her at TLC and she didn’t get a chance either, saying Sasha isn’t the only one with a bone to pick. Next out is Becky who openly admits to tapping out and being defeated by Charlotte at WrestleMania. She owns it and says it’s just made her stronger and she knows that if it weren’t for Ric, she’d have won the title at the Royal Rumble so she can beat Charlotte one-on-one. Charlotte’s music hits and she stands on the ramp and talks about how they’re all whiners. The fact is none of them beat her and she is the champion. She holds the title above her head, but is steamrolled by Emma from behind who knocks Charlotte down. Emma picks up the title and raises it above her head to end the segment.

On Raw, Sasha Banks defeats Paige in what should be a long and even match. Paige should work the match as the heel, but Sasha should win with the Banks Statement. Backstage, Becky and Emma square off and the match between them that’s been teased for over a month is finally announced for the final show before Extreme Rules, Smackdown.

Emma defeats Becky Lynch via pinfall, using the ropes to keep Becky down for a three count to advance to Extreme Rules. Backstage, Becky is seen kicking over a bin in frustration that Emma cheated and cost her a rematch with Charlotte.

At Extreme Rules, Sasha Banks versus Emma takes place in the tournament final with Charlotte and Ric Flair on commentary for the match. Sasha wins clean with the Banks Statement again. After the match, her and Charlotte stare each other down in the ring as their match for Money in the Bank is made.

This tournament allows WWE to delay Sasha winning the title by another month as they seem adamant on keeping her out of the title picture until closer to the summer for whatever reason. It gives you four weeks of women’s wrestling with people caring about every match because it’s a tournament. It also allows Emma to show what she’s capable of and gives Paige and Becky some spotlight without putting them completely over.

At Money in the Bank, Charlotte should use Ric to retain the title before Sasha wins the championship at Battleground. That means you can have the big final match at SummerSlam with a stipulation added to make it even bigger.

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Sasha Banks is taking the WWE Universe by storm. In a division that has been dominated by Charlotte for some time now, seeing Sasha Banks come back to the ring on the June 20^th edition of RAW was certainly a breathe of fresh air.   Although it looked like Paige had secured the win in her bout against Charlotte, Dana Brooke interfered by attempting to put the leg of Charlotte up on the top rope.

When the referee stopped the count, Charlotte quickly finished the match with one of her signature moves. That’s when Sasha Banks decided to make her entrance, which got one of the loudest pops of the night.  Sasha Banks is quickly rising to the top in the WWE. If the fans reaction to “The Boss” is any indication of their love and respect, it’s easy to say that Sasha Banks could possibly be one of the top women in all of sports entertainment.

Sasha Banks is Popular Outside of the Ring

Did you know that Sasha Banks will be featured on the cover of the June/July edition of Muscle & Fitness magazine? WWE recently released a short clip of Sasha on the set, which was posted directly onto the WWE’s YouTube Channel.

Sasha Banks was also featured on the Q&A panel of the Wizard World Comic Con in Philadelphia in early June 2016. When Sasha went into details about herself and her personal life, she received a resounding applause from the room full of attendees.

Perhaps one of the things that people admire about Sasha Banks is her genuine personality. The Sasha Banks you see in the ring is a mirror image of her personal self, which is a rare find in the wrestling business today.  O yea, she’s the cousin of legendary rapper Snoop Dogg, how random, but cool is that .

When Sasha took Charlotte’s WWE Women’s Championship and hoisted it into the air on the RAW after Money in the Bank, Charlotte’s new compadre Dana Brooke hit “The Boss” in the back of the head. Look forward to a possible match between Sasha Banks and Dana Brooke leading up to WWE Battleground PPV.

Could Dana Brooke Allow Sasha Banks to Capitalize on Charlotte?

With Charlotte verbally berating her Hall of Fame father Ric Flair, Charlotte needed to find a new running buddy. Enter Dana Brooke; Charlotte’s biggest fan may just be Dana Brooke. In fact, when Charlotte instructed Dana Brooke to go after Sasha, Brooke received a punch in the jaw that left her motionless on the entrance ramp.

While Dana Brooke is a respected Women’s competitor, Brooke is no Ric Flair. Perhaps Charlotte’s biggest asset throughout her Women’s title run has been her Hall of Fame father. After all, they don’t call Ric Flair the “Dirtiest Player in the Game” for nothing.

In terms of giving Charlotte an edge in her matches, most would agree that having Ric Flair in your corner is more likely to provide an edge than having  Dana Brooke at ringside.

