How Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss Is Morphing into WWE SmackDown's Best Feud

Becky Lynch vs. Alexa Bliss has been all about WWE SmackDown handing two artists brushes and a canvas, and stepping out of the way to let them paint.

The clash for the SmackDown Women's Championship has been an exhibition of simple, smart booking. The heel feels the world is conspiring against her. The babyface has stood tall in the face of insults and ambushes.

And both Lynch and Bliss have made the most of the airtime WWE has allotted them.

As the enemies get set to to battle in a tables match at Sunday's TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view, it's clear their rivalry is among the blue brand's best.

The comedy act has worn thin with AJ Styles vs. Dean Ambrose. WWE is threatening to beat the James Ellsworth horse well after it expires.

It has taken its foot off the gas with the dramatic feud between The Miz and Dolph Ziggler. It has moved on from American Alpha vs. The Usos too soon.

Now, Lynch vs. Bliss is poised to be SmackDown's No. 1 rivalry. What has clicked so well with this story? How is it outshining its competition? 

The following is a dive into the feud's strengths and a projection of what's ahead for it. 

Clash of Characters

Beyond boasting the classic babyface-heel dynamic, Lynch and Bliss offer the ideal contrast of characters.

Lynch is noble and hard-working. She's likable, funny, the type of person you'd love to share a pint with. 

Bliss, on the other hand, is conniving and unscrupulous. She's cut from the same cloth as the sneering head cheerleader in high school who belittled everyone not in her inner circle. 

The juxtaposition of personalities has created great spark. Bliss and Lynch are a perfect fit as rivals.

And WWE has done well to exploit that. 

The enemies' verbal collisions have dug into Lynch and Bliss' differences. Bliss doesn't believe The Irish Lass Kicker has the right look to be champ. Lynch has called out her challenger's loose code of ethics.

That's led to compelling animosity between the two. Kyle Fowle of the A.V. Club tweeted back in October, "I love this Becky Lynch/Alexa Bliss feud. A lot of believable hate. Both performers bringing it."

That hate has remained believable and enthralling. Credit strong showings from both women for much of that.

Bliss' Growth

There is no shame in doubting Bliss was ready for prime time when SmackDown drafted her from NXT in July. She was an unfinished product. She had only been in WWE's developmental system since 2013.

But WWE trusted her early by putting her in a title feud with Lynch, and Bliss has come through in a major way.

Bliss has nailed many of her opportunities on the the mic. She's flourished as a cocky heel hungry to win a title. During the contract signing before the big match at TLC, for example, Bliss fired off scathing lines, expertly agitating the crowd.

"I know they didn't really teach you how to speak coherently on that potato farm," she told Lynch that night.

In moments like those, Bliss has looked fully worthy of her spot opposite Lynch. She has been strong in the ring, too. WWE treated her like a star, and Bliss proved the company right.

Cageside Seats called her "the steal of the WWE draft."

That impressive progress from the NXT call-up combined with Lynch's mastery of the babyface role has made the battle for the SmackDown Women's Championship highly compelling.

Matches Paced Out, Patience

As electric as Sasha Banks and Charlotte Flair's wars have been, many have criticized the repetitive nature of that rivalry. Raw has leaned heavily on those two women, leaving some tired of seeing the same two warriors clash.

Lynch vs. Bliss has been paced much differently.

Some of that is due to Lynch's undisclosed medical issue forcing WWE to press pause on the story. While Lynch was out briefly, Bliss locked horns with Naomi, temporarily diverting from the main narrative. 

Even after that, though, SmackDown has been selective about how often it pitted these rivals against each other.

Per CageMatch.net, Lynch and Bliss have clashed in just three one-on-one matches. Two of those came back in August. 

SmackDown has allowed anticipation to build between their battles. The TLC PPV marks just the second title match between these two, making it a more significant contest as a result.

WWE has also focused more on the verbal part of this feud. And the trash-talking between Lynch and Bliss has showcased their characters, making it easier to invest in who wins and loses. 

Projections

Bliss' chase for the championship will continue for a long stretch. The feud's momentum is still building. WWE still has several avenues to take with this tale.

In addition, SmackDown's women's division doesn't offer a plethora of other heel options to challenge Lynch. Carmella is still a work in progress. Eva Marie has been out shooting movies.

Expect WWE to stick with this rivalry well into 2017.

Bliss will ultimately fall short. Lynch remains the best overall female performer on the blue brand, and the company is likely to keep her the centerpiece of the women's division for the near future.

Meanwhile, rage born from losing will fuel Bliss. Count on her taking out her frustrations on a new foe in Natalya post-Lynch, with the pink-haired harpy coming out on top.