WWE unveiled a new logo for NXT during this week’s episode of the show and signaled the brand’s return to its Black and Gold roots. Like many other people, Bayley also felt good to see the show reverting back to a more familiar aesthetic.
The former Women’s Champion recently had an interview with In The Kliq. When asked about the new logo, she noted that she doesn’t know what it exactly means. Though according to the former NXT star, she is proud of the talent there regardless:
“I don’t know exactly what that means for a change. They just changed the logo back. It just felt good to see that again. But the whole roster there is killing it.” said Bayley, “I’m so proud of all the girls. I’ve been able to spend so much time there during my rehab and gotten to know a lot of the guys, gotten to know a lot of the girls. Watch them train, watch how hard they work.
So I don’t think it really matters what it’s called, whether it’s called 2.0 and it has some paint splashed on it, or whether it’s old black and gold. What they’re doing in the ring doesn’t change. They’re just making everyone proud that came from there and they’re just gonna continue to do so.”
Bayley supports Sasha Banks and Naomi “100 percent, no matter what” amidst their current hiatus from WWE.
Back on the May 16 episode of Monday Night RAW, both Banks and Naomi, then the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, walked out of RAW over creative differences. The pair were subsequently suspended, and even the commentary team took some shots at the pair on live TV.
There were reportedly plans for both Banks and Naomi to enter into storylines for the RAW and SmackDown Women’s Titles, while remaining Tag Team Champions, but both losing their respective title pursuits. This was something seen as disrespectful, prompting the walkout.
In their absence, new Tag Team Champions have been crowned, and a new team has hit the scene. That being the returning Bayley, along with Dakota Kai, and IYO SKY.
This weekend at Clash At The Castle in Wales, the trio will take on Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, and Asuka.
WWE.com
Recently, Bayley spoke to Sports Illustrated to hype up the pay-per-view (PPV), and was asked about the ongoing situation with Banks and Naomi. The RAW star said she supports her friends “100 percent.”
“I haven’t thought about whether they would join or whether we would be against them, but something would arise,” Bayley said. “I just want them to know I support them 100 percent, no matter what.”
With Vince McMahon now out at WWE, Banks and Naomi are reportedly expected to return “any week now,” as their issues were with the former Chairman. It will be interesting to see how WWE decides to re-introduce the pair when the time comes.
Bayley has confirmed that she paid tribute to her longtime rival and real-life friend Sasha Banks during her match on this week’s episode of Raw.
The former women’s champion competed in a match against Aliyah. She defeated the young star after a short fight on this week’s episode of the Red Branded show.
She later took on her Instagram to share video of a moment from her bout. It was a recreation of a spot from her famous NXT Takeover: Brooklyn match against Sasha Banks:
https://www.instagram.com/p/ChmlTgHOs4k
Bayley and Sasha Banks
Bayley and Sasha Banks have been crossing paths since their days in NXT. The two alongside Charlotte and Becky Lynch became known as the Four Horsewomen.
It was during this time that the two had a highly praised match at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn in 2015. This bout inspired many young females to pursue a career in wrestling, including a current NXT star as well.
The two continued their love hate relationship after being called up to the main roster. They even became the Inaugural Women’s Tag Team Champions when the titles were first introduced in 2019.
Sasha Banks is currently away from WWE after walking out of the company in May. Bayley on the other hand is leading the faction of Dakota Kai and IO Sky. They recently became the first finalist in the tournament for the vacant women’s tag team titles.
Posted August 24th, 2022 in WWE, News. Tagged: Bayley.
WWE officially announced a new match during Monday’s episode of Raw for the upcoming Clash at the Castle event.
In the show’s opening segment, Bayley, Dakota Kai & IO SKY vs. Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss & Asuka in a six-woman tag team match was confirmed.
Bayley, Sky, and Kai returned at SummerSlam following Belair successfully retaining the Raw Women’s Title against Becky Lynch. Last week on Raw, the heel faction took out Lynch to write her off television as she is injured. Belair vs. SKY ended in a no contest on this same show when Bayley tripped Belair as Sky distracted the referee. Sky tried a cover with her feet on the rope, but Bliss knocked her off. This led to a brawl.
