Bayley vs. Sasha Banks: One of wrestling's greatest rivalries
The constant battle between good and evil is the oldest rivalry in the world and is woven into the fabric of the never-ending tales of professional wrestling. When listing pro wrestling's great rivalries, you'll hear names such as Ric Flair versus Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin versus The Rock, and Hulk Hogan versus "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.
These are just a few of the great rivalries that have been captivating wrestling fans for decades, but now, you can add a new set of names to that illustrious list: Bayley and Sasha Banks.
It might be hard to believe that a rivalry that has played out exclusively on a promotion's developmental program is on the same list as those that have played out on grand stages such as WrestleMania and Starrcade, but after their two epic encounters this year, that is indeed the case.
As a matter of fact, I don't see how it could be disputed.
But to say that the Bayley-Banks rivalry is an all-time great based off the match quality alone would be a disservice to both of them. The match quality, which is very, very high, is only part of the story.
It's not just about the chemistry the pair has with each inside the ring. It's also about how well their characters mesh together.
One ingredient of a great rivalry is the juxtaposition of those involved. Often, one side of the rivalry has to be the yin to his/her counterpart's yang.
When it came to Flair and Dusty Rhodes, Flair was all style and pizzazz. He often said he lived in the biggest house, on the biggest side of town. When he said he rode in long limousines and private jets and had a line around the block of good-looking women waiting for him outside his hotel, he wasn't lying.
Meanwhile, Rhodes was the opposite. He was the consummate everyman. He lived in the same neighborhood as you, picked up your trash, fixed your toilet and worked just as hard as you to put food on the table for his family.
The same went for Austin and The Rock. Like Flair, The Rock wore expensive clothes, wore sunglasses indoors and had a ton of quips and insults he was more than willing to hurl your way. Austin didn't wear slacks or Italian shoes. He donned jean shorts and combat boots. He drank beer and didn't mince words when talking trash.
And now we have Bayley and Banks. Bayley represents the wrestling fan in all of us. She's happy just be a part of the business, is constantly positive, wants to hug everyone and inspires little kids to chase their dreams, especially her No. 1 fan, Izzy.
Opposing her is Banks, an arrogant, bossy type who's used to getting what she wants, when she wants. When she doesn't get her way, she's not afraid to showcase her mean streak to get it.
While Banks is wearing four-finger rings and rhinestones, Bayley is wearing bright colors and handing out slap bands to people in the front row before her matches.
It's the differences between the two that makes their rivalry so captivating, and it's the chemistry they have in the ring that has raised the bar for women's wrestling moving forward. They raised the bar so high that they were in the main event of a special event in WWE, which is a first for the company.
Unfortunately, it looks as though this rivalry will be put on hold, as Banks is fully entrenched on the main roster and Bayley will stay in NXT to defend her title.
If the two were to ever cross paths again on the main roster, hopefully, they will be given the chance to recapture their magic and renew one of the greatest rivalries in wrestling history.