Sasha Banks

WWE's Elimination Chamber pay-per-view is set for Sunday, so the stars of WWE Raw will hit the USA Network airwaves Monday looking to drum up excitement for a show that has seen its main events thrown together in short order.

We know Drew McIntyre will defend his WWE Championship inside the event's namesake bout and that the top contender to Roman Reigns' universal title will also be determined in the unforgiving confines of the steel structure.

Who will win those respective matches and the other contests already announced for the extravaganza?

Match Card and Predictions

• Elimination Chamber match for the WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre (c) vs. The Miz vs. Sheamus vs. AJ Styles vs. Randy Orton vs. Jeff Hardy (Prediction: McIntyre)
• No. 1 Contender's Elimination Chamber match: Kevin Owens vs. Cesaro vs. Daniel Bryan vs. King Corbin vs. Sami Zayn vs. Jey Uso (Prediction: Cesaro)
• Universal Championship match: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Winner of the SmackDown Chamber match (Prediction: Reigns)
• Raw Women's Championship match: Asuka (c) vs. Lacey Evans (Prediction: Evans)
• Triple Threat Match for the United States Championship: Keith Lee vs. Riddle vs. Bobby Lashley (c) (Prediction: Lashley)
  

Missing Superstars

Despite a star-studded lineup, there are still Superstars conspicuous in their absences.

Sasha Banks is one of the marquee performers in WWE and the SmackDown women's champion. While she may be gearing up for a WrestleMania showdown with Royal Rumble winner Bianca Belair, she has unfinished business with Carmella and her sommelier, Reginald.

Do not be surprised to see a match featuring The Boss and her top contender added to the card Friday.

Intercontinental champion Big E has a budding rivalry with Apollo Crews. While there is no indication that match will take place, perhaps Big E will issue an open challenge, only for Crews to again rear his head in an attempt to get another shot at the title.

Over on Raw, there is a wealth of female talent without a match on the show, thanks in large part to WWE not booking a women's Chamber on the card. Tag team champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler, Mandy Rose, Dana Brooke, Lana, Naomi and Charlotte Flair are all missing in action.

With that said, The Queen is likely to pop up during the Asuka-Lacey Evans contest because of her connections to both women in the title bout.

Cesaro Builds Momentum

On the surface, it would seem rather obvious that Kevin Owens will win the SmackDown Elimination Chamber match, receive an immediate championship opportunity against Reigns and somehow see his title aspirations go up in smoke. Again.

Not so fast.

Cesaro has been building momentum with every passing week, picking up big victories over Daniel Bryan. And Saturday on Talking Smack he delivered a promo that earned rave reviews across social media.

The Swiss Superman has long been one of the most extraordinarily talented workers in the business (and this writer's pick for the best wrestler in the world) so it is no surprise that the slightest hint of a push would generate excitement among fans.

Look for WWE to build on that feeling with a win inside the Elimination Chamber and a gutsy performance against Reigns, shaking off the effects of the gimmick match to come within seconds of winning the universal title before losing.

His push will continue well into the spring and resume after WWE books whatever it has in mind for Reigns at WrestleMania.

And few in the locker room have earned it more.

WWE SmackDown women's champion Sasha Banks will serve as the Daytona 500's honorary starter:

Banks is one of WWE's most decorated wrestlers, winning the Raw Women's Championship five times, the tag team title twice with Bayley and the NXT Women's Championship.

She most recently won the SmackDown belt in October at Hell in a Cell and defended it against Carmella at Royal Rumble.

The Daytona 500 is set to take place Sunday, Feb. 14, at 2:30 p.m. ET from Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Somewhere around the midway point of Sunday's Royal Rumble pay-per-view, one thing became crystal clear: After five years of Horsewomen, revolutions, Evolution, Rowdy and The Man, women's wrestling has surpassed men's in WWE.

On the surface, it sounds like a bold or reactionary claim, but the buildup to the Rumble, the execution of the women's match at the show and a look toward the future suggest it is not quite as outlandish as one may think.

The Build

The lead-in to the Royal Rumble highlighted a women's division in which there was a greater emphasis placed on storytelling and character development.

From Bianca Belair establishing her EST character by showing off her raw athleticism and unbridled confidence in her feud with Bayley, to Lacey Evans filling the role of evil stepmom as she targeted Charlotte Flair's father Ric, the women's division featured genuine storylines and characters that fans could invest in.

Love her or not, even Lana's story arc as the underdog who was repeatedly bullied by Nia Jax and put out of commission for weeks ahead of the Royal Rumble did immeasurable good for her character.

There was Billie Kay's struggle to fit in, Carmella's entitled champagne-sipping heel's quest to dethrone Sasha Banks, and Alexa Bliss' descent into darkness.

Meanwhile, so many of the male competitors were expected to go to the ring and battle it out for no real reason. Their characters were underdeveloped, storylines rushed or nonexistent, and it became more and more difficult to invest time or energy in them as a fan because they were so woefully underwritten.

