Why WWE Just Made Its Biggest Mistake In YEARS

Sasha Banks Bayley
WWE.com

Up against coverage of the 2020 U.S. presidential election, competition more fierce than sports, Sasha's November 6 victory over Bayley represented WWE's biggest ratings hit of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The bleak, sterile compromise that was the ThunderDome didn't matter to the viewing public; they, 2.52 million of them, were deeply invested in watching Sasha Banks in a big time title fight with the promise of an actual finish. WWE could not hope to draw that number now, even as fans have returned and everything feels less unremittingly grim. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer attributed the "entire" rating to Sasha's match; the overall and 18-49 numbers declined sharply the second that Sasha retreated up the ramp, title belt in tow.

Sasha is still only 30 years old. Her wrestler's prime years are ahead of her. She is the best women's wrestler in North America, and if that's a subjective opinion, it is close to the consensus. Her frenetic bursts of offence are wild and engaging, she links her repertoire brilliantly and with high intensity to come across as a tenacious submission wizard, and few wrestlers on the planet, irrespective of promotion or gender, sell like total death for her opponents as she does. Most impressively, she works (or worked) for a promotion that aims to regulate the level of danger between the ropes. She isn't getting dumped on her head or being smashed in the safer spaces of her face; she is just incredible at making the physicality feel far more violent than it actually is.

CONT'D...(3 of 6)

Advertisement
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 surefire Undisputed WWE Universal 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!