5 Biggest Winners & Losers From WWE Raw (July 25)
3. Winner: Sasha Banks
Sasha Banks’ shot at Charlotte’s WWE Women’s Championship was on the cards from the moment she returned from injury. The Boss had made no secret of her desire to fight for the belt since walking back through the door, and after months of misdirection and working around Charlotte’s avoidance and elusiveness, Sasha finally got her shot last night.
It was an outstanding match, and the highlight of Sasha’s WWE career thus far. While many assumed WWE would save an accomplishment of this magnitude for SummerSlam, this was a genuine surprise on a brand that so often flirts with predictability. Sasha took the belt to a humongous pop from the crowd, and as the fans chanted “you deserve it” through her post-match interview, Banks was euphoric.
While Sasha has been the company’s most popular women’s wrestler for quite some time, winning the Championship establishes her status as one of the most important wrestlers in the company. Riding on the momentum gained from her Battleground victory, Sasha has risen to the top of the pile, and vanquished her greatest nemesis in the progress.
A SummerSlam rematch with Charlotte likely lies in wait, and if the quality of last night’s match is anything to go by, WWE fans are in for a treat.