SummerSlam (2016)

After a remarkable back-and-forth duel on Raw that left the WWE Universe breathless and resulted in a new torchbearer for the Women’s division, WWE Women’s Champion Sasha Banks and Charlotte are set to do it all over again when they face off in a title rematch at SummerSlam. All the female Superstars of SmackDown Live — from the neon-lit Naomi and arm-wrenching Becky, to the veteran "Queen of Harts" Natalya and WWE newcomers Carmella and Alexa Bliss — are looking to make an impression on General Manager Daniel Bryan and Commissioner Shane McMahon as they contemplate the future of their brand’s Women’s division.

## RAW Women's Championship: Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks (c)

Sasha Banks could not counter Charlotte’s ruthlessness at SummerSlam, where the second-generation challenger picked up her second WWE Women’s Championship without the aid of her protégé Dana Brooke.

After Sasha seemed to take control of the bout in the early goings, Charlotte managed to trap the champion in the corner and drop her from the top rope to the canvas, folding Sasha in half and injuring The Boss’ lower back.

Sasha attempted to fight through the pain, but each near-fall seemed to take a little bit more out of the champion as she not only defended her title, but the dream she’d chased since she was 10 years old. It was that perseverance that saved her from a top-rope Razor’s Edge maneuver from Charlotte, which Sasha reversed into a stunning hurricanrana.

Once back in the fight, Sasha exchanged clubbing blows and stinging slaps with the cunning challenger. Sasha soon had Charlotte on the defensive, hitting her with double knees in the corner, a rope-assisted Boston crab and an aerial assault to the floor that brought Barclays Center to its feet.

Evading Natural Selection, Sasha nearly put Charlotte away with an excruciating Bank Statement that pushed the challenger to the point of desperation. Charlotte finally connected with Natural Selection moments later for a two-count.

Frustration mounting, Charlotte sought to humiliate the champion with more slaps across the face, and it was this brazen show of disrespect that spurred Sasha to trap her opponent in a match-ending Bank Statement. Unfortunately, Charlotte was able to reverse the maneuver into a pinning predicament that forced Sasha’s shoulders to the canvas. Three seconds later, Charlotte became WWE Women’s Champion a second time.

Charlotte, who has now won 14 out of her 16 pay-per-view matches in WWE, now looks to surpass her 114-day WWE Women’s Title reign as Sasha remains in close pursuit of the crown jewel of Raw’s Women’s division. But for now, anyway, The Boss bows to “the queen.”

## Six-Woman Tag Team Match

With Eva Marie recuperating from anxiety and stress brought on by the WWE Universe, many thought Natalya and Alexa Bliss were at a disadvantage heading into what was supposed to be a Six-Woman Tag Team Match at SummerSlam. However, the third-generation Superstar and the SmackDown Live newcomer had an ace up their sleeves to even the odds. Nikki Bella joined the two competitors, returning from a neck injury that kept her out of action for nearly a year to guide her team to victory over Becky Lynch, Naomi & Carmella.

The Barclays Center came unglued when the star of the upcoming E! reality show “Total Bellas” arrived, but it did not seem to give her team the upper hand in the early moments of the match, as Natalya fell victim to exciting offense from The Princess of Staten Island and Naomi.

The tide turned when Nikki tagged into the match and planted Carmella into the canvas with a spinebuster, then showed that she was feeling “Fearless” and in peak physical condition by banging out a few push-ups. The trio of Bella, Bliss & Natalya trapped Carmella in their corner, wearing down The Princess of Staten Island and preventing her partners from tagging into the bout.

Carmella was able to scurry away from Natalya and send the Irish Lass-Kicker into action. Becky hurled her rivals around with aplomb as bodies flew across the ring in a flurry of Bexploder Suplexes. The bout soon broke down, with all six women brawling in the squared circle. When the dust settled, Nikki Bella clobbered The Princess of Staten Island with a hard elbow, following up with a TKO to pick up the victory.

The former two-time Divas Champion has made a statement to the rest of the women on the SmackDown Live roster — Nikki Bella is back and better than ever.