WWE is setting Ronda Rousey up to go on a long run as SmackDown Women’s Champion, which could eventually lead to one of three massive returns. The Baddest Woman On The Planet is currently involved in a program with Shotzi, who won a six-pack challenge to become the No. 1 contender for the title on the most recent episode of SmackDown. Those two will have a match at Survivor Series, and it’s tough to come up with a scenario where the former NXT standout beats Rousey. WWE already took that route with Liv Morgan over the summer, and having Ronda lose another match so soon would be a disservice to what she brings to the table.
Instead of losing at Survivor Series, it seems much more likely for Rousey to go on a run where she tears through the Women’s Division, person by person. With Shayna Baszler at her side, Triple H is in a position where he can book Ronda as an unstoppable force. She’s got the resume to back up that writing, so it’d make sense for her to go on a lengthy run with the championship. Especially now that she’s being allowed to embrace the heel role—what she should have been able to do from the moment fans started to turn on her during her first run in the company as a happy-to-be-here face. Once she’s gone through the entire division and no one is left standing, it’d open the door for one of Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, or Becky Lynch to come back and challenge for the Women’s Championship, perhaps following a Royal Rumble win for one of those three.
Ronda Rousey Vs. Flair, Lynch Or Banks Would Be Huge For WWE
Fans have seen enough of Flair Vs. Ronda Rousey to last a lifetime, but The Queen has been gone long enough that the audience might be receptive to the bout. Especially with Ronda working as the heel against a returning Flair. It feels like the money for WWE would be in a feud with either Banks or Lynch, though. The company still hasn’t made good on the long-running Rousey/Lynch rivalry, and WrestleMania 39 might be the perfect time to do so. That’s long been rumored to be the desired top women’s match at the Showcase Of The Immortals, but Big Time Becks separated her shoulder at SummerSlam.
There’s no definitive timetable for Lynch’s return, but it has been reported that WWE hopes to have her back by the end of 2022. That would leave plenty of time for a build toward the long-awaited showdown with Rousey in Hollywood early next year. However, there’s a wild card in play, and that’s Sasha Banks. A few weeks ago, it was reported that there’d been “hang-ups” in negotiations for a new contract between the company and Banks. The Boss, of course, hasn’t been seen in a WWE ring since walking out on an episode of Monday Night Raw back in May. It’s unclear if she’ll wrestle for the company again, but Banks Vs. Rousey would be a great feud as well. She was on the red brand prior to her walkout, but at this point, that doesn’t matter too much. She could pop back up with Naomi, ready to take on the tandem of Rousey and Baszler.
All of this speaks to just how outstanding WWE’s Women’s Division is at this juncture. Missing Banks, Flair, and Lynch should have been a massive setback for the company, but Triple H has used the time and space to create new stars. Morgan’s fresh persona is getting over with fans, Shotzi is amidst the most significant push of her main roster career, and Raquel Rodriguez seems primed for a massive breakout at some point. It’s unclear who could attempt to dethrone Rousey during this title run, but any one of Flair, Banks, or Lynch would be a coup for WWE.