The lack of star power and depth in the men's division, in particular, reared its head in the final week before the Rumble, where the winner was not obvious. Not because WWE had done such a fantastic job of setting up multiple victors, but because there was such a lack of genuinely credible performers that it was nearly impossible to pick one.

The Rumble

Then came the Rumble matches themselves. As usual, the women went first, tasked with delivering in the first of the pay-per-view namesake matches. 

They did not disappoint.

The women's Rumble match, the best incarnation WWE has produced since its introduction in 2018, was a brilliant presentation rife with the latest chapters in ongoing storylines, character work and a badass finish.

Kay's struggle to fit in, joining forces with former Divas champion Jillian Hall while still coming to the aid of her Riott Squad "friends" Ruby Riott and Liv Morgan, was phenomenal. Naomi wowed fans for nearly 50 minutes. 

Flair and Evans teed off in a brawl that spilled to the floor, Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax proved their friendship exists exclusively in regards to the women's tag team titles, and Lana avenged her months of torment by eliminating The Irresistible Force from the match.

And then there was the finish, a throwback to a year ago when Flair stood in the NXT ring alongside Belair and Rhea Ripley and essentially dubbed them the future of the business. Things came full-circle Sunday night as Ripley and Belair erased disappointing losses to The Queen and battled it out for the right to contend for championship gold at WrestleMania.

Conversely, the men's match failed to create the intrigue of its counterpart, nor did it contain as much character and storyline advancements.

Sure, there was the cool Bad Bunny spot and the emotional hug between Edge and Christian, but the match served as the perfect representation of all things wrong with WWE's creative process in regards to its jam-packed roster. It never made the audience care.

Guys did moves, there was a cool spot here or there, but the overall product lacked the excitement, emotion and feeling of greater things to come—no matter how much you may love Edge and his incredible comeback.

The Fut-Her

Women's wrestling is as healthy as it has ever been. 

WWE has a roster full of diverse, exciting talents. Flair, Bayley, Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch are the cornerstones of the division and will continue to be for many years to come. They are the godmothers of the sport and the measuring sticks. And rightfully so.

Unlike the men's roster, where there are a handful of stars around whom storylines and shows are built while everyone else just roams aimlessly waiting for an opportunity that may (or may not) come, WWE appears to have a clear direction for its female talent.

Belair, Ripley and Baszler are just three of the women poised to carry the mantle for years to come. Then there are NXT's Shotzi Blackheart, Dakota Kai and Toni Storm, all whom received exposure in the Rumble and have been major parts of that brand's efforts to get the next crop of talent ready for the main roster.

Kay has "breakout star" written all over her, while Carmella continues to make the most of any character or opportunity presented to her.

Can you realistically look at the men's roster right now and unequivocally state that any male talent is absolutely destined to be a star given the inconsistent booking of most call-ups from NXT?

Make no mistake about it, the WWE creative process is anything but perfect. Even women like Asuka and Baszler, who were dominant in NXT but struggled at times in WWE, receive ample television time and opportunity.

The same cannot be said for some like Aleister Black and Ricochet, whose talents have been wasted in a company large enough to build all of the stars but would rather focus only on the tippy-top performers.

Taking the effort put into the division, the care both writers and performers have shown the characters and stories, and the ever-evolving in-ring performances, it is not difficult to see a scenario in which women continue to set the standard for sports-entertainment in WWE.

Will Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre still dominate and main-event pay-per-views? Absolutely. It has always been that way and until women are given consistent opportunities to headline those shows and prove fans will flock to see them, it will remain that way.

But a main event does not make an entire roster and right now, based on character, opportunity, in-ring output and attention to storytelling details, there is no denying the women's division within WWE has far eclipsed men—with no signs of slowing down or reversing course.

For WWE, the future is bright and the future is women.

Bianca Belair and Edge each outlasted 29 other Superstars to win the 2021 Royal Rumble matches, granting them title shots against the champions of their choosing at WWE WrestleMania 37.

Both scratched and clawed from the early stages of their contests, with Belair as the third entrant and The Rated-R Superstar going the distance from entry No. 1, proving they have what it takes to present the best possible challenges to these champions.

But which champions will they pick? Are the current titleholders even likely to retain those belts ahead of WrestleMania? What are the smart bets on the matches that will take place at The Showcase of the Immortals?

NXT is Not an Option

Last year's women's Royal Rumble winner, Charlotte Flair, was goaded into picking NXT women's champion Rhea Ripley. It proved to be worth The Queen's while, as she took Ripley's spot atop the black-and-gold brand's women's division.

This year, it's unlikely NXT is even acknowledged, let alone chosen by either Belair or Edge.

There been little interaction between NXT and the Raw and SmackDown rosters as of late. NXT wasn't even involved in Survivor Series, for instance, and the language has reverted back to Raw and SmackDown being the "main roster" while NXT isn't considered on the same level.

That's a shame, but since NXT is still technically the developmental brand, it's also understandable. As such, both Belair and Edge shouldn't step down despite how great their potential opponents could be.

