Examining Becky Lynch's Direction, Upside and Long-Term Potential

Becky Lynch is proof that if you tear the house down enough, WWE starts to build around you.

Early in the year, it looked like Lynch was simply a transitional challenger for Charlotte. The WrestleMania money match was going to be Charlotte vs. Sasha Banks. But the fiery warrior was so compelling as the babyface chasing down the Divas Championship that WWE simply had to reevaluate.

Banks and Lynch battled a number of times to crown a new No. 1 contender. Draws and no-contests didn't decide anything, though.

And so the Lass Kicker now finds herself poised to be a part of a Triple Threat for the title. Lynch vs. Banks vs. Charlotte promises to be the biggest women's match in WrestleMania history. 

Placing her in this title bout at the most important show of the year is recognition of how much she has thrived in recent months. During the first stages of the Divas Revolution, Lynch was an afterthought. Quality matches and an engrossing personality had her catch fire, however.

In the midst of the build to WrestleMania, Lynch is more than holding her own as the three rivals bicker ahead of that showdown. She is a star in a loaded division.

Her future will largely depend on whether WWE decides to continue showcasing its women and whether the company will recognize the depth of the Divas division and change its approach accordingly.

Strengths

In an era with a number of talented mat workers in the women's division, Lynch ranks as one of the best.

She's fluid, explosive and leans on technical prowess to produce in the ring. She's a skilled submission artist and storyteller. WWE can expect plenty of standout bouts in the future.

From her title match against Banks at TakeOver: Unstoppable to her battle with Charlotte on SmackDown earlier this year, Lynch has shown herself to be a top-notch performer in big spots.

At NXT, it took a few months before that talent fully emerged, though. She grew more comfortable and confident over time and rose up the NXT ranks. The same pattern unfolded on the main roster, with her needing a few months before she started kicking her ring work into high gear.

What has really endeared her to crowds has been her passion and personality.

She's a natural fan favorite—likable, funny or intense when needed. In January, Geno Mrosko of Cageside Seats called her the "best babyface in WWE."

Jim Ross wrote of her on his blog, "Becky Lynch may be the unsung, biggest evolving female star on the roster. She has the 'it' factor that is essential for getting over."

Lynch has also emerged as one of the division's best talkers. When she is zeroed in on the goal in front of her—be it revenge or championship gold—it's easy to buy into her desire. And it's easy to root for her. 

Obstacles

Like every other woman on the roster, Lynch will have an uphill climb to get airtime. WWE has certainly shown progress in that department in the last year, but Lynch and her peers are still forced to tell compact stories in the ring.

As seen on CageMatch, Lynch has had seven matches last under four minutes this year so far.

But WWE will have to eventually shift how it books women. The roster will be too replete with female talent to not feature more women at a time and give them longer match times to work with. That surplus of stardom on the women's side will also make Lynch work for her share of the stage.

Once Bayley and Asuka make it to the main roster, Lynch will have to both compete with those newcomers as well as Paige, Charlotte and Banks. Not all of those women can sit on the top tier. Not every one of them will be the female Steve Austin or The Rock of this era.

Credit: WWE.com

Banks has more presence and feels like more of a star than Lynch. Paige is a better mic worker. Bayley has a stellar crowd connection.

But Lynch is enough of a complete package to make her way through that gauntlet and rise to the top rungs of the division for years to come.

Long-Term Potential

Envisioning Lynch becoming champion is easy. That feels inevitable. Her ceiling, though, is well above that point.

Lynch can be just as much of a trailblazer as Banks and Charlotte. She can be a wrestler who rewrites the rules book on women's wrestling. With the right story and opponent, she could headline pay-per-views.

When she and Charlotte collided in early 2016 for the Divas title, champion and challenger became the best thing WWE had going. As Kevin Berge of Questionable Critics pointed out, the feud transcended the Divas division:

Expect more of that in the future. A Lynch vs. Asuka rivalry would be stellar. The story of Lynch desperately hanging on to the championship as a heel Paige looks to rip it from her has major potential, too.

It will not be easy with so many other talented wrestlers competing for the same mountaintop as her, but Lynch is fully capable of becoming the cornerstone of the women's division. The one guarantee is that watching her battle her way to that spot will be excellent TV.

Be sure to check out previous editions of this ongoing series:

• Neville
• Adam Rose
• Luke Harper
• Tyler Breeze
• Sasha Banks