Sasha Banks is poised to capitalize on this weakness, as Dana Brooke has already made several foolish decisions while being ringside for Charlotte. The Boss is smart enough to let Dana Brooke make her own mistakes ringside so that Banks can potentially find an opening to hit the Bank Statement against Charlotte.

A matchup between Charlotte and Sasha Banks at WWE Battleground doesn’t seem too farfetched, but might be a little early.  One thing is sure, the stage is definitely setting up for the potential showdown between the two most popular Women’s division competitors.

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The women’s division should not be split. That is the sentiment I have held for months now, but with the draft less than a week away, it seems inevitable that it is going to happen. If you want to read about why they shouldn’t be split, click here.

However, since it is going to happen, it needs to be done right (or less-badly), so here is how the WWE should split the women’s division. For this draft, only three NXT performers are eligible, with the rest being deemed either too important to the developmental brand, or simply not ready to be called up.

Pick 1 (RAW): Charlotte

Charlotte will be the Women’s Champion at the time of the draft making her the obvious selection for pick one. Though it’ll be interesting to see whether she still has the title after Battleground, considering her and Sasha will be split up. If they want to get at least two Charlotte/Sasha matches out of this feud, including one at SummerSlam, it’d make sense for Sasha to win the title at Battleground to force the rematch.

Pick 2 (SmackDown): Sasha Banks

Which means Sasha will be taking the Women’s Championship with her to SmackDown. Raw will probably get a new title after SummerSlam and that will be the end of the division’s crossover. Sasha has always wanted to be on the blue brand and she is the clear number one star in the women’s division. Expect the SmackDown roster to be built around her.

Pick 3 (RAW): Becky Lynch

Picks one and two write themselves, but from here it gets a little trickier. Drafting the top heel in Charlotte makes taking the top babyface in Becky an easy decision. While Paige and Sasha are both faces, they are more anti-heroes, while Lynch is the genuine babyface. On top of that, she’s easily one of the best wrestlers in the division and deserves more spotlight post-draft.

Pick 4 (SmackDown): Bayley

The first of two NXT women being called up is the obvious one, Bayley. Bayley and Sasha need to be kept on the same brand because of their chemistry together and so this works out well with Bayley going at four. Bayley is another wrestler you can build your entire brand around and building her up into a credible champion will be a vital part of SmackDown’s first few months.

Pick 5 (RAW): Paige

Preferably, the Total Divas cast should be kept on Raw as much as possible. SmackDown needs to be a wrestling show, while Raw, given it has an extra hour, can occasionally indulge in a Total Divas segment. Having said that, Paige is one of the few un-drafted superstars that you’d be comfortable putting the Women’s Championship on and with the depth thin enough as it is, Paige will be an integral part of the brand.

Pick 6 (SmackDown): Emma

Despite being injured, Emma is another one who is good enough to be Women’s Champion and long-term thinking needs to be considered when putting this draft together. Emma’s never been given a chance to reach her full potential, but will thrive with the added spotlight here on SmackDown.

Pick 7 (RAW): Nikki Bella

Nikki is an obvious choice for Raw, given she’s the poster-girl of Total Divas. She wouldn’t quite fit the mould in a wrestling heavy show and she would be more useful with the mainstream audience of Raw. Whether she can get back to her best and compete at an acceptable level considering her neck injury will be the issue.

Pick 8 (SmackDown): Natalya

Breaking up Natalya and Becky means their feud only goes the one pay-per-view. Unfortunately, the draft is going to cause a few problems like that. Natalya is a veteran and while she probably isn’t quite the calibre to be the Women’s Champion, she will provide some great depth to the SmackDown roster, especially as a heel.

Pick 9 (RAW): Alexa Bliss

Bliss is going to be a superstar of the future and she’s a steal at pick nine. She has the charisma, look, promo skills of a champion and her wrestling has improved out-of-sight in the last year. She will fit in perfectly on Raw and will fill a similar role to Bayley on SmackDown early on.

Pick 10 (SmackDown): Naomi

Naomi has been both injured and off filming a movie so her return date is unknown. However, SmackDown will give her the opportunity to prove what she can do she’ll either sink or swim. She’ll need to turn face, considering the amount of heels already on the blue brand, and this will give her an opportunity to use her athleticism to get over with the crowd.

Pick 11 (RAW): Carmella

Carmella should go wherever Enzo and Cass go, but you can probably bet they’ll stay on Raw. Carmella shouldn’t be called up immediately as too many debutants at once could take away from their shine. Carmella is another who will fit in very well with the mainstream Raw audience and has shown in recent months that she has a lot of untapped potential. In a perfect world, she stays in NXT for the rest of the year to continue her development, but the draft forces a need for immediate depth.

