Has WWE Sabotaged the Ronda Rousey vs. Becky Lynch Match at ‘Survivor Series’?

Becky Lynch will face Ronda Rousey at WWE Survivor Series on Sunday, November 18. The match is part of the company’s Raw versus SmackDown Live theme, which continues to be a major point of interest for many fans.

That’s especially true of Lynch and Rousey. This match will be Ronda’s toughest test to date because Becky is on top of her game. It’s not about whether or not Rousey can legitimately go hold for hold with a technician like Becky. It’s about whether or not Ronda’s inexperience will be evident during the match. But then there’s the company, who could legitimately sabotage the match before it even happens.

At this point, it seems ridiculous to think that WWE would not understand how to handle lightning when it strikes. This match definitely fits that description. WWE has two women’s champions. One is the SmackDown Women’s champion, the world traveled pro wrestler that is so popular, she can’t get over as a heel. She’s extremely talented, she’s highly respected and more importantly, she knows how to handle herself. 

On the other side is the Raw Women’s champion, the MMA-trained fighter that has never seen an armbar she didn’t like. She can arguably tap out anyone on the roster, male or female. Ronda is the epitome of a natural because she seamlessly combines the best of both worlds. She’s farther along in her pro wrestling career than many fans likely believed she would be and she can only get better.

Watch Becky backstage after Evolution:

Becky Lynch's huge win is a warning to all women on every roster: WWE Exclusive, Oct. 28, 2018

Becky is the real deal and her peers recognize her as being one of the best in the business. Ronda is the most famous female athlete in the world and she brings an intensity that cannot be taught. This is the perfect pairing and it’s a match that fans perhaps never knew they wanted but it’s now going to happen. So why is WWE posting pics of the two together online?

It’s not as though their characters are friendly toward each other. In fact, the single interaction they had was not exactly cordial. Both women were cautious, as if they were sizing each other up. It was clear that Lynch, being the powder keg that she is, could potentially explode at any moment. Of course if she does that against Rousey, who can go into beast mode whenever necessary, then she’s in for a fight.

But the pic of them backstage at Evolution is making the rounds and many fans are more than upset about it. Why break kayfabe? Why take a perfectly good main event match with organic heat that can only get hotter and douse it with ice water? Are fans to believe that the two women had a nice conversation backstage before they appeared on camera together? Or did the convo happen after they exchanged words?

Or is the real reason due to the fact that WWE is “just a TV show?” Many are echoing those words right now in response to the pic. It’s an understandable reaction to some extent because yes, the men and women of WWE are indeed playing roles every time they appear on the screen. However those roles are not simply parts that the performers play when a director yells “action!” 

Watch Becky confront Ronda backstage:

Becky Lynch confronts Ronda Rousey after WWE Evolution: Raw, Oct. 29, 2018

Fans expect pro wrestlers to get in character and stay in character. It’s an accepted practice and it’s happened for years in the business. But in this modern era, is it really surprising that kayfabe once again takes a backseat to pulling back the curtain?

This is what WWE does best. The company offers intensity, drama and emotion and these factors play out in a 20×20 ring. WWE wants the audience to feel the moment, to embrace the characters involved and to get connected to the product. A solid wrestling match in WWE has the ability to not only entertain but to also inspire. Yet every time the company delivers on that premise, it seems to suddenly take a step back.

In WWE’s haste to give fans a glimpse of life behind the scenes, the art of kayfabe suffers. For many fans, kayfabe has been dead for years. The irony is that if anyone involved wants to see it make a comeback, it’s the audience. Pro wrestling functioned and even thrived, because of a strict adherence to kayfabe. The average fan may have believed something wasn’t right but it was never confirmed by the promotion.

But now, the promotion insists on reminding fans of the illusion at every turn. WWE cares more about being an entertainment company than a professional wrestling company. The fans know this and they always have. Whether or not they agree may, or may not, make a difference in the budding rivalry between Rousey and Lynch.

Watch Becky on SmackDown:

Becky Lynch has a warning for Ronda Rousey: SmackDown LIVE, Oct. 30, 2018

Perhaps the best question is can one photo actually derail the match before it happens? Is it possible that fans no longer care about Becky versus Ronda because the intensity is gone? Is that really what’s happening with the pic at this point? Maybe fans are overreacting. Or maybe they have a legitimate complaint. Either way, this match is indeed going to happen at Survivor Series. 

So while WWE throws unnecessary curves at the audience, the fans are trying to move past them and get to the subject at hand. Both Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch take a great deal of pride in what they do. They also share a commitment to delivering maximum effort between the ropes every time the bell rings. 

No, Ronda is not on Becky’s level and she may never be. But when it comes to shining bright in the ring and giving fans a memorable match they will talk about for years? There’s arguably no one better at doing just that in the women’s division than Becky Lynch. She will elevate Ronda Rousey perhaps more than any other opponent Ronda’s fought thus far. The fact is that Lynch versus Rousey is a dream match that no one seemed to be dreaming of and now everyone seems to want it. Anticipation for this bout can only grow from here, despite any interference from the company that is presenting it.

 

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes,YouTube, iHeart Radio, boinkstudios.com and live every Friday at 12pm EST on Wrestling Rumors Facebook Live