Yes, this edition of the Dish is late, but given the staggering implications of WrestleMania, Stephanie McMahon's comments on ESPN, and the spectacle we got in NXT Takeover Dallas, I had to hold off until now. We'll talk about the implications of Asuka's championship win, what Stephanie McMahon's comments mean for the future of women's wrestling and how what will probably happen with the looming triple threat at the Show of Shows may not be the best thing for business. Finally, you'll get the rest of my WrestleMania predictions.
(The new women's champ strikes a pose with another of Takeover: Dallas' big winners Shinsuke Nakamura. Source: @WWEAsuka twitter)
Stephanie McMahon appeared on ESPN this past Tuesday and talked about where women's wrestling in WWE's world of sports entertainment was headed.
“Our audience started a hashtag called #givedivasachance and it trended worldwide for three days on Twitter, because our fans want to see our female athletes positioned the same as the men. They want to see them in incredible storylines, they want to see the character development, and they want to see the incredible action that they are so capable of… So we started the Divas Revolution. It was a movement that was in sports anyway . . . Women’s sports in general is on the rise and it was time for WWE to get onboard.”
Smarks across the dirt sheets proclaimed failure when hasty booking injected Becky Lynch, Charlotte and Sasha Banks into the main roster's Diva's Division, but it all really started in NXT with Bayley's title win over Banks at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn. That could be the most important women's match in the history of WWE and may prove to be that in the history of women's pro wrestling in the United States. The next milestone, fittingly involved Bayley passing the torch to the most electrifying, theatrical and savage woman to ever set foot in WWE: Asuka.
The contest had a tough act to follow on the Takeover card, coming up after my personal current match of the year, Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn, but they still managed to excite the crowd. Riveting chain wrestling, tough strikes and submissions kept the tempo up and interest going. While this didn't have the story behind it that Bayley's rivalry with Sasha had, this will hold up among Bayley's best matches in addition to being the international breakout moment for Japan's greatest active female pro wrestler.
Now that Asuka walked up the ramp champion--NXT's force of nature that made good on her implied promise to dominate all before her--what does the future hold for her and the NXT women's division?
(In addition to her strong connection with kids, great in-ring storytelling and never-say-die attitude, she also stomped a mud hole in Eva Marie, which will always get someone love. Source: eva-marie.com)
The most obvious issue with the women's roster, since Bayley's loss is a clear signal she's moving to the main roster sooner rather than later, is that there are no baby faces who look ready to step up to the plate beyond Asuka. Carmella comes to mind, but she may find herself joining Enzo and Big Cass on the main roster. Many of the current up and comers in the women's division are currently heels, such as Billie Kay and Peyton Royce. Both have shown in their careers before NXT they can certainly go in the ring, but after just beginning to find their personas shifting gears may be needed.
(Deonna Purazzo as fodder for Asuka. She's been getting some love in recent weeks from Full Sail crowds, but is it just the Blue Pants Effect?)
Deonna Purazzo has gotten a long look recently on NXT and the budding indie star even got some TV time before her match with Emma on the 3/23 edition of NXT. The problem is, she's currently in the "loved jobber" niche and it is unclear if WWE wants to commit to her beyond this role. On the heel side, The Empress of Tomorrow has plenty of opponents to feud with throughout 2016. Nia Jax, Emma, maybe Dana Brooke, should her improvement continue, and the emerging star power of Alexa Bliss promise some great championship matches in the months to come. Also, once WWE accepted Eva Marie is awful in the ring, they used general fan hatred of her to make her a great heel, look for her to piss everybody off going for that gold as well.
Now that a new champion has been crowned in NXT we finally get a WrestleMania match that treats the main roster Diva's Title as the most important prize the women of WWE can aspire to. While buildup through March has been pedestrian, with the usual "watch my enemy wrestle at ringside then kick her head in" set up on both Raw and Smackdown, there is no denying this match will be special. Anyone who has seen Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks and the champ Charlotte wrestle each other in the past know that they will do everything they can to steal the show. This leads into my first prediction for the WrestleMania card and why WWE looks like they're going to let the Underdog win a little too early.
(Becky arm drags Charlotte to the mat on the March 28 edition of Raw. Source: WWE.com)
Becky has emerged since her loss to the Nature Girl at the Royal Rumble as the division's only true baby face. Even while her persona is still evolving beyond the chick in goggles, crowds are buying into her winning smile, never-say-die attitude, integrity and mad wrestling skills. The heel Sasha Banks earned crowd love by being underutilized and is still a tweener, really. WWE love to get their faces to the top of the mountain fairly quickly in the PG era unless your name is Daniel Bryan. Second, is note how the last two matches Charlotte appeared in were booked. Each of the champ's opponents got a one-on-one bout with her before WrestleMania. The Boss got a surprise pin victory over the champ as Charlotte was fixated on Becky at ringside. The Lasskicker was defeated. If history shows anything, it’s that whoever gets the short end of the stick on one of the go-home shows usually (and yes, smarks, that means most of the time not all the time) gets over on the PPV stage. I think Banks should win, since her star is hotter and she can be the great heel that Becky can chase for that elusive gold to Summerslam or perhaps beyond. That said, my prediction:
Divas Title Match - Charlotte vs. Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks: Becky Lynch. WWE doesn't get the art of the chase like it used to.
Now the rest of my WrestleMania picks. Despite the rash of injuries and haphazard booking, I'll have fun for my $9.99 this Sunday.
United States Title - Kalisto vs. Ryback. The Large Person Who Uses Lots of "Supplements" Who Vince Loves will win.
Ten Woman Tag Match - The Total Divas vs. Team B.A.D. and Blonde. In Brie Bella's final WrestleMania, look for the Total Divas to win out and for management to still not understand why Eva Marie gets booed out of the building.
Intercontinental Title Ladder Match - Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, The Miz, Sin Cara, Stardust and Zack Ryder: Zayn wins. Dirt sheets malign this bout and while I agree it is overkill I think this will be a lot of fun.
Tag Team Championship - The New Day vs. League of Nations: Sheamus and Barrett will emerge over the recently face-turned New Day, but look for Francesca II to give everyone a tune.
Andre The Giant Battle Royal - I honestly have no idea. It'll be nice to see some of the underappreciated at least show up on the card though.
McMahon Corporate Drama Hell In A Cell Match - Shane McMahon vs. the Undertaker: Shane McMahon. It doesn't make sense but it does, you know? Rest in Peace and thanks for memories, Dead Man.
Brock Lesnar vs. Dean Ambrose, No Holds Barred: Dean Ambrose. The stipulation almost gives it away. Since Lesnar has no need of momentum as he did in years past, Ambrose will get the victory no doubt making the most of the abundant lack of rules. This is the match I'm most looking forward to on the card.
AJ Styles vs. Chris Jericho: AJ Styles will be the victor in my second most anticipated match of the evening. This could be another show stealer.
WWE Championship - Triple H vs. Roman Reigns: Reigns. Everyone will hate him, the stadium will implode. There needs to be some big swerve of some kind to save this one, although the match itself should be very solid.
Okay, again sorry the Dish is late. I hope it was worth it. And look for The Diva Dish again in a couple weeks (give or take) when I examine the fallout from Wrestle/mania and the implications for the women of WWE and NXT.
Mark out for Mania, I know I will . . . Eventually.
