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2) WWE robbed fans of cheering Becky upon her return at SummerSlam
If this wasn't clear already, WWE got it wrong from the start with this Becky Lynch heel turn. Prior to the Man going on hiatus to give birth to her first child, Becky's character was reaching the point of getting stale as the all-conquering babyface hero and was slowly showing more cockiness as the months went on. However, absence makes the heart grow fonder.
Becky Lynch took her pregnancy break from the company after Money In The Bank 2020 amid a global pandemic. Fans went 15 months without seeing The Man on their television screens.
But one thing WWE always nails is getting the huge babyface pop for returns. They knew Lynch would get it at SummerSlam 2021, so the promotion pulled the rug from under them immediately.
Becky Lynch received a massive pop and roar from the Las Vegas crowd and challenged Bianca Belair for the SmackDown Women's Championship. The company dangled a tantalizing match-up in front of the audience following a shocking return. 26 seconds later, the excitement was taken away and a feeling of emptiness replaced it.
If WWE wanted to turn Becky Lynch heel, there were numerous other ways to accomplish this goal.
They could have had a competitive match with Becky cheating to beat the EST for the gold. That would have avoided undermining the incredible run that Bianca had from January on. It also would have allowed fans to boo Becky and not the booking. That is where we are still at.
1) WWE doesn't portray babyfaces well, but Becky Lynch was a hero despite this
WWE is a company with a rich history of successful top babyfaces. Bruno Sammartino became the first face of the promotion, holding the WWE Championship for almost 12 years total in the 1960's and 70's. Hulk Hogan changed the industry completely, while on top of the company. John Cena had one of the longest runs of any top star for WWE ever.
Since The Cena Era, WWE hasn't done the best job of booking, presenting or promoting babyfaces. From their promos to their win-loss records, it has been difficult for fan favorites to catch on properly. Some slip through and go on to huge success like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan. Some never reach the level of popularity to match their push like Roman Reigns.
Becky Lynch created an organic connection with the WWE Universe through her trials and tribulations, working her way through the ranks. The Man finally fighting against Charlotte Flair made them the fans rally behind her and the feud with Ronda Rousey took it to the next level. Becky became the biggest underdog babyface since Daniel Bryan.
WWE tried to make Becky Lynch hateable and only made her into the top star in the promotion. For a company that doesn't book babyfaces well, Lynch overcame it all to reach heights that no one imagined for her or any female on the roster. That's why WWE's denial of what they have and Becky's success as a fan favorite is the main reason why she is just better as a babyface.
Would you like to see Becky Lynch return to being a babyface in WWE? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.