Pick 12 (SmackDown): Summer Rae

We’re starting to get into the depth picks here and that begins with Summer who can hold her own in the ring, but gets to the number 12 spot because of her diverse skill set. She has better promo skills than most of the division, can play a manager role and work as both a heel and a face.

Pick 13 (RAW): Dana Brooke

Brooke and Charlotte need to be kept together at all costs. Dana is NOT ready to go on her own whatsoever. She’s probably not even ready to be on the main roster in general, but the WWE have booked themselves into a corner by featuring her prominently. In reality, her promo skills are deplorable, she’s very prone to botching spots and she’s still too inexperienced to keep up with the better wrestlers. Because of all this, she needs to stay attached to Charlotte and kept out of her own spotlight for her own good.

Pick 14 (SmackDown): Alicia Fox

Fox is a veteran who has been out injured in recent months. Her role is also as a depth player, but she can hold her own in short, television matches which makes her quite useful. While she probably won’t be used every week, she’s certainly handy to have on a roster.

Pick 15 (RAW): Eva Marie

Say what you want about Eva, but she generates boos. Those boos may be more to do with her not deserving her spot, but they can be used effectively to get her opponent over. Obviously, she’s not someone you’d want to use every week (or every month), but she’ll be useful every now and then. She’s also perfect to send to red carpet events and the like which means the real wrestlers don’t have to worry about it.

Pick 16 (SmackDown): Tamina

Tamina is in a similar boat to Dana, but with Naomi turning face, it gives the chance to have a quick feud between Tamina and Naomi to break them up. Tamina should remain a heel and simply be used for quick squash matches when needed. She doesn’t have any promo skills and her wrestling is one-dimensional at best and so she’ll probably find herself used scarcely. Considering there are only eight women per brand, she might find herself used more often than she otherwise would have if the roster had stayed together. Whether that’s a good thing or not, I guess we’ll find out in a year. Let’s hope the women’s division hasn’t imploded by then.

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WWE Battleground on Sunday night is just around the corner, and Sasha Banks has yet to find a partner to face Charlotte and Dana Brooke.  Banks has been double teamed the last couple of weeks and suffered her first main roster loss just a few days ago.  One can argue that Banks is biding her time, and waiting for the right moment to reveal her pick which would be right before the match starts.  Until then, with the WWE Draft already in the books, rumors are flying around with predictions and personal top picks.

Speaking of the Draft, July 24^th will be the first official day of the brand extension.  So until then, anything can happen in WWE.  That’s what they say and those like me still hold onto that belief.  Without further ado, here are my five picks for The Boss.

5. Nia Jax

No one has made quite an impression for the NXT Women’s Division quite like Nia Jax.  She remained dominant through her NXT tenure and what a way to kick off her main roster career than to be the partner of The Boss.  Both women are on the Raw roster and will make a statement should they overcome Charlotte and Brooke on Sunday night.

4. Paige

Paige and Banks aided each other recently when Charlotte and Brooke teamed up on the former Divas Champion.  Fans are always preaching about consistency and Paige teaming up with Banks would serve that purpose on Sunday.  Paige has been in the shadows lately, so for her to accept Banks’ proposal would boost her presence once more.  For Paige’s scenario it would kill two birds with one stone.

3. Naomi

If there is a pick that would come from left field, it would be this one.  Naomi is due back from the injured reserve list anytime, and the last time we seen these two together, they were against each other.  While Naomi and Tamina both attacked Banks, chances are we could see the two mend up before the brand extension takes place.  These ladies have history from the Divas Revolution and I wouldn’t mind a nice send off for the two before separating on Raw and Smackdown respectively.

2. Nikki Bella

If my number one pick isn’t it, then this is the most likely choice for Banks.  Bella is also due back from injury at any time, and while personally I am not fond of the choice it would serve her well.  Charlotte was the one who dethroned Bella’s historic Championship reign, so the ladies already have history.  A surprise return could rattle the current Women’s Champion.  Bella was one of the few that were left undrafted, which could lead into another surprise as an addition for Raw.

1. Bayley

I think 98% of the WWE Universe hopes that this is Banks’ pick at Battleground.  While Bayley was snubbed at the WWE Draft, fans are still hoping that the snub was for the big reveal for her to be Banks’ partner Sunday night.  WWE has been known to bend the rules over the years; surely they could do it this time.  I hope, anyway.  I don’t even have to talk about the history both women have both as friends and rivals.  It would be a memorable debut for sure should this even come to fruition.  While we shouldn’t hold our breaths, one could certainly dream.