On Monday’s Raw, the six stars had a confrontation that led to the match being set up, and another brawl broke out.
Updated WWE Clash at the Castle Card
Here is the current card for WWE Clash at the Castle:
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre
WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Liv Morgan vs. Shayna Baszler
Bayley, Dakota Kai and IO SKY vs. Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss and Asuka
WWE presents the Clash at the Castle event on Saturday, September 3, 2022 from Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales that will air on Peacock. Here is the updated card:
Posted August 8th, 2022 in WWE, News. Tagged: Bayley.
Bayley made her wrestling debut in 2008 and joined NXT in 2013. Since then, the former women’s champion hasn’t looked back and she has only become more successful with each passing year. In her almost decade long WWE career, the former women’s champion has also inspired many young talents to pursue wrestling. One such talent is the current NXT star Indi Hartwell, who Bayley considers to be her ‘wrestling baby.’
The female star recently appeared on Corey Graves’ After The Bell podcast. Speaking about her rehab from the recent ACL injury, the former champion discussed how she worked with NXT 2.0 stars in the performance center during her recovery. She also explained why she has a soft spot for Hartwell:
“At first I went in just wanting to train with Indi Hartwell because she is, to me what I call our little wrestling baby. Because she is the first person, at least in my knowledge that [started] training because of the match I had with Sasha [Banks] at [Takeover] Brooklyn.
She said she watched that match and the next day she signed up for wrestling training.” revealed Bayley, “So the fact that she made it to NXT and she’s been there for a few years has been [incredible]. When she got signed, I couldn’t believe it. I’m like ‘Our little baby made it!’ So I always had a soft spot for her.”
Now that Bayley is back on WWE television, she is looking to help behind the scenes and lead the locker room.
Bayley returned from a torn ACL at SummerSlam, bringing along Dakota Kai and IYO SKY as a new faction.
While speaking on WWE After The Bell, Bayley discussed how it will be a long road to get certain people and the locker room on the same page. She believes if they worked a little less selfishly, everyone would see the bigger picture as she thinks it feels like they’re in this tunnel of showing the bosses what they have and what it takes. That makes them turn against each other.
“No, let’s show them all what we can do. If we all show them that we can get along and do a show and we’re not going to complain about every little thing, then it will make them want to give us more because we’re easier to work with. There is a fine line between fighting for what you believe in and then trying to make the best out of every situation. I think I can help the girls that I bring in navigate these things to further the division. I want the tag titles to come back and play a very important role on the show.”
The Women’s Tag Team Titles haven’t been used since WWE stripped Sasha Banks and Naomi of the titles after they walked out in May. WWE had plans to do a tournament to crown new champions, but since that announcement, no further details have been given.
Bayley continued by stating that she gets along with almost everybody and thinks she can have everyone realize she’s not doing this to be selfish but rather because she wants things to be better for everyone.
Bayley made her triumphant return at SummerSlam but she wasn’t alone. She shared her moment with Dakota Kai and Io Sky and formed a new faction with both the stars.
The former women’s champion talked about her new group on After The Bell. She explained that it’s something that she had wanted for a while and they had considered different versions of the group. The idea was that it would help evolve her character:
“This is something that I’ve wanted for a while, I would say a couple of years. [It’s] actually something that I’ve talked to Hunter about before. Just wanting something different for the division and using girls that I think were either underutilized or that didn’t get that opportunity or didn’t get that spotlight. Just a way to evolve myself as in like many different variations of this faction or group that I wanted.”
‘Ultimate Goal Of Everybody’: Bayley
Though as she got the time to think more about it during her rehab, Bayley realized that she wanted to help underutilized talents. She wanted to take names that hadn’t been on Raw or SmackDown and get them to WrestleMania level:
“But as I got injured and got to spend more time really thinking about it, I knew that I wanted literally girls who haven’t had the opportunity [to be on] Raw or Smackdown or that haven’t been given an opportunity to feel what WrestleMania is like. Because that’s the ultimate goal of everybody.
