10 Expectations Vs. Reality For WWE SummerSlam 2020

8. Asuka Vs. Sasha Banks

Bray Wyatt Braun Strowman
WWE.com

Expectation:

There's such a compelling, ferocious quality to the Asuka Vs. Sasha Banks dynamic, and in a better world in which any of this sh*t matters, you can almost see the babyface flashing her teeth within Sasha's manipulated exterior to hide a long-term story in plain sight. This is kinetic, substantive stuff with a vibe of dangerous energy both controlled and otherwise. Sasha's ultra-committed work sometimes threatens to collapse under the weight of its ambition, but it yields a heart-racing rhythm that smashes the ever-living f*ck out of WWE's off-putting, synthetic gloop. SummerSlam should be no different. This should rule.

But there's always, always a "should" in WWE. This promotion should work. It has the talent. It has the money. It has the time. It has...

...a lunatic at the wheel!

Quite literally: Wild Card, bitches!

Reality:

"...and then the bell rang," used to be Bruce Prichard's pithy assessment of a character with all sizzle and no steak, as Jim Ross was fond of saying. Now, it can be reframed to explain Prichard's own carny yes-man bullsh*t. When the bell rings now, it's the finish. This was a damn good match...

"...and then the bell rang."

Asuka wins but the decision is reversed because it's opposite day because Bayley said so.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!