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Three hundred and seventy eight days.

It has been three hundred and seventy eight days since she made a historic debut in Atlanta along with Charlotte and Becky Lynch to kick off the Divas Revolution.  In those days we have lived in agony through the shade and rejoiced in Banks’ declaration to chasing both the Divas Championship, now the Women’s Championship.  Fans of the Boss, including myself, have watched her grow and blossom into the Women’s Superstar that we all know she is.

Fans were outraged when Banks’ moment was stolen from her at WrestleMania, and honestly, her chance at redemption couldn’t come soon enough.  Banks had a concussion injury that kept her away for several weeks, which didn’t help fans at all who wanted more of The Boss.  The more WWE kept her away, the louder the fans got.  It was obvious who the fans wanted.  They got it and more to go with it.

After waiting for so long, both Banks and her fans got what they have long waited for, her spot at the top of the mountain as she defeated Charlotte for the Women’s Championship on last night’s Raw – the first Raw of the new era.  I said in my “Declaration of Sasha Banks” blog, that when she captures the Championship, a Superstar would be born.  Truth is, she earned that at WrestleMania in Dallas, and winning on Raw just a few short hours ago solidified that Banks was the best choice for the female face in this new era of WWE.

We all knew this; it was a matter of time before WWE jumped onto the bandwagon.

Onto the match, shall we?  Tom Clark, who is a fellow contributor, said it best last night as the match progressed:  Sasha is Dusty Rhodes to Charlotte’s Ric Flair.  Flair has held the title of being the dirtiest player in the game, and daddy knows best in the case of Charlotte.  Her heel run has been on point, and Charlotte continued to use dirty tactics in the course of the Championship reign and transition.  Rhodes always was the one who was down to earth, but kept it real.  He worked hard in getting what he wanted, plus Rhodes was every man which in turn was how people relate to him.  Fans relate to Banks because of her passion for wrestling.  They feel the genuine emotion coming from her, and the connection is organic.  Both Charlotte and Banks exemplified those traits through their feuds.

With a high profile match of this magnitude, the way things were set up, it had a big match feeling, and it was in the air that something special was going to happen.  For me, this match brought the emotions from joy to pride.  I remember when the ladies fought during their time in NXT, how they fought tooth and nail against each other in pursuit of who wanted that NXT Women’s Championship more.  I saw the same intensity and desire through both women last night.  My favorite part is how Banks set up Dana Brooke a ’la Eddie Guerrero with the Women’s Championship.  It was a great tribute moment that made Banks’ win even sweeter.

In her post-match interview, Banks said that they had come a long way and they are changing the game.  It’s a very big deal, and we have come a long way since the days of bikini clad, talentless women taking up time and the spotlight away from those who actually took it seriously.  If CM Punk was the voice of the voiceless, well Banks is the voice of women’s wrestling.  Women’s wrestling continues to see its best days and let’s hope that trend continues.

It’s funny; Sasha Banks debuted on Raw in Atlanta as the NXT Women’s Champion.  Next week, she will return to Atlanta as the WWE Women’s Champion.  This year has come full circle for the Legit Boss, and I couldn’t be happier for her.  She truly deserved a good moment, and I agree with Mick Foley when he made this statement:  Good things happen to good people.

Now that’s lit!

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So the other day, I wrote a column that I wondered out loud when WWE would move away from Brock Lesnar given that at some point, Lesnar would impede the progress of new and young talent. I was wrong. The Beast Incarnate is very much part of the present plans of the company and its Raw brand – the question now is what happens next following a pay-per-view that I thought fell plat in trying to deliver a knockout blow.

Everything about Sunday night was jumbled with the exception of the AJ Styles-John Cena match. From the notion that titles don’t mean a thing since they were not the two main events for the show and the idea that Lesnar just about beat the hell out of a 12-time world champion in what amounted to nothing. For the second larger event on Vince McMahon’s calendar, this was a lackluster performance. Also given that NXT Takeover nearly tore the roof off the Barclays Center on Saturday night, this was not what I had in mind for my Sunday evening, make that six hours of computer viewing.

There are plenty of questions left unanswered. Here are some general thoughts.

