May 11th, 2020: that is the last time we saw Becky Lynch in the ring. She handed her RAW Women’s title to Asuka. The night before, Asuka won the Women’s Money in the Bank (MITB) ladder match. In the briefcase was not a contract guaranteeing a shot at the title; it was the title itself. Obviously, it came as a shock to wrestling fans as to why, after a 375-day reign, she would relinquish her belt. Lynch announced she was pregnant.
Although the moment transpired in WWE’s Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, devoid of a large crowd, it reverberated everywhere.
The backstory of “The Man”
To fully delve into why WWE needs Lynch now, it is important to supply a backstory. Lynch earned “The Man” moniker shortly after she turned heel on longtime friend Charlotte Flair in Aug. 2018. At the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view one month later, she won back her Smackdown Live title from Flair.
Lynch would later go on to refer to herself as The Man sometime during that storyline. Eventually, the nickname held traction amongst fans and helped elevate her even more.
She would then go on to win the 2019 Women’s Royal Rumble for the first time in her career. Lynch eliminated Flair over the top rope to win, did so with a kayfabe injured knee. The win secured her place in a match against then RAW Champion Ronda Rousey at WrestleMania 35.
That is until WWE Chairman Vince McMahon modified it to a triple threat match, placing Flair into the match. McMahon would go on to disclose his reason for doing so. He felt Lynch thought she was better than WWE with her “The Man” nickname.
She went on to defeat Rousey and Flair at WrestleMania 35. After the match, Lynch became the first woman to simultaneously hold the Raw Women’s Championship and SmackDown Women’s Championship.
Lynch Outside the Ring
In Dec. 2020, Lynch and her then-fiancé, fellow superstar Seth Rollins, welcomed their baby, Roux, into the world.
Also, she has been teasing a return to the squared circle via her Instagram. She teased a possible return at the recent MITB pay-per-view earlier this month.
Without Becky Lynch
Since Becky relinquished the belt, five women have held the title:
- Asuka x 2
- Sasha Banks
- Rhea Ripley
- Charlotte Flair
- Nikki A.S.H. (current champion)
The longest reign amongst these women post-Becky Lynch was Asuka’s second reign at 231 days. Overall, she held the belt for 309 days combined. Presently, Nikki A.S.H. is the champion after cashing in her MITB briefcase on RAW that Monday following the pay-per-view. Nikki defeated Flair after Flair won it off of Ripley at the MITB pay-per-view.
When Will We See “The Man?”
SummerSlam, aka, The Biggest Party of the Summer, will be held Saturday, Aug. 21st at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. I expect her to return on Monday Night RAW within the next three weeks. At present, it is a triple-threat match for the title between Nikki, Ripley, and Flair.
In reality, I expect this match to either become a fatal four-way, or someone will get replaced. Which one? I believe that if Lynch shows up, Nikki or Ripley could be replaced. Nonetheless, Lynch will let her presence known sooner rather than later.
Follow me on Twitter: @ladarius_brown and read other amazing articles on Beyond Women’s Sports.
