Looking At The Great Rivalry Between Becky Lynch & Alexa Bliss by Mike Sanchez

What constitutes a good feud? Whet elements are needed to develop a rivalry? For this past year, we’ve seen a lot of changes within WWE; the brand split, the debuts of several new stars, James Ellsworth, all memorable. But as big as some of the stories have been this year, some have gone under the radar and are proving that WWE is providing good content with great characters at a deeper level.

Smackdown staying at two hours and going out live was something I wanted to see. The injection of some new life into what was in danger of becoming a stale product. One worry I had was that the roster was smaller, but the talent pool within the women’s division was also shallow and I was concerned it would be considered an afterthought in the grand scheme of things.

How wrong I was.

I’ve made no secret that I find the women’s division to be one of the most improved parts of WWE in recent months. From excellent additions from NXT to real feuds between believable and talented personas. One such feud that hasn’t lost steam since beginning is that of Becky Lynch and Alexa Bliss.

Becky, the first woman drafted to Smackdown, was the ‘nearly girl’. Part of the four NXT horsewomen, she had lagged behind Charlotte and Sasha, yet a step ahead of Bayley who’d been left back in NXT. Becky didn’t change much as she grew on TV. She kept the steampunk look, the smile, the physicality and has improved leaps and bounds on the mic. She’s the definition of a fighting champion. One who would never use an excuse to miss a match and would always put the belt on the line, not out of pride, but to light the fire within her that would ensure she would never give up so easily on something she’s wanted and desired for years.

Becky is every little girl in the arena or watching on TV. She’s there for them and won’t roll over for anyone. Becky knows she’s different. She’s the foreigner in an unfamiliar land, but she won’t change for anyone and has worked damn hard to get to the top of the mountain. But to keep Becky’s stock high and the crowd behind her, she needs an adversary. Someone with heelish tendencies that can rile a crowd and keep Becky as the heroine. Step forward Alexa Bliss.

Bliss has made massive strides since arriving on the main roster. Her character, her mannerisms and those brilliant facial expressions enlarge her personality way beyond her diminutive figure. She’s a classic heel and portrays a bi*ch wonderfully.

What I like most about Bliss is her nuances, her sideways looks, sharp, quick wit and biting comments. Everyone hates her and she doesn’t care. The Harley Quinn look aside, she is different from other women wrestlers in that she doesn’t pander to anyone, doesn’t care what anyone thinks and only wants what she can get. The sneers to Becky and comments to the crowd are true heel traits and for someone who has been on the main roster for only a small amount of time, she has a real feel for the business.

Bliss is a classic bully; mocking Becky’s heritage, her accent, her look and picking them apart on live television. Laughing and chuckling at her own jokes, all to belittle the champion. It’s that skill of getting the crowd to hate you, being who you are, acting the part, whilst also developing the storyline of goading this proud champion into doing what you want, fighting you on your own terms and ultimately winning.

I worried for the women’s division on Smackdown and I worried for Becky, thinking she’d be left behind or isolated there. Bliss has given her a great foil to elevate both of them on which is regarded as the ‘better show’ for a lot of WWE fans. I’d go as far to say Alexa Bliss is one of the best newcomers to the WWE main roster this year, along with AJ, although Styles has the extensive experience behind him, Bliss has taken to the product like a duck to water.

I find myself more and more interested in how their feud will progress week after week. I don’t think it’s getting stale or tired; on the contrary, I want to see where it’s going. They put on high quality matches and do moves that we don’t see every week. It’s entertaining, it’s engaging and it’s what I want to see.

So to Becky and Alexa, I ask please can we see more and the longer this bickering rivalry continues, the more people will enjoy it.