I just felt like if I look for girls that haven’t had that yet, just the hunger is gonna be that much stronger. It’s just gonna be fresher for the fans and fresher for the locker room where they’ll get excited to work with different people.” said Bayley, “So once I thought of it like that. [I] thought let me look at NXT. It was so easy. I knew who I wanted and I knew who could benefit from it. I knew who I can benefit from.”
It appears that the stable of Bayley, IYO SKY (Io Shirai), and Dakota Kai has a name.
SummerSlam Shakes Up The Women’s Division
Last night, at SummerSlam, Becky Lynch challenged for Bianca Belair’s Raw Women’s Title in the opening match. Belair picked up the win after 15 minutes of back and forth action.
Last night after SummerSlam, WWE posted a post-show interview with Bayley, Dakota Kai, and IYO SKY after their surprise return. However, the trio did not say much about their actions last night.
Bayley’s Stable Name Revealed?
This afternoon, Bayley tweeted out a photo of the group with the caption “CONTROL.” The tweet was retweeted by the official WWE account. The name is not confirmed but we might not have to wait too long to find out more because the trio is scheduled to appear this Monday night on Raw so we should know more in just over 24 hours.
Bayley followed up that tweet by quoting Janet Jackson.
Here is the Janet Jackson quote she included in a follow-up tweet:
"This is a story about control
My control
Control of what I say
Control of what I dp
And this time, I'm gonna do it my way
I hope you enjoy this as much as I do
Are we ready?
I am
'Cause it's all about control
And I've got lots of it” -
@JanetJackson
@WWE"
“This is a story about control My control Control of what I say Control of what I do And this time, I'm gonna do it my way I hope you enjoy this as much as I do Are we ready? I am 'Cause it's all about control And I've got lots of it” – @JanetJackson@WWE
As noted earlier, it looks like Bayley’s faction will feud with Lynch, Belair and possibly one other woman but a possible injury may force WWE to change their plans.
What do you think the faction should be name? Let SEScoops know here!
The SummerSlam PPV featured not one but three big returns. The opening match of the night saw Bianca Belair retaining the Raw Women’s title over Becky Lynch.
Bayley made her long-awaited comeback right after this. Though she wasn’t alone. Both Dakota Kai and Io Shirai made their returns as well and formed a new faction with the former women’s champion.
Triple H was the first person to react to the formation of this new group. The new head of WWE creative took on his Twitter and said that we’re just getting started:
Shirai also commented on her surprise SummerSlam appearance. There had been reports that The former NXT star’s contract was expiring soon. Many believed that she was done with the company after NXT Stand & Deliver in April.
However, Shirai not only made a big return but got a new name in IYO SKY as well. She updated her Twitter profile to reflect this change and noted that she is back:
AEW star Ruby Soho couldn’t contain her excitement seeing her friends. She first referenced the Riott Squad which she led during her time in WWE. Soho later noted that she was happy for the WWE stars:
There will never be a Squad to me, that can top my girls but…
Other people who reacted to these big returns included Paige, NXT star Jacy Jayne, Carmella, Natalya, Wade Barrett and more. You can check out their reactions below:
The SummerSlam PPV started off strong with a big return of Bayley after the opening bout between Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair. She was then joined by Dakota Kai and Io Shirai, to form a new faction.
Fightful Select provided some updates on this big development. They noted how the former women’s champion had been training for weeks in preparation for her return.
Dakota Kai made her surprise return at SummerSlam after being released in April this year. She was a name people within the company thought Triple H would make a priority to bring back.
The former NXT women’s tag champion had gotten several main roster looks. There were writers who were ‘baffled’ when she wasn’t included in the draft last year.
Multiple companies were interested in signing her after her release, including AEW. Though her talks with Tony Khan didn’t move past the introduction stage.
There were people within the company pushing for her signing but it’s unknown why the AEW president didn’t bring her in.
Io Shirai had been in news lately with reports of her contract expiring soon. She had been out of action due to an injury since April, and there had been no creative plans for her in NXT 2.0.
This new women’s stable is a product of the new WWE management. The report says that the idea for it was pitched a while ago before Kai was released. Vince McMahon wasn’t interested in the idea, and he rejected it.
