The evolution of Becky Lynch as one of WWE’s most marketable commodities has been extraordinary, but has the booking of the ‘Lass Kicker’ jeopardised her would-be defining moment at Wrestlemania?
As much as WWE have chased Conor McGregor for the obvious publicity that comes with him, they’ve organically stumbled upon an equally marketable superstar in Rebecca Quin, or Becky Lynch, as she’s stylised.
Her rise from NXT through to the main roster, with a heel turn that’s seen her compared to the badass nature of Stone Cold Steve Austin, has been astronomical, and the spotlight placed on her has done more for gender equality in wrestling than any executive decision to green-light a gender-specific pay per view.
She’s got red hair, she has a thick Irish accent and her reign of dominance wasn’t exactly as lengthy as people may have predicted.
But the over-reliance on title reigns to signify greatness has long been WWE’s biggest misstep when managing their talent. Of course, a title is the ultimate aim, but Lynch has something that the vast majority of her colleagues don’t have – and that’s the charisma to carry a title-less storyline into the grandest stage of them all – Wrestlemania.
Lynch’s progression from sweet little Irish girl who was seen as a novelty act began to deteriorate as her in-ring ability shone through, but typically – WWE is about more than that, and the in-ring work doesn’t always provide you with the just rewards, or, in fact, the adoration of the masses.
As she grew more comfortable in her own skin, Lynch relaxed more and embraced the brashly-spoken Irish tone that she grew up with.
Being born in Limerick and living in Dublin all your life is enough exposure to biting accents for any human being, after all.
Her heel turn propelled her into the next level, where her in-ring ability played second fiddle to her psychology, and that’s the key ingredient to getting over with modern audiences.
As the internet has informed us more and more, wrestling for purists is about performance in-ring, but the sentiment associated with what is essentially a soap opera can be lacking at the best of times.
By taking the Smackdown Women’s title off Lynch at Tables, Ladders and Chairs, it allows ‘The Man’ to find herself once more and not be obsessed with gold. She can go on a journey through the realms of emotional maturity, win the Royal Rumble and get the biggest pop of anyone come Wrestlemania time in April.
If Vince McMahon and co are intelligent, this is the route they’ll take.
Lynch can carry other wrestlers on her back – literally and metaphorically – but to see her four-month story end in winning her title back from a competitor they’ll ultimately build up to be unbreakable again will be the feel-good moment the company needs.
This, in all likelihood, is what will come just before Brock Lesnar wins in boring fashion yet again.
Becky Lynch is WWE’s ticket to cashing in on natural talent – a once in a generation type – and they would do well to see her trajectory land her back at the top table at the Showcase of the Immortals.
PaddyPower.com’s odds are a knockout