The ongoing feud between WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus and future Hall of Famer Becky Lynch has had just the right cadence to reach its crescendo at the second-biggest show of the calendar year, SummerSlam. Once Lynch won the right for a rematch with Stratus by defeating Zoey Stark on the July 24 episode of Raw, it seemed like the two superstars were on a collision course for Detroit.
That’s what made the events of this week’s episode of Raw so perplexing. Lynch came out, feeling good, and asked the crowd in Houston why they couldn’t have the rematch right then and there. Stratus, in the finest heel tradition, replied that she had no intentions of doing that.
Adam Pearce begged to differ, and with the power vested in him by WWE, had the match start immediately. Stratus and Stark simply jumped Lynch right at the bell, however, giving The Man a DQ victory but fulfilling Trish’s obligation for a rematch. Or so she thought.
Pearce later informed her that she wouldn’t be able to wriggle out of facing Lynch so easily, and that she would have to take on Becky without Zoey in her corner — but in two weeks on Raw, not on SummerSlam.
According to Fightful Select (subscription required), SummerSlam was the target for the Lynch-Stratus showdown, but plans changed not long before Raw.
Fightful Select learned Monday night that the Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus match that was originally planned for Summerslam was delayed.
We’re told that things changed by this weekend regarding Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus, and that the match was discussed to be moved back to WWE Payback, before it was announced for August 14. The promo and match in totality was scheduled for only one segment on WWE Raw.
The outlet also shot down rumors that the change was made because Lynch had asked for time off around SummerSlam.
Speculation has now shifted to the possibility that either Lynch or Stratus is nursing a minor injury and wouldn’t have been at 100% for this weekend in Detroit. Still, with Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley also currently without a match, it appears SummerSlam will have only two women’s matches and keep some of its most high profile talent on the sideline, which is a surprising turn of events indeed.