Raquel González and Kay Lee Ray were both also pitched as members of an alternate version of the faction before their respective main roster call-ups.
Becky Lynch was the latest star to step up and challenge WWE Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair for the title. However, the bigger news was Bayley and Dakota Kai also made their return to create a faction with Io Shirai.
The title match at SummerSlam opened the show. Lynch hit a leg drop to Belair while on the barricade. Lynch was favoring her right arm. Belair countered a dive by Lynch from the top rope into a powerbomb. Lynch hit diamond dust for a near fall. Belair hit the KOD on the floor. Lynch pulled her off the middle rope and hit the man handle slam for 2. The finish saw Belair reverse the man handle slam with a Spanish fly and hit the KOD for the win.
Post-match, Bayley walked out to the ring to a great ovation, but was still a heel. Dakota Kai, who was released in April, and Io Shirai, who was believed to be leaving WWE with her contract expiring next month, came out. They all stood together before having a staredown with Lynch and Belair.
Bayley had been on the sidelines with a torn ACL since last July. The injury happened when she was chain wrestling in the ring with another WWE star at the Performance Center. She had to pull out of her scheduled I Quit Match with Belair for the SmackDown Women’s Title at the Money In The Bank pay-per-view.
At last year’s SummerSlam, Lynch returned after maternity leave as a surprise replacement for Sasha Banks in a SmackDown Women’s title match where she beat Belair in under 30 seconds to win the title. They rematched at WrestleMania this year over the Raw Women’s title, where Belair defeated Lynch.
Bitt Baker joined AEW in 2019 and has been one of the promotion’s most successful wrestlers.
At Double or Nothing 2021, Baker won the AEW Women’s World Championship, and held the title until March 16, this year, when she lost to Thunder Rosa.
During her time with AEW, Baker has faced some of the promotion’s biggest names including Hikaru Shida, Ruby Soho and Kris Statlander.
Baker and the Four Horsewomen
Britt Baker has spent years working for AEW, which means she has missed out on facing the women competing as WWE Superstars.
Arguably the four biggest names in WWE women’s division are the ‘Four Horsewomen’ the name given to Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and Bayley.
Speaking on the “Not Just Football” podcast with Cam Heyward, the former AEW Women’s Champion discussed watching the quartet when training as a wrestler, and which Superstar she wants to face most (via eWrestlingNews.)
“When I first started training, I studied every single night the Four Horsewomen, who are Bayley, Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch, and I always said any one of them would be a dream match for me. I always switched which one and why. Maybe right now I’ll say Bayley just because she had a really bad injury right now that she’s coming back from, and if it’s anything like me… I turned a new page, it was a new Britt Baker when I came back from my injury. I had a new energy, new everything. And if that’s what’s about to come out for her.”
“I’ll say Bayley just because she had a really bad injury right now that she’s coming back from.”
Britt Baker chooses Bayley as her dream opponent from WWE’s Four Horsewomen.
Bayley has been out with an injury since July 2021, having suffered a torn ACL during training ahead of the return of live fans.
“The Role Model” has been teasing a return in recent months.
Bayley hasn’t been seen on WWE TV for almost a year. Though latest reports suggest that she might be returning to the ring very soon.
The former SmackDown women’s champion is rumored to be headed to Nashville for Summerslam weekend.
Where has Bayley been?
Bayley
Bayley has been out of action since last June. She torn her ACL while working at the Performance Center prior to WWE’s return to touring.
The former champion last competed in a mixed tag match where she teamed up with Seth Rollins. The duo defeated Bianca Belair & Cesaro during the June 26, 2021, episode of SmackDown.
The female star is not the only out-of-action athlete who will be in Nashville for the SummerSlam week. Big E will also be making his first public appearance since his injury.
The New Day member broke his neck due to a botched suplex from Ridge Holland back in March. The former WWE champion will be working at a talent tryout for college athletes between July 27-29 in Nashville.
It was reported initially that Bayley will be out of action for 9 months. We have been hearing rumors of her potential return since WrestleMania.