Edge vs. Finn Balor (or possibly Pete Dunne or Karrion Kross, if they take the title from him soon enough) and Belair vs. Io Shirai or the Superstars chasing her championship could be great, but this needs to be a Raw and SmackDown affair this year.

Bank on The Boss

At the moment, Belair's options are Asuka for the Raw Women's Championship and Sasha Banks for SmackDown's top title. Neither The Empress of Tomorrow nor The Boss is a bitter rival of Belair, so there's no need for her to go straight after either of them.

However, the smart money is on Banks being Belair's choice for numerous reasons.

Given the state of the women's division on Friday nights, Belair has been a focal point since being traded in the 2020 WWE draft. WWE hasn't put the spotlight on anyone else but Bayley, Banks and Carmella, who were all already there and are former champions.

The Street Profits even swapped tag team titles with The New Day as a convoluted means of keeping Montez Ford on the same brand as his wife, meaning Belair on SmackDown was a priority above even the men's tag team divisions having an easier transition.

It wouldn't make sense for Belair to go back to Raw, leaving Banks with no contenders worthy of facing her at WrestleMania since all her options wouldn't be of a high-enough profile unless she was to have yet another rematch with Bayley.

Raw's women's division, unfortunately, doesn't seem to revolve much around Asuka. Over this past year, she's taken a backseat to so many others that it's doubtful she will hold the title come WrestleMania. Instead, it's likely to pass over to Flair, who could rekindle her feud with Ripley through Elimination Chamber and Fastlane to set up something for the red brand's title.

Belair vs. Banks also presents a clash of similar styles. Both are incredibly confident, passionate and agile women who are always dressed to stun and have the skills to back up their attitudes. They have teamed up several times over the past few months, which can be used as a foundation to tell the story of their rapport and how they respect each other, but neither one will back down in the face of the challenge.

Edge is Harder to Decipher

With Edge, the choice is much less clear. An argument can be made for him to face either Drew McIntyre or Roman Reigns, assuming they are still the champions by the time WrestleMania comes around.

If Belair does go with Banks, WWE may want Edge to challenge the Raw champion. That way, there's one Royal Rumble focus on each show, which helps balance the stories being told. It avoids having Elimination Chamber and Fastlane focus on establishing No. 1 contenders for the same brand while the other show simply waits around for the inevitable.

On the other hand, if both Royal Rumble winners spend the next few months on SmackDown, that may make Fox happy. More star power is never a bad thing, and Edge is a proven commodity who has arguably made SmackDown more of his home in the past than Raw.

Perhaps WWE wants to tell a story of dueling spears given Edge and Reigns have the same finisher and only one can prevail. Then again, the universal champion has been winning matches more with the guillotine submission as of late, which lessens that impact.

Edge vs. McIntyre would be interesting, but it presents challenges. The Scottish Warrior is a staunch babyface. Pairing him with The Rated-R Superstar forces one to play more of a heel role, which may not be the best move for either of them.

Fans will likely gravitate toward rooting for Edge to win, as he's the legend with the comeback story and something different to the guy who's held the title for pretty much all of the past year. That puts McIntyre in a position where his stock goes down if he were to retain the belt, and people would be upset that WWE didn't give Edge the victory.

A heel turn for McIntyre would solve that problem. But why turn him if Reigns is already a perfectly good heel option available without going through that effort?

McIntyre can still fight Sheamus if their friendship implodes, Bray Wyatt could move on from his feud with Randy Orton to focus on the title or someone else can be built up in the next two months to pose a viable challenge. Even someone like John Cena could swoop in and fight McIntyre if need be.

Reigns doesn't have many options on SmackDown other than Daniel Bryan, who may be in line to fight Seth Rollins based on The Messiah eliminating him in the Royal Rumble and taking away that title opportunity.

That could lead to nothing, but so much focus was put on Bryan never having won a Royal Rumble that if he won an Elimination Chamber match or another arbitrary No. 1 contender's contest, it wouldn't feel as important and his match with Reigns would be overshadowed.

Also, the more The Tribal Chief talks about the responsibility of putting food on everyone's table, the clearer his direction becomes. He would argue that Edge shouldn't challenge him because he doesn't want to be the guy who puts Edge back on the shelf, unable to provide for his family—but he's prepared to do it, if need be.

There's no clear story to be told with Edge vs. McIntyre. However, that could be its benefit, as WWE might have something surprising up its sleeve about those two.

If Edge leaves Raw, he gets away from Orton. That may be a positive, as eliminating him in the Royal Rumble could be the conclusion to their feud and both can move on. Then again, that sacrifices a more definitive finish for the sake of new opponents, so your mileage may vary on which is better.

Ultimately, Belair vs. Banks seems like a guarantee, while Edge's choice is up in the air. It could become clear as day the moment Monday Night Raw begins, or it may be dragged out on The Road to WrestleMania.

There may be more reasons to expect Edge to challenge Reigns, but a match with McIntyre could be just as fun and interesting to see.

Anthony Mango is the owner of the wrestling website Smark Out Moment and the host of the podcast show Smack Talk on YouTube, iTunes and Stitcher. You can follow him on Facebook and elsewhere for more.