The WWE Women’s Tag-Team Champions Sasha Banks and Naomi seemingly had different opinions regarding the creative idea before last night’s Monday Night RAW. There have been various reports circulating about the tag-team and it even noted they had a confrontation with the WWE Chairman Vince McMahon over their issue.
WWE also issued an official statement about the incident. Banks and Naomi also had words with the boss. In the official statement from the company, it was noted that Sasha Banks and Naomi dropped their tag titles on the desk of John Laurinaitis and left the building. Their exit led to the plans for the main event to be up in the air.
WWE decided to change the main event
The original plan was for Sasha Banks, Naomi, Becky Lynch, Asuka, Doudrop, and Nikki A.S.H. to compete for a shot at Belair’s title. Once Sasha and Naomi left the venue, things were up in the air. WWE decided to go with a singles match between Becky Lynch and Asuka to determine a new #1 contender.
On the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer talked about the reason for WWE dropping Doudrop and Nikki from the bout. Dave noted that given the late notice, it made more sense to present a singles contest. Becky and Asuka already had a match ready that they have been working during recent house shows.
“There’s going to be heat in the sense that they walked out as the show was going on. The show opened, they announced the main event, and then, whatever it was, 45 minutes into the show, they just sort of said, ‘Oh, Naomi and Sasha Banks left,’ and there’s no explanation, no even attempt at an explanation why the other two women, Nikki and Doudrop, were taken out other than, I would guess the idea is at that late of a notice…
They knew Asuka and Becky Lynch have been working matches. Not a lot, but they worked at the house shows already. I think they worked two matches this weekend. So they were ready. They have a match ready. I know some people were just like, ‘Oh before people would show up five minutes before the match and be able to do it,’ but you know, it’s a four-way and they wanted to be safe. I don’t really know, given that with Naomi out and the decision, that Asuka was going over, I don’t know that Nikki and Doudrop add anything to the match anyway, so it was probably in that sense.
It weakens the match in a main event situation and the direct singles match is a better match to main event the show. At that point, that was probably the best way to go. They were probably in there to do the job or shoot an angle or something like that that wasn’t really necessary anymore.”
It was Asuka, who emerged victorious in the headlining bout of the night and she will now face Bianca Belair for the WWE RAW Women’s Championship.