With a big name such as Sasha Banks leaving WWE, SummerSlam may finally be the event where the officials green light her comeback.
Meltzer did not specify when that will be, or what plans WWE has for the former Women’s Champion at this time.
Bayley has also teased returning to the ring as soon as tomorrow night’s Money in the Bank Premium Live Event, recently sharing an image of herself hugging the Women’s MITB briefcase she won in 2019.
Bayley and the fans
Bayley’s injury came at an especially bad time for the “Role Model” who got hurt mere days before the return of live fans in July 2021.
Bayley was reportedly injured during a training seminar that WWE had mandated to ensure the Superstars were at their very best prior to the return of fans.
Given that Bayley did not compete at WrestleMania 37 (though did have an on-stage segment with the Bella Twins) it has been over two years since she last wrestled in front of a crowd.
Bayley’s last match in front of the fans was on the March 6, 2020 SmackDown, where she teamed with Sasha Banks to defeat Lacey Evans and Naomi.
WWE’s Money in the Bank is just a few weeks away and the qualifying matches are underway on both the RAW and Smackdown brands.
So far for the women, Lacey Evans, Alexa Bliss, Raquel Rodriguez, and Liv Morgan have qualified. For the men, Seth “Freakin” Rollins, Sheamus, and Drew McIntyre have earned their way into the Money in The Bank ladder match.
After those names qualified the match graphics on the screen showed seven participants for both the men’s and women’s matches. This is a change from previous years that usually saw eight participants in both matches.
While the graphics show seven participants according to WWE’s website, they mention there will be eight participants this year. It could be an oversight, or it could mean we are in for some surprises for this PPV.
There are three potential surprise returns we could see at the Money in the Bank this year if all the participants are not revealed ahead of time.
Bayley
(via WWE)
I believe speak for most wrestling fans when I say we are all anticipating her return.
Bayley has not appeared on TV since July 2, 2021, due to a torn ACL she suffered from a freak accident while training at the WWE Performance Center. She has teased a bit on social media while she has been out, leaving fans guessing as to when we may see the “Role Model” make her grand return.
The latest tease was a post of what appears to be a laced-up boot she posted on both Twitter and Instagram. If she is cleared and ready, what bigger return than the Money in the Bank match where she could possibly snag the briefcase giving her the opportunity at a title shot?
Right before Bayley got injured, she was in a hot feud with Bianca Belair, who at the time was the Smackdown Women’s Champion. Bianca Belair is now the RAW women’s champion and there is some unfinished business, especially for Bayley.
Either way, Bayley making her return and capturing the briefcase would at the least be entertaining, especially given the obnoxious trolling character she was when she left.
An argument can also be made that if you are returning fresh from an ACL injury would you want to put her in a ladder match first thing coming back? While she should be cleared regardless, I can see them exercising caution as well.
This without a doubt would be the biggest return audience pop they could garner right now.
Charlotte Flair
(via WWE)
No matter how you feel about Charlotte Flair, she shines bright on a big stage.
Last we saw Charlotte Flair was her saying “I quit!” at Wrestlemania Backlash in her “I Quit” match against Ronda Rousey. WWE reported later on the PPV that Charlotte had suffered a fracture of the radius as a result of the armbar, but it was reported this was all part of storyline to write Flair off TV.
As we now know she was being written off so she and her now-husband, AEW star Andrade El Idolo, could get married. It was never reported how long she would be absent, so we fully expect her to pop up now that they are back from their honeymoon.
Charlotte Flair always seems to find herself in the title picture, so it isn’t far-fetched to think that she may make her grand return and be a surprise entrant in the ladder match. If she were to win the Money in the Bank briefcase it would be an easy way to set up a rematch between herself and Ronda Rousey.
It would also be a change in the norm, as Charlotte Flair has been the one cashed in on three times of the four winners.
Whether she wins the match or not, this would be a great way for her to make her comeback and set up a SummerSlam match since the PPV is set for three weeks after Money in the Bank this year.
Bum A** Corbin
(via WWE)
Baron Corbin has gone through many transformations over years, but none have been more endearing, welcoming, and entertaining as Bum Corbin.
