WWE Clash of Champions 2019: Raw Women’s Championship match preview

The Man collides with The Boss at Clash of Champions in a match that’s been a long time coming.

Two very significant things happened at WrestleMania 35: Becky Lynch captured her first Raw Women’s Championship and Sasha Banks took a four-month hiatus from the company. At the time no one knew these two moments were going to culminate in an epic match at Clash of Champions. As of this writing, we’re only a few days removed from exactly that. “The Man” vs. “The Boss” almost writes itself, but so many components needed to come together to build this match into something extraordinary.

To start, we go back to NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable where Banks, as NXT Women’s Champion, put her title on the line against a much different Lynch. The two of them had formed an alliance known as Team B.A.E. (Best At Everything) but this match would be Lynch’s chance to break out on her own. The match was epic, as the two competitors gelled with chemistry which dictated pacing and story with little verbal cues. They just seemed to know what the other was thinking, which made for a great display in the ring and did indeed prove to be Lynch’s breakout performance.

Fast-forward to WrestleMania 35 and the rise of “The Man” as the centerpiece to Monday Night Raw‘s women’s division. With Ronda Rousey no longer an active competitor in WWE it left a void to fill for Lynch’s next opponent. A series of matches with upstart Lacey Evans, and a solid match against the underrated Natalya at SummerSlam would keep Lynch busy. But it wasn’t until Banks returned with a vengeance and went right after Lynch did a true threat to her title emerge. That first chair shot across Lynch’s back delivered by Banks immediately ignited that same chemistry from their time in NXT.

“Where’s your b—s now?” Banks would ask before slapping Lynch in the face to put the stamp on this brewing feud. Lynch had been calling out Banks ever since she’d taken time off from WWE, even saying she could no longer hack it during an interview with Sports Illustrated. Banks surely had those comments in mind when she slapped Lynch.

Now, a third component has made its way into the mix. Banks’ former tag team partner Bayley has sided with her best friend and the two of them have become a destructive duo. After attacking Lynch with a steel chair herself, Bayley has made her way onto Lynch’s Kill Bill style revenge list but she’ll have to get through Banks first which is going to be no easy task. And that’s the whole point of this match, which should blossom into a long-running program.

As a former four-time Raw women’s champion herself Banks is indeed a credible threat to Lynch. She has the momentum of a stellar return and is embracing the heel version of her Boss persona which suits her much better and offers a great antagonist to Lynch’s anti-hero.

Look for Lynch and Banks to tear down the house Sunday, September 15 at Clash of Champions.