Bianca Belair vs. Sasha Banks was the matchup I was most looking forward to at SummerSlam 2021. Their thrilling and historic clash at WrestleMania 37 just four months prior did it for me, and I was thinking about all the possibilities for how this highly-anticipated rematch would go.
So, when Belair, the SmackDown Women's Champion, entered the ring first Saturday night, and it's declared by the ring announcer that Banks is unable to compete and is being replaced by Carmella, it was an instant letdown. That's no disrespect to Carmella, but anything other than Belair and Banks running it back on another grand stage was going to pale in comparison.
That being said, when Becky Lynch's music hit the speakers, and the crowd at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas loses its mind, I thought WWE had a chance to make this a SummerSlam moment for the ages.
But that's not what transpired. It started off great. Lynch quickly disposes of Carmella, grabs the microphone, and asks Belair: "What do you say The EST and The Man blow the roof off this joint for the SmackDown Women's Championship?" Belair readily accepts the challenge on the spot.
That's where it quickly took a turn.
The bell rings, Lynch reaches out for a handshake but greets Belair with a hard elbow followed by a Manhandle Slam. One, two, three, and Lynch is the new SmackDown Women's Champion.
Wait ... what?
I rock with The Man like most of the WWE Universe and am glad she's back. Plus, I understand the decision to take Banks off the card might have forced WWE's hand on bringing Lynch back like this.
But that doesn't explain nor justify how SummerSlam went from touting the highly-anticipated rematch between Belair and Banks — which easily could have stolen the show — to an essential squash at Belair's expense.
Why not make Belair-Lynch a thriller? The second The Man posed the challenge, and The EST accepted, I thought we had a classic on our hands. But, instead, we got a forced boost of Lynch while halting the 2021 glow and reign of Belair abruptly. Did it have to go like that? Wouldn't a back-and-forth match filled with give-and-take action have left both Superstars in better shape?
Perhaps Lynch and Belair simply didn't have enough time to plot out the match. But if that was the case, then the result should have gotten a different treatment.