Last we saw Bum Corbin was back around SummerSlam 2021 in Las Vegas where his luck turned around and he became Happy Corbin. This past Smackdown after losing to Madcap Moss in a Last Laugh match, Corbin addressed commentator Pat McAfee upset about his criticisms over the last year and for coining the nickname Bum A** Corbin.
He then threatened to drag him into the ring, hinting at maybe a future match. Pat McAfee did not let Corbin go without a response, and with the help of the WWE Universe laughed Baron Corbin out of the arena.
Money in the Bank is being held in Las Vegas this year where Bum Corbin won “big” and became Happy Corbin. It would be poetic if this year Happy Corbin enters the Money in the Bank ladder match, loses, and tries his luck at the casinos again, except this time he loses.
Down on his luck again, we may see the return of Bum A** Corbin? Corbin arguably did some of his best character work as Bum Corbin, I think it would be a welcomed return by most fans.
Money in the Bank is one of the most fun Pay-Per-Views of the year and a lot of people look forward to the surprises. The unknown of the briefcase winners and potential cash-ins make it all the more exciting.
If any of these surprise returns were to happen this year, it would shake things up for the rest of the year in WWE.
The Hell In A Cell pay-per-view, and the match itself, make up a huge piece of WWE’s history. A newer piece of said history is that of the few women’s Hell In A Cell matches we’ve seen. As a result of the women’s revolution, the female performers in WWE got the opportunity to go at it inside the cell just like the men.
So far, there has been four women’s Hell In A Cell matches. Three out of the four have included Sasha Banks. Women’s Hell In A Cell matches were featured at the following Hell In A Cell pay-per-views: 2016, 2019, 2020, and 2021. We have seen Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks vs. Bayley, and Bayley vs. Bianca Belair.
Throughout the years, the women’s match has always been one to steal the show. Many times we only see wrestlers get thrown into the cell when the feud is undeserving of it. However, with there being only one women’s Hell In A Cell match, it is normally given to the feud that is most deserving of it.
Previous Women’s Hell In A Cell Matches
Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte Flair (2016)
Charlotte and Sasha set the stage for what the women could do inside Hell In A Cell. From their entrances, you could tell that this match was extremely meaningful. These women took brutal and captivating bumps before the bell even rang. Even though there were some unfortunate, and uncontrollable, mishaps, these women were able to put forward incredible efforts. Unfortunately, the finish of the match was messed up, and the result deflated the crowd, but these women went on to have better matches against each other.
Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch (2019)
Sasha Banks vs Becky Lynch has been regarded as one of the best women’s wrestling matches in the WWE. This was viewed as Sasha Banks’ redemption match from her match with Charlotte Flair. The atmosphere of this match really enhanced the match itself. There was so much creativity within this match that it set the bar for the other female Hell In A Cell matches to come. The match itself is regarded as one of the best Hell In A Cell matches of all time.
Sasha Banks vs Bayley (2020)
Sasha Banks vs Bayley was the culmination of one of the biggest stories during WWE’s pandemic era. Banks’ legacy was partially formed due to the incredible matches she had within the cell. Each year, we have seen Sasha improvise and create new things to do within the cell. Bayley’s first go in the cell was one of the defining matches of the pandemic. She was not afraid to take the bumps necessary to make it as legendary as it was.
Sasha and Bayley have such a long history that they were able to use that to their advantage. Everyone remembers their match from NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn. They did all they could to create new spots and moments to try and make the match just as memorable.
Bayley vs Bianca Belair (2021)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLiErWk2OLI
Bianca Belair’s first time in the cell was epic. With only about five years of experience, Belair was able to define her career with that match. From Bianca’s gear to her creativity inside the match, it was one of the significant matches in Bianca’s match catalog.
It would be a crime to not mention the performance that Bayley put on in this match. Bayley worked this match as the veteran had already competed against Sasha in the cell the year before. She was able to lead the match while still playing up her usual heel tactics. Bayley had been messing with Bianca since before she won the title. This was the perfect stipulation for this feud that was unfortunately was also the last match in the feud as Bayley got hurt before their scheduled ‘I Quit’ match.
