Many news sources, including NoDQ.com, report that WWE plans to have Sasha Banks face Bayley for the WWE Women's Championship at Wrestlemania 33 in Orlando, Florida. The company plans to call Bayley up between September and October. Should the match take place at the "Showcase of the Immortals", Bayley would be slotted as the babyface and Banks as the heel. Both women have a storied history with one another going back to NXT.
Natural opponents
Both women will forever be linked from their time in NXT. Banks and Bayley were part of the famed "Four Horsewomen" in the developmental brand with Charlotte and Becky Lynch. All four women helped raise women's wrestling to a higher standard in WWE. All four women clashed in a fatal-4-way match for the NXT Women's Championship at NXT Takeover: Rival. Banks pinned Charlotte in arguably the best match on that show.
"The Boss" and "The Hugster" wouldn't face one another until NXT Takeover: Brooklyn last year. Banks and Bayley's title match was considered by many as the best match of Summerslam weekend. The faced off in a 30 minute Ironman match, which was the main event of NXT Takeover: Respect. Bayley defeated Banks 3 falls to 2 to retain her title. Banks migrated to the main roster for the critically maligned "Divas Revolution" storyline while Bayley stayed in developmental. Bayley carried Nia Jax to a good match at NXT: Takeover London. Bayley also carried Eva Marie to a barely passable match on NXT television, though it needed a lot of smoke and mirrors to get there. The San Jose native lost her title to Asuka at WrestleMania weekend. Bayley and Asuka's rematch is slated for NXT Takeover: Back II Brooklyn.
At WWE Battleground, Bayley and Banks teamed up to defeat then-Women's Champion Charlotte and Dana Brooke in Bayley's main roster debut. Bayley's appearance was only a one-time thing.
Thoughts
Even if the match doesn't happen at WrestleMania next year, it is inevitable that these two will face off in the future. Although they teamed up last month, a heel Banks is a natural foil for Bayley's underdog gimmick. If used the right way, Bayley can be the best babyface in the company, with Becky Lynch not far behind her. Banks gets plenty of cheers now but she can get the crowd against her when facing the right face character. These two have a good chance to top the Charlotte/Banks/Lynch threeway if given a chance.