Where Does Sasha Banks vs Bayley Rank Among the Best Women’s Feuds of All Time?
When Sasha Banks and Bayley first crossed paths in NXT more than five years ago, few could have perceived just how their careers would ascend from that point.
From the first-ever 30-minute Iron Woman match at Takeover: Respect back in 2015, Banks and Bayley have remained at the forefront of the women’s revolution in wrestling ever since.
New god flow #LegitBoss pic.twitter.com/wKIrPX106m
— $asha Banks (@SashaBanksWWE) November 7, 2020
But it’s in their current feud, with Bayley excelling in her heel turn and Banks showcasing her much-improved in-ring abilities, which has attracted the most interest. In the minds of most judges their current hostilities are absolutely driving SmackDown forward almost single-handedly.
From the slobberknocker at Hell in a Cell to the brilliant back-and-forth battle for the title on SmackDown earlier in November, Banks vs Bayley is already amongst the pantheon of the best women’s feuds of all time – and the good news is that it might continue for a while longer yet.
If you are one to put money on the outcome of events like this, then at the wagering sites on Legal Betting, you can indulge in a variety of free bets and sign-up bonuses, including the sportsbooks’ Royal Rumble odds. There, you will note that both Banks and Bayley are considered nothing more than outsiders to win the over-the-top-rope skirmish. The insinuation? Their rivalry will be allowed to play out yet further, possibly with a show-stealing bout away from the 30-woman battle royal.
That may act as the conclusion of their bitterness, or the feud may roll on as far as WrestleMania. Either way, Banks vs Bayley is secured as one of the finest rivalries in women’s wrestling ever… alongside these greats.
Charlotte Flair vs Becky Lynch
It was essentially the feud that created Lynch’s subsequent ‘The Man’ gimmick, but the Irishwoman’s battles with Charlotte Flair in 2018 were so much more than that.
This was the kind of rivalry where there was no clear heel or face dynamic, and the emphasis was very much on tough-talking and hard-hitting action – no gimmicks required.
For a period of time Flair vs Lynch was the focal point of WWE’s entire output – hence why they headlined WrestleMania alongside Ronda Rousey.
Their finest hour came in the Last Woman Standing match at Evolution – a watershed for women’s wrestling and confirmation that the fairer sex can headline PPV events with complete assurance.
Evolution #2yearsagotoday pic.twitter.com/lLBDsIgTxk
— Charlotte Flair (@MsCharlotteWWE) October 28, 2020
Charlotte Flair vs Sasha Banks
When we look back on the women’s revolution in years to come, it is this feud that arguably did more than any other to promote women’s wrestling as legitimately outstanding action rather than a gimmick or a chance for Vince McMahon to get his kicks from lingerie and ‘pudding matches’, as was his wont in the 1990s and noughties.
Flair vs Banks broke new ground for women in wrestling, being the first all-female rivalry to headline a PPV and providing the first-ever women’s Hell in a Cell match.
That brutal contest is hall of fame material, but such was the brilliance that Flair and Banks brought to the rivalry in and out of the squared circle that even their matches on Monday Night Raw were headline-making – not least the Falls Count Anywhere war in November 2016.
Charlotte Flair vs Natalya
The great thing about the progression of women’s wrestling is that the superstars are allowed to stand on their own two feet now both in the ring and on the mic – sadly, that hasn’t always been the case.
Take the ‘dynasty’ feud between Flair and Natalya in NXT back in 2014. Both excellent technicians and competent on the mic, their rivalry would have been a winner anyway with both at the peak of their powers.
But then you add in the family dimension – Charlotte was supported by old father time himself Ric Flair, and Natalya by various members of the Hart Foundation. It took their battles to new heights.
Flair has been the center point of some of the greatest rivalries in modern wrestling, and all eyes are on her return from injury.