The Importance Of Women’s Hell In A Cell Matches
It’s another scathing indictment of the booking of the women’s division that there is not a women’s Hell In A Cell match on this card. Between the walkout and suspension of the women’s Hell In A Cell veteran Sasha Banks and Naomi, and the lack of strong storylines in the women’s division on SmackDown, it is honestly no surprise that this is where the division is at right now. As the card currently stands, the SmackDown Women’s Championship isn’t even being defended at the pay-per-view.
Possible Hell In A Cell Matches For This Year
Each year, we see new women enter the cell and test the limits of their in-ring ability. It’s sad that this will not be the case this year. There are many women on the roster who would’ve been deserving of the Hell In A Cell match slot.
The best option for this year seems to be Liv Morgan vs Rhea Ripley. If Asuka hadn’t returned, it would’ve made sense to do Becky Lynch vs Bianca Belair inside the cell for the Raw Women’s Championship. This would’ve been the perfect match stipulation to tie a bow on their long-running feud. The Raw Women’s Championship feud is currently based on a two-person feud that Bianca was placed in. It doesn’t make sense to put this feud inside of the cell due to the lack of engagement in the feud from the champion herself.
There are many combinations of undeveloped stars within the division that would’ve especially benefited from having the experience of being in the cell. Especially those like Rhea Ripley, Shotzi, Liv Morgan, Doudrop, Zelina Vega, Shayna Baszler, and so much more would benefit from being in a match like this.
They truly have dropped the ball with the opportunity to include a women’s Hell In A Cell match like they have for the last three years. The division, especially in the state it is in without its big stars like Sasha, Naomi, and Charlotte, the other women in the division would’ve benefitted from the chance to compete in a more hardcore and savage match stipulation.
Bayley has been out of action since July after suffering an ACL injury while training for her match at Money in the Bank. At the time, her timeline for return was pegged at 9 months. This would mean she would be ready for return around WrestleMania next year.
Bayley provided an update on the timeline of her return during a recent Q&A on Instagram. We might be seeing her back in action sooner than exepcted.
“So, my knee is doing great, my ankle is doing great, my calf is doing great, my shin is doing great, my hip is doing great. My mind is doing great,” said Bayley.
“It’s only a matter of time. I’m not going to tell you when and I don’t want all these idiots watching to know when. But I’m going to be coming back soon, maybe, no. Y’all better be ready, better be ready.”
In 2020, Bayley topped the Pro Wrestling Illustrated top-100 women’s wrestlers list. Her tag-team with Sasha Banks also ranked #3 on the list of top-50 women’s tag-teams that same year.
Bayley held the Q&A to benefit the Family Giving Tree charity, which provides assistance for family’s living below the poverty line in the Bay Area.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CXWsAnzohHG/
H/T To Wrestling Inc. for transcriptions.
Posted December 13th, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: Bayley.
A number of WWE superstars have become free agents after not being picked by any brands during the WWE Draft including the former women’s champion Bayley.
Brock Lesnar announced during night 1 of WWE Draft at last week’s SmackDown that he had become a free agent thanks to his advocate Paul Heyman.
A number of other stars then became free agents after they weren’t mentioned during the main or additional drafts on night 2 of WWE Draft.
The list of people who have become free agents include Brock Lesnar, Asuka, Bayley, Elias, Eva Marie, Gran Metalik, John Cena, Lacey Evans, Lince Dorado, Shane McMahon, Slapjack and Titus O’Neil.
Though WWE has announced that the roster changes made during the Draft will not come into effect until the Crown Jewel PPV which will be taking place on October 21.
So it’s likely that at least some of these free agents will be assigned a brand before that. It would be interesting to see which brand talent like Asuka and Bayley end up on.
Bayley recently underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL. She’s expected to miss about 9 months. The former Smackdown Women’s Champion spoke with Metro recently and listed off opponents from both AEW and NXT she’d like to face.
“I have so much respect and some history with Serena Deeb. I would love, love, love to be able to have a match with her one day,” Bayley said about the former NWA Women’s World Champion and current AEW star. “She helped me so much in my early career to get to SHIMMER. That would be so awesome.”
