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WWE Superstar Bianca Belair won the Women's Royal Rumble last month. As a result, she'll face a champion of her choosing at WrestleMania 37. Her victory has ultimately served as the feel-good story of the year, one has to wonder who exactly the EST of WWE will face at the Showcase Of Immortals.
It seems a myriad of arguments could be made for her to face either the RAW or SmackDown Women's Champion, which makes the decision even more difficult. It really all comes down to what WWE wants to do with this storyline.
Most fans have linked Belair to Sasha Banks. They're both on SmackDown, and as two of the brand's most charismatic stars, a feud between the pair could offer a dynamic clash of popular competitors. Asuka is also an intriguing possibility, though she seems like the less obvious choice.
With that being said, Bianca Belair has still not picked an opponent for WrestleMania 37. Here are three reasons why Bianca Belair should face Asuka and two why Sasha Banks should be the champion the EST of WWE face on the Grandest Stage Of Them All. As always, please share your thoughts in the comments below.
#5 Bianca Belair vs. Asuka would give WWE a chance to turn Asuka heel
WWE has plenty of options when it comes to structuring a story for Bianca Belair's opponent at WrestleMania 37. But one of the more interesting scenarios would be an Asuka heel turn. This development might even bring a whole different dynamic to the the women's title picture at WrestleMania 37.
It doesn't matter whether WWE accomplishes that by having her turn on Charlotte or attack another babyface. What does matter is that the company must find a way to make it impactful. Asuka could claim that the company has wronged her as the premier champion in the women's division.
In the end, Asuka turning heel could be the perfect scenario for WWE. In fact, between Sasha Banks coming off a lengthy heel run and Asuka having a solid face face run of her own, a heel turn for the Empress of Tomorrow would make sense.
Some fans have missed Asuka's heel persona, and a feud with Bianca Belair would be a good reason for WWE to bring it back.
#4 Bianca Belair vs. Sasha Banks would be more interesting on the microphone
If WWE puts Bianca Belair up against the Blueprint, Sasha Banks at WrestleMania 37, the match would offer an athletic masterclass. Both women are remarkably talented in the ring, so they'd deliver a great match. But a feud between the two would also give both women many opportunities to take jabs at each other on the microphone.
In comparison, as talented as Asuka is, she's limited in her promo ability. Banks is great on the microphone, so she might be the better option for WWE. The only real problem with Banks is that it would technically match two babyfaces against one another. This eventuality could force fans to choose between two beloved stars, unless one of them turns heel.
If nothing else, a rivalry between Banks and Bianca Belair would be amazing to watch on the microphone. It could make for some compelling television. It will also give Belair the chance to flesh out more of her character, which will help fans get behind her inspiring story.
Banks is a natural heel, so WWE wouldn't have to work hard to turn her back into a villainous champion. A babyface vs. babyface program could be good, but a storyline between a face Bianca Belair and a heel Sasha Banks could be electric.
#3 Asuka could be a bigger challenge for Bianca Belair
As talented a WWE superstar as Sasha Banks is, one could make the argument that a win against Asuka at WrestleMania would mean a bit more for Bianca Belair. Banks might seem like the more popular champion, but her title reigns have been disappointing.
Her current run with the title has been an exception, as she has successfully defended the gold. But WWE usually chooses Banks to put other other talent. In some ways, she'd feel like a sitting duck in a feud with Belair. On the other hand, Asuka would offer a more legitimate challenge.
The Empress of Tomorrow had an incredible undefeated streak on both NXT and RAW. She has also won the title at some pretty critical points in WWE history, and she's a cornerstone of the division. If nothing else, Asuka defending the title against Belair could be better story in its own way.
Most fans would expect Bianca Belair to defeat Sasha Banks. But the EST of WWE wouldn't be a lock to beat Asuka, given the champion's impressive track record.
#2 WWE having Sasha Banks face Bianca Belair would keep the EST on Friday Night SmackDown
Although WWE booking Sasha Banks to face Bianca Belair would be a babyface versus babyface match, this storyline would still work with its amount of star power. In fact, between Sasha Banks cutting her teeth on the black-and-gold brand and Bianca Belair being the EST, there is plenty of material for this narrative.
Plus, having Banks defend the title against Belair would allow the Women's Royal Rumble winner to stay on Friday Night SmackDown. Staying on the blue brand would put Belair in the driver's set of an otherwise lackluster division. While RAW would also offer some interesting matchups, SmackDown arguably needs Belair more.
In the end, keeping Bianca Belair on SmackDown seems like the better idea because it would allow her to to start establishing herself as a main player. The downside to this choice would be that SmackDown is a shorter show, but she could help elevate a division that doesn't have a lot of depth right now.
It's also important to note that Bianca Belair's initial run on RAW failed, so she could choose to stay on SmackDown in the interest of avoiding a show that was a source of disappointment earlier in her career.
#1 WWE having Bianca Belair face Asuka gives the company more time to tell a story
Although WWE would have an variety of opponents for Bianca Belair to face on SmackDown, moving the EST to RAW would give her more time to grow her character. The company would also have even more television time to build on Belair's eventual WrestleMania title match. (RAW is always an hour longer than SmackDown.)
It's no secret that WWE is relying on established talent to help fuel ratings, so Belair is still in a very vulnerable position. Many fans still remember the disappointing women's matches at WrestleMania 36, so Belair is facing an uphill battle. She's not a firmly established star yet, so The Showcase of the Immortals could be a make-or-break moment for the popular competitor.
With that being said, facing Asuka would give Belair a chance to flesh out a compelling story for her first singles WrestleMania title match. By facing a legitimately tough champion, WWE would present Belair with a more daunting challenge, which could help the EST reach the next level of stardom.
Facing Banks could help Bianca Belair achieve the same goal, but Asuka might be the safe bet in WWE's mission to help the challenger reach the next level.
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