Storytime: The Redemption of Sasha and Bayley
Here are my thoughts on why and how Sasha Banks and Bayley should be the first team to be crowned Women’s Tag Team Champions. The story arc includes overcoming everything that happened to them in 2018, and Sasha reclaiming “The Boss”.
Here are my thoughts on why and how Sasha Banks and Bayley should be the first team to be crowned Women’s Tag Team Champions. The story arc includes overcoming everything that happened to them in 2018, and Sasha reclaiming “The Boss”.
First, some of the back-story. We all know that at the beginning of 2018 WWE was going to reignite the rivalry of Sasha Banks and Bayley. It was a personal story where no titles were necessary, and everything leading up to Wrestlemania was great until a funny thing happened.
WWE decided that they didnt have enough time on the card to give Bayley and Sasha a proper singles match. So they were thrown in the Battle Royal to continue the story with Bayley getting some revenge on Sasha, before realizing the match wasnt over, and in the end failing to win.
For the next couple of months Sasha and Bayley’s relationship would be strained, but they still had to team together because Kurt insisted it was better for the RAW Women’s Division for them to be on the same team. Also insert Ronda Rousey at the top of the card, and you knew
Bayley and Sasha were not going to be in the title picture. Surely this would all lead to a match at Summerslam right? WWE would eventually have Sasha or Bayley turn on the other during the summer months so they could relive their classic match in Brooklyn.
Then Heel Bayley happens, for one night. As quick as she turned on Sasha, WWE abandoned the feud altogether in just a couple of weeks. We can speculate as to why, but by the end of July, Sasha and Bayley were back together teaming, and officially became the Boss N Hug Connection.
Being the professionals that they are, Sasha and Bayley started doing everything they could, in and outside the ring, including days off, wanting to give meaning and purpose for the women who aren’t involved in the main event picture.
I think the seeds were planted with all of the women talent coming in from NXT and the MYC that WWE wanted to establish a tag team division, but for the longest time, it was just Sasha/Bayley and friends taking on the Riott Squad on RAW.
We would get teased on social media posts by Sasha and Bayley that Tag titles were in the works but for the longest time nothing would happen. Part of the problem is that now the way PPVs are structured with both brands on every show, there isn't time for any mid-card storylines.
But alas, Evolution was coming. That would be the place. But WWE had no idea how to book for the show and just started throwing matches together due to lack of any concrete storylines. By time the show rolled around, we just had another 6 women tag match. (It was really good tho)
So the Evolution PPV comes and goes and we wait. Meanwhile Sasha and Bayley every week they have matches on RAW and live shows, and would team to improve their tag team wrestling, giving legitimacy and need for a Women’s tag team division.
But other PPVs like Survivor Series also get in the way, so we wait. Finally Christmas comes and Vince reveals that the women will get a Tag Team Championship in 2019. So here we are on the road to the Royal Rumble, with an officiall announcement of tag teams titles imminent.
Personally I think there should only be one Tag Team Championship that floats between RAW and Smackdown, and I wouldn’t rule them out being contested on NXT shows either. That way the Champions would always have fresh match ups. So how should WWE book it you ask?
We begin with Papa H & Steph unveiling the Tag Team Championship with an announcement in the near future & setting up a tournament that includes teams from RAW and SD. I think 4 tag teams from each show is ideal, with the winners facing each other in a Championship match on PPV.
On RAW, a combination of Riott Squad get to take on a combination of Alicia/Dana/Mickie. Meanwhile Sasha and Bayley have to overcome Nia Jax and Tamina in a big match on RAW to advance and get revenge for what happened to them at Survivor Series.
Then the semifinals on RAW would be the Riott Squad vs Sasha and Bayley, where the Boss N Hug finally beat them on their own to advance to the finals. Over on SD, the semifinals would come down to Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville vs IIconics where Fire N Desire advance to the finals.
The first Championship match takes place at the Elimination Chamber PPV where Sasha and Bayley have a chance to the beat team formally known as Absolution, who always got the best of them before moving to Smackdown. Boss N Hug Connection vs Fire N Desire.
The championship match finishes with Sasha and Bayley hitting their double team finish, where Bayley gets the winning pin. Paige, a staple of the Women's Evolution is out at ringside to award Sasha and Bayley the Championship titles, and we all party. But the story must go on.
Sasha immediately has doubts about defending the titles and is concerned because of her poor history of doing so on the Main Roster. Bayley is there to ensure that they will continue to have success. They could do some open challenges in matches that won’t be built up as much.
The first real challenge will be at Fastlane. Sasha and Bayley will have to defend the titles against Mickie and Alexa Bliss (assuming she is cleared to wrestle again full time following the Rumble). They finally have a chance to get one over Pinky together. Sweet revenge.
Sasha and Bayley have a great match with Mickie and Alexa at Fastlane and ultimately defend the titles successfully. During all of these title defenses however, Bayley keeps getting the winning pinfalls because that is her and Sasha’s established finisher by default.
Up next is WrestleMania and WWE announces that Team Bestie, Trish and Lita will be challenging Boss N Hug Connection on the Grandest Stage. It is Sasha and Bayley’s ultimate dream match as a team, but Sasha still has doubts and lacks confidence about beating two Hall of Famers.
Again, Bayley is always by her side, encouraging Sasha that they are the best, and they can win. At Wrestlemania 35, Bayley has the idea to change their finish where Sasha gets the winning fall or submission so she can have the satisfaction of finally defending a Championship.
Now Sasha and Bayley are well on their way establishing the Tag Team titles for WWE and leaving their own legacy. During the next few months, Sasha and Bayley will take on teams they haven’t faced from Smackdown, and maybe even some from NXT. All the while they keep winning.
Sometime during Sasha and Bayley's great title reign, the IIconics gain traction and put together some impressive wins of their own beating some other tag teams, which leads to them finally challenging the Boss N Hug Connection at a PPV during the summer, before Summerslam.
Then, surprise! The IIconics defeat the Boss N Hug Connection and win the titles by beating Bayley in a fluky finish, possibly with just a surprise rollup. After the initial shock wears off, Sasha and Bayley congratulate Peyton and Billie in the ring, putting them over.
In the following weeks, Sasha and Bayley earn a rematch for the titles vs the IIconics, but this time Peyton and Billie are up to their old tricks and beat Bayley and Sasha by nefarious means. The aftermath leads to Sasha doubting Bayley, and The Boss’s attitude starts to change.
Sasha suddenly has no problem blaming Bayley for losing the titles. You see where this is going, right? Bayley tries to soldier on staying by Sasha’s side, but as the weeks go by with no success, the feelings of misfortune and blame build up inside Sasha toward her best friend.
Then on the road to Summerslam, Sasha SNAPS, and The Boss from NXT is back. You can take the story from here, but I think it is self-explanatory. This is the end of Boss N Hug, and the beginning of the best rivalries that we all will have the privilege of witnessing.
Sasha and Bayley will leave tag team wrestling behind and transition back into the main event picture. In their wake, other women get to compete for the tag teams titles and have something worth fighting for. A championship and a lasting legacy forever left by Sasha and Bayley.
In the future we could possibly get Team BAE and Baymella to reunite too, but I am dreaming way down the line at this point. That's all folks. We can only hope to get something this good. But in the end, I believe in Sasha and Bayley. #PurposeTour #BossNHugConnection #AndNew
