Hello everyone! It’s The Wrestling Classic here with my second list for ONE37pm, and it’s no surprise that it has “The GOAT, The Blueprint, The Standard, The Draw, and The Legit Boss” Sasha Banks. If you’ve been following @thewrestlingclassic for any length of time, you’ll know that Sasha Banks is my favorite female wrestler and one of my favorite wrestlers of all time.
Some folks are surprised when I tell them how much I adore Sasha Banks. There are weeks when everything she performs or when she wrestles is the highlight of the program for me. Banks was named Sports Illustrated Wrestler of the Year for 2020. Regardless matter how popular Sasha Banks is among her followers, there are those who don’t grasp it. However, I hope that this piece helps others understand why I hold Sasha Banks in such high respect.
When you look back at Sasha’s best matches, you might argue that she is the gold standard. To begin, I want to emphasize that I am only covering Sasha’s bouts as a singles star and not any of her battles as a member of a team with Bayley. Perhaps in the future, I’ll compile a top ten list of the finest matches of the “Boss N Hug Connection” or “Golden Role Models” (whatever moniker you like) as a team. Ya, dig?
1. Sasha Banks vs. Kairi Sane: Raw – 07/06/20
This was a dream pairing for most Sasha Banks fans. It’s incredible because it occurred just once on Raw and may never happen again since Kairi Sane quit the organisation shortly after. Given Sasha Banks’ past battles with Asuka and Io Shirai, it was clear that she had a strong connection with the ladies who developed their skill in Japan with the Joshi wrestling style. During her four-month vacation in 2019, Sasha flew to Japan to train at the Sendai Girls’ Pro Wrestling training center. However, knowing this made supporters even more enthusiastic for the one-time meeting.
This was during the Golden Role Models’ rivalry with the Kabuki Warrior, therefore Bayley and Asuka were also present. The bout was really entertaining, but the conclusion was a DQ when Bayley interfered. This match isn’t higher on the list because of the DQ ending. But it’s a rare gem of a bout to watch, knowing that we may never see these two wrestlers square off again.
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2. Sasha Banks vs. Alexa Bliss: Great Balls of Fire – 07/09/17
I’m not sure whether it was the online rumors about them not getting along since their time in NXT, the way the characters interacted on air, or Sasha Banks’ persuasive promo on Bliss on Raw Talk. Still, it seemed like there was a true conflict between the two for years. However, it always added to the excitement of their contests. I liked this bout over their SummerSlam match, in which Sasha Banks eventually won the title since this seemed more like a fight. It was two ladies who didn’t get along and were simply trying to outdo each other to establish who was the better and smartest competition.
Despite their alleged backstage feud, Sasha helped Alexa seem powerful by selling for Bliss’ offensive throughout the fight. Alexa executed her job brilliantly in attempting to escape as champion by whatever means necessary. The bout ended in a double count-out, which prompted some fans to dismiss it, making the SummerSlam match from this rivalry more memorable. However, after this bout, the brawl revealed that the two had unfinished business, leading to their SummerSlam encounter, which was more of a wrestling contest than a fight.
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3. Sasha Banks vs. Asuka: Extreme Rules – 07/19/20
It was something unique every time Sasha Banks fought Asuka. The chemistry between the two is incredible. Fortunately, during the Golden Role Models’ battle with the Kabuki Warriors in 2020, we received a series of bouts between the two superstars. Asuka had just been awarded Raw Women’s Champion after Becky Lynch’s departure at the moment. Sasha Banks was attempting to achieve the same feat as her tag team teammate, Bayley “Dos Straps.” This was something I was also eager to witness.
This was a hard-hitting encounter in which both ladies appeared really powerful. This match may have easily ranked higher on this list, but the rushed ending left several fans disappointed. When attempting to overcome the Golden Role Models’ heel hijinks, Asuka accidentally blasted her green mist in the referee’s eyes. It resulted in Bayley donning the ref’s hat and quickly counting Sasha Banks to victory. I get how the conclusion aided the overall narrative they were attempting to convey, but the overall quality of the match was so high that you’d hate to see it ruined by a clever but foolish finish.
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4. Sasha Banks vs. Carmella: TLC – 12/20/20
Sasha Banks is the kind of wrestler with whom anybody can have a solid bout because she is always lifting her opponents. That being said, I’ve always thought that when Carmella is placed in a major match, she always outperforms fans’ expectations. Nonetheless, she has not received the recognition she deserves for her improvement as an in-ring performance during the last five years. As a result, this was the ideal opportunity for two of my favorites to demonstrate their abilities.
Sasha Banks had to overcome the obstacles against the new and better Carmella and her ringside sommelier Reginald. Carmella, the new, more aggressive Carmella, fought Sasha and even earned several convincing near falls. Sasha, on the other hand, was able to knock down Reginald and force Carmella to tap out to the Bank Statement for the win. This was a tremendous encounter that kept both ladies looking powerful and proved that Sasha might have a long reign as the fighting champion.
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5. Sasha Banks vs. Asuka: Raw – 07/27/20
This bout was also part of the 2020 Sasha vs. Asuka series. It happened the night following the ridiculous end of Extreme Rules. Because of the disputed end the night before, the Championship was once again on the line, but this time there had to be a clear winner. To prevent outside intervention, Bayley and Kairi Sane were both barred from ringside during this bout. This was a wonderful battle between the two since they had incredible chemistry and were presenting a beautiful tale in the ring. There was a regulation in existence that said that if your opponent was called out, you may still win the title.
As a result, if Asuka was called out, Sasha Banks was able to win the title. The finale came when Asuka was in power after breaking out of the bank statement, but a video of Bayley beating up Kairi Sane backstage appeared on the Titantron. Asuka went to the back to rescue her buddy, enabling Banks to officially become Sasha “Two Beltz,” winning the Women’s Championship via count-out. This was another tremendous encounter between the two, but with a mediocre conclusion to further cement the Golden Role Models as heels despite having all of the titles.
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