What’s the story?
WWE Payback takes places this Sunday in San Jose, California, and by all accounts, the show seems to be a somewhat predictable one. A number of WrestleMania rematches will take place, and the outcomes of those matches are expected to mimic the Show of Shows. One of the fresh matches on the card will see Bayley defend her Raw Women’s Championship in her hometown against Alexa Bliss, and Cageside Seats is speculating that WWE may yet be unsure as to who will come out on top on Sunday night.
In case you didn’t know...
Bayley achieved her childhood dream when she defeated Charlotte Flair for the Raw Women’s Championship. Bayley defended that title in a Fatal 4-Way at WrestleMania and was expected to move into a feud with on-screen friend Sasha Banks following the Ultimate Thrill Ride.
Alexa Bliss was one of the few performers to see a major rise in her stock value following the 2016 WWE Draft, becoming only the second woman to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Bliss moved over to Raw as part of the superstar shake-up recently and went on to defeat Banks, Mickie James and Nia Jax in a number one contender’s match. She will now face Bayley in the champ’s hometown.
The heart of the matter
There are a number of reasons as to why WWE may be considering moving the Raw Women’s Championship from Bayley to Alexa Bliss. The champion’s popularity has dramatically decreased since she arrived on the main roster, although it is harsh to lay the blame squarely at the door of Bayley. A number of confusing booking decisions have left Bayley bereft of the characteristics that made people fall in love with her NXT character.
Also read: 5 Reasons why Alexa Bliss will be the female face of WWE
Alexa Bliss has moved in the opposite direction following the WWE Draft. Her in-ring performances don’t always impress, but her character and promos are as good as any in women’s wrestling right now. Being allowed to evolve outside of the ‘Women’s Revolution’ seems to have instilled a confidence in Bliss that appears to be missing in Bayley and Banks, and WWE may well be looking to strike while the iron is hot.
The Raw Women’s Championship has been defined by heel reigns and babyface chases, so moving the title to Bliss could continue that trend. On the other side, WWE may be unwilling to throw too many accolades at The Wicked Witch of the WWE too quickly.
What’s next?
Payback takes place this coming Sunday, and the Raw Women’s Championship is one of four championship matches booked for the show, with Brock Lesnar’s Universal Championship the only one missing. We will have to wait until Sunday to see which way WWE decides to go – will the Era of Bayley continue, or is it time for Raw’s women’s division to bow down to Five Feet of Fury?
Author’s take
Bayley’s main roster run has undoubtedly been a disappointment, but the prevailing feeling is that a summer feud with a freshly-heel Sasha Banks could be the better way to go. If given the pencil, this writer would more than likely have gone with those two plus Bliss in a triple threat, having Bliss pull out the win and allowing Bayley and Banks to embark on a heated feud that elevates the division without the title involved. Either way, Bayley vs. Bliss is a fresh match that I’m looking forward to.
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