Here are those backstage reports on how Vince McMahon sees the Raw Women’s division you’ve been looking for

Well, we all knew it was coming.

Stories of the how and why of their booking have been as much of a staple of the Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte Flair feud as title changes, so it’s no surprise that, a couple days after their story ended (for now) at Roadblock, we’re getting reports about not only the finish of the Iron Man match, but also plans for the Women’s championship from there to WrestleMania 33.

These items are floating around the dirt screens in various forms, but all originate from Monday, Dec. 19’s Wrestling Observer Radio (which, love or hate Dave Meltzer, is why we always say “subscription required but recommended” if you want to hear these things from the source):

• Vince McMahon thought the regulation finish of Sasha & Charlotte’s match in Pittsburgh, where Banks withstood the Figure Four leg lock for a minute and a half but tapped when Flair bridged to the Figure Eight with only two seconds left to send it to sudden death overtime, would be a bigger moment than it turned out to be. The idea was the crowd would go crazy rooting for the Boss to hold on and be deflated when she tapped. Numerous voices backstage argued against the plan, but Vince stuck to his guns.
• Sasha’s third title win and the Roadblock match were done to postpone the start of Bayley vs. Charlotte, which McMahon sees as the money feud. There were never plans for Banks to have a long championship reign.
• That’s because Vince isn’t “high on” Sasha for a variety of reasons, and thinks Bayley is more over as a babyface. He also thinks Flair is a better heel, which is why he wants their program to run on the road to Mania, with Bayley’s first big match coming at a major show in Royal Rumble and the feud peaking in Orlando.

There you go. The plan of intentionally “deflating” a crowd doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me, unless WWE is committed to a long-term Sasha comeback story. But why plot a long-term angle for someone you’re not “high on”?

Whether these reports are 100% accurate or not, there’s also a question of how some fans might react to Bayley being outed as a Vince favorite. That’s led to rocky reactions for stars like Roman Reigns in the past, but there are plenty of reasons why the Hugster might be treated differently. Still, some salty Sasha supporters might respond negatively.

Time will tell. Let the debates begin.