A 30-minute Ironman match -- or Iron Woman, depending who you ask -- featuring Charlotte Flair and Raw Women's Champion Sasha Banks highlights what is arguably the most stacked, explosive fight card of the year for the WWE.
Rumors are floating around that the ladies had other ideas for their championship fight: A Ladder Match or Steel Cage Bout. The thing is, coming off the Tables, Ladders and Chairs pay-per-view, the WWE's creative team apparently wanted to take a break from "no disqualification" gimmicks, and focus on the technical side of the sport.
Letting Banks and Flair, two of the most talented female athletes in pro wrestling, show off their technical skills for 30 minutes is absolutely the right move. This way, the ladies will have ample time to win fans over with high-level wrestling and crisp technique. They won't have to rely on any wacky gimmicks to earn a pop from the fans.
The promotion is wrapping up 2016 with a bang, bringing the "Roadblock: End of the Line" pay-per-view spectacular to Pittsburgh's PPG Paints Arena on Dec. 18. Not only does the card have a title fight that could wrap up the long-running feud between Charlotte and the "Legit Boss," but it also includes a scrap pitting Kevin Owens against Roman Reigns.
Owens, the reigning WWE Universal Champion, will need to bring his A-game if he's to retain his title. "The Big Dog" has looked rejuvenated and reinvigorated lately, ever since getting pushed down to mid-card status. His match with Owens could be his best opportunity to climb back towards the top of the roster, and get back in the good graces of WWE Universe.
At one point, it was a foregone conclusion that Reigns would someday replace John Cena as the top babyface in the company. Now, that possibility isn't quite so certain. Reigns had to overcome a suspension for a wellness violation earlier this year, and earn back the trust of the WWE's fan base. Heading into 2017, he's trying to inch back to his former role as a perennial title contender.
Beating Owens, and turning in a strong performance, could get him back to where he was in 2015. Elsewhere on the "Roadblock" card, Seth Rollins collides with Chris Jericho, in a feud that will likely roll over into 2017.
