WWE SummerSlam 2017: Alexa Bliss vs. Sasha Banks highlights and result

RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss battled Sasha Banks Sunday night at the 30th annual WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view. Here are the highlights.

As WWE SummerSlam marches on, so too does another title match. It was not the plan for Sasha Banks to be the No. 1 contender to Alexa Bliss’ RAW Women’s Championship. However, after Bayley sustained an injury several weeks ago, Banks was able to become the challenger this past Monday. And so, Banks, who has never walked out of a Pay-Per-View as champion, battled Little Miss Bliss at Barclays Center.

Bliss and Banks previously fought at the Great Balls of Fire event. It was there that Alexa retained her title via disqualification. The animosity between the two women never truly quelled. So despite the quick turnaround, Banks and Bliss brought fury with them against each other. Would Bliss walk out of Brooklyn as champ? Or would Banks become a four-time champion? Let’s check out some of the highlights.

The back and forth affair reached a critical point late. Alexa tossed Sasha out of the ring, and The Boss would land awkwardly on her shoulder. Banks, however, would fight on through the pain despite a heavy attack dished out by Bliss. The RAW Women’s Champion then found herself at the mercy of the Bank Statement for a second time.

Banks would pull back for leverage, and it would be all she wrote. She submitted to the hold, and Sasha Banks is now the RAW Women’s Champion.

This was certainly the right call. Had Bliss retained, she would’ve taken down Bayley and Banks within the last few months. With no face challengers nearly ready to take her on, a Banks win tips the scales and allows for more diverse options. Banks can fight Bliss in a return bout; she can face Nia Jax to continue a feud that’s been going since January; or perhaps she could face Emma.

Those possibilities led this to be the proper decision. Also, that Sasha Banks needed to win a singles Pay-Per-View title match. She had yet to throughout her celebrated stint on the main roster. In fact, the last time she walked out of a PPV/Network Special as champion was at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable. That event took place all the way back in May 2015.

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The match itself was good, not great. The finish seemed slightly abrupt. They could have, perhaps, waited and built a little more drama. Both Bliss and Banks are certainly capable of more, and WWE fans may get more as the weeks and months progress. Congratulations to The Boss.