THE DISH - AUGUST 2016

I told Ace Masters I wanted to hold off until the aftershocks of Summerslam died down and I was right! In this edition of The Dish, The Boss is out, Bayley is in, and after sifting through the rumor mill, some pundits ask "how much is too much?"

(High spots, stiff blows and brutal intensity permeated the Summerslam card, and the Women's Title Match was no exception. Source: WWE.com)

Many fans were shocked at the ending of the Women's Title match as Charlotte pinned Sasha Banks, ending her 18 day title reign. The bout reflected the overall energy of the 2016 Summerslam card with both women taking their game to the next level--and at times giving danger the finger.

There were times I honestly thought someone was going to get seriously hurt as stiff pugilism and seriously risky spots showed the audience what these rivals were willing to put on the line to tell their story. One awkward bump in the corner, in which Sasha appeared to fall incorrectly had me wondering if she hadn't injured her neck. Split-second moments of sloppiness like this were fixed during the in-ring narrative, but there were moments I thought Sasha got legitimately hurt.

This is my current women's division match of the year, but the scary energy throughout shook many fans, even the mighty Jim Ross who tweeted ".@MsCharlotteWWE & @SashaBanksWWE taking way too many chances IMO."

(Nagging back trouble was hindering Banks before she ever walked down the ramp at Summerslam. Source: WWE.com)

At first glance some may think this shows an underlying chauvinism, but Ross has been a staunch supporter of the current crop of women, especially Sasha Banks. If you try to see it through his eyes, he's looking at two excellent wrestlers just entering their prime, but have been working at the highest levels for a relatively short amount of time. Banks has been working around six years, starting at 18 on the independent scene. Charlotte debuted as a homegrown NXT talent in 2013.

Compare that with Seth Rollins, who debuted in 2005 and didn't become the singles star we know now until 2014. Finn Balor was building his legacy for 16 years before he came to Raw. Both men have garnered similar commentary for pushing the spectacle too hard, especially after Balor's injury forced him to give up the WWE Universal title. There is no easy answer to where the limit should be, a balance needs to be found between creating enduring memories for one's own legacy and planning for long term sustainability.

While Balor's reigned ended in 24 hours due to injury suffered in his match, Banks' fall was already planned due preexisting back trouble.

(The Boss is champ no more. Despite chronic back pain causing the title change, Banks put on the most intense match of her career. Source: Inquisitr.com)

Rumors were swirling that Sasha would join Paige and Eva Marie in 30 days of wellness policy violation limbo, when WWE indicated she was pulled from all live events for 33 days the morning following her loss.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and Heavy.com, Banks has been dealing with lower back pain much of this spring and summer and WWE made the call to put Charlotte over again to avoid the risk of exacerbating the problem. While WWE has indicated the former champion will not need surgery, it was serious enough to make this snap decision only two weeks and four days into her reign – and in light of her skyrocketing popularity.

It makes sense since Banks was pulled from television for a month and had a lighter workload prior to the buildup for her title win. She will undergo a medical evaluation in September and could be back as early as the Clash of Champions PPV.

Moving forward, the injury has been incorporated into the storyline with Charlotte, giving a chance to put some smiles back on sad faces in the wake of the Boss' enforced sabbatical. After her goodbye match with Asuka at NXT Takeover Brooklyn, Bayley made her debut on Raw.

(Charlotte is proving she may become WWE's best female heel ever as she and sidekick Dana Brooke revel in the first day of the Queen's second title reign.)

After WWE brought up virtually all the established women of the NXT roster prior to the brand split Bayley stayed behind to be the ring general for the NXT women and truly pass the torch to Asuka.

The pop was huge just like the extra-large inflatables that flanked her as she came down to the ring, hugged Mick Foley and proclaimed her desire to be champion. She then went on to take out Dana Brooke in her first match on the main roster.

(Bayley's debut was a lift for the fans when it was needed the most. Source: Foxsports.com)

Bayley on the scene makes for a smooth transition into another story for Women's Division fans to sink their teeth into. Coupled with buzz around a Smackdown women's title and the return of Nikki Bella, WWE has the tools to book some great stuff while The Boss is on the mend. The Smackdown belt – and its viability will be examined as well as who's going to step up in Asuka City in the next edition of The Dish.