AN INSTANT CLASSIC

The match between Styles and Cena stole the show, proving WWE and Cena are moving on. The symbol of Cena leaving his arm band in the middle of the ring is as telling as an amateur wrestler leaving his boots on the middle of the mat or Undertaker taking off his gloves and leaving them in the ring after his WrestleMania match with Shane McMahon. How WWE books Cena now is anyone’s guess.

Does this mean Styles now becomes the top contender to face Dean Ambrose and the WWE World Title? If anyone should get another crack at a belt, it is Styles, but how can you justify giving him another shot at the brass ring so soon?

Where does Bray Wyatt figure in all of this?

A BAD NIGHT FOR SASHA

How will WWE deal with taking the title off Sasha Banks (who is rumored to be injured) and giving Charlotte another title run? The Women’s Division has its own explaining to do, most notably will Bayley finally make the leap to the main roster or will the company wait out the injury to Banks and hope for someone like Naomi to accept the challenge?

Because of the talent in the division, will there be two women’s titles like there are two titles for men? Stay tuned while the spaghetti is unraveled.

BRAVO BALOR

It’s a bit unfair to follow the Styles-Cena match with Finn Balor and Seth Rollins. It appeared the fans had the wind knocked out of them the entire match. I am also shocked Balor was given a title run so soon knowing full well how high WWE still remains on Rollins.

The great thing about the title match – which crowned the first ever Universal Heavyweight Champion, is there are still two matches left in this feud before WWE moves on with another program. You have to figure the series will get better with each pay-per-view.

REIGNS IS SCARY

When he is in a program like this with Rusev. In this kind of situation, he is the wrestler the company wants. While the fans have not fully embraced him, Reigns will at some point win the United States Championship and all those ideas of becoming John Cena will hopefully come true.

Unless.

There is a theory floating around that there will be a double turn between these two. PLEASE DO NOT LET THAT HAPPEN. Give Reigns a chance to win over the fans with the defense of America theme. I it does not work, then finally let him walk over to the dark side.

AMBROSE RETAINS

I thought there was real potential for this match. Both Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler lacked chemistry. They tried several spots and got no response from the fans. I am a bit surprised Ambrose won so easily. And now comes the hard part of deciding if Ziggler gets another shot at the title or does the company move forward.

AND ONE LAST THOUGHT

Please keep Jon Stewart away from a WWE arena. It does not work and screwed up a solid storyline with The New Day and The Club.

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Since the brand split, the women’s division has been given more time and a stronger focus on both brands. Yes, splitting the roster has severely limited what the division was capable of, but it has still worked out for the time being and the WWE need to capitalize on this. The SmackDown division has been well booked and the champion is as popular as anyone (male or female) on the roster. The RAW division is re-gathering momentum after Sasha Banks’ injury and with Paige returning soon, the star-power of the brand is through the roof.

Here are just a few reasons why a women’s main-event is a must-have before WrestleMania 33:

Match Quality/Anticipation

Let’s not beat around the bush here, the women’s division has produced more quality matches pound for pound than the men have, given the opportunities presented. With RAW possibly looking as if they’re heading towards a Sasha Banks versus Charlotte versus Bayley title match in the near future, that bout screams main-event. Whether it’s at the second RAW exclusive pay-per-view or at the end of the year, it’s the perfect match to put on last and it would certainly not feel out of place.

The Snowball Effect

Once WWE get the first one out of the way, they can happen more often. Obviously the first one needs to be special and so you can’t throw it on randomly, but once it is done, then it can happen freely based purely on merit. If they can get it done before WrestleMania, then the door is wide open for a massive 2017.

Kudos Points

The WWE have never been one to shy away from the moral high-ground, even if they don’t really deserve it and this would be another chance for them to cash-in. In the same vein as their Divas Revolution marketing, this would be a good story to go main-stream and get some pats on the back from the community. We’ll just pretend they didn’t mistreat female athletes for the 10 years prior.

Timing

Giving them the main-event before WrestleMania makes the division an even stronger selling point for the grandest stage. Charlotte, Sasha and Becky Lynch had the best match of WrestleMania 32 and if they do go with Sasha versus Bayley for WrestleMania 33, there’s absolutely no reason why that can’t happen again. Adding the credibility of a pay-per-view main-event to it would just enhance it further.

We now live in a world where a Women’s Championship pay-per-view main-event is a matter of when, not if. Now we just need to wait for the WWE to pull the trigger and if they can do it in 2016, the sky’s the limit for 2017.

Is a Women’s CWC the next big tournament? Dem and Nic discuss in part four of the Glorious Wrestling Podcast. LISTEN HERE.

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