Bayley also named Lita as a dream opponent for her before listing off some names from NXT she’d like to face.
“Always since a kid, Lita was a dream opponent. In NXT, I’ve always wanted to work with Candice. I’ve only ever been able to team with her,” Bayley explained.
“So, I would love to have a match with Candice LeRae and Dakota Kai. Kay Lee Ray from NXT UK, Meiko [Satomura] who’s the new NXT UK Women’s Champion. Even Rhea, having Rhea on Raw is pretty awesome so I would love to have a match with her.”
The full interview with Bayley from Metro UK is here.
Bianca Belair was supposed to face Bayley in an “I Quit Match” at Money in the Bank on Sunday. Bayley tore her ACL, however, and the match was canceled. In WWE storyline, Belair likely doesn’t have too many positive things to say about Bayley but in reality, she recently praised her as a “legend in the making.”
“It meant everything for me to work with Bayley,” Belair said to Sports Illustrated. “She’s been there every step of the way for me until now. She gave me momentum going into the Royal Rumble, we came full circle after WrestleMania, and she helped show the SmackDown universe who I am. She brought out a whole new side of me at Hell in a Cell.”
“When you’re in the ring with Bayley, it’s different. You have this full confidence that things are always going to go well.”
Belair would continue to say that Bayley is a true leader in the locker room. The Smackdown Women’s Champion believes Bayley’s absence over the next 9 months is going to be felt by the roster.
“Bayley is a locker room leader, and an amazing person inside and out. I’ve watched and learned from her, the way she handles situations and adapts so easily and quickly. She has the ability to make things look so easy. We’re going to miss her so much while she’s out. She’s a legend in the making, but she does so much more than just make it about herself. She gives and contributes so much to the locker room.”
Bianca Belair on Bayley: “We’re going to miss her so much while she’s out. She’s a legend in the making, but she does so much more than just make it about herself. She gives and contributes so much to the locker room.”https://t.co/YntVO0ekp2
WWE superstar Bayley has undergone successful surgery to repair her torn ACL. The injury occurred during a training session at the performance centre. Training sessions were imposed by Vince McMahon ahead of the return of live crowds.
Bayley’s injury could not have come at a worse time as she was preparing to face off against WWE Smackdown Women’s champion Bianca Belair in an I Quit match at Money in the Bank. Injuries are a part of wrestling and plans often need to change last minute. However, for Bayley who was enjoying a good push after being largely marginalized during Wrestlemania it will be a big blow.
The title match that was set for Money in the Bank has since been pulled from the card. Instead, Belair will defend against Camella on the go home edition of Smackdown.
Tweeting from her hospital bed, Bayley remained in her heel character, blaming the fans for her injury. “Can’t wait to miss the first show in front of fans again. I blame YOU for this. Thanks a lot,” she wrote.
Can’t wait to miss the first show in front of fans again. I blame YOU for this. Thanks a lot pic.twitter.com/ETOhRyeYkj
Bayley has been a mainstay in WWE ever since her time in NXT. Her character and in-ring abilities have evolved over the years and she is not one of the more interesting heels on the roster. While the character she is building doesn’t always appear to be fully understood by the creative minds driving it, she has great potential is allowed to explore it fully.
This injury will be a blow, and nine months is a long time to miss. Hopefully, though she will be back on programming before then, in a non-competitive role. It would suit her heel persona, allowing her time to build on it during her time out of the ring.
One thing is for sure, Bayley will be back. She will be eager to get her hands on WWE gold once more.
Posted July 16th, 2021 in WWE, News. Tagged: Bayley.
On Friday’s episode of SmackDown, WWE named Bayley’s replacement in the match and that’s Carmella. It happened when Sonya Deville announced the news. It was also noted that this match is no longer slated to take place at Money in the Bank, but rather moved to next week’s SmackDown episode.
Fightful Select reports Bayley was training with another WWE star this week and that her “knee popped.” The media outlet was told the staff has been told it’s a torn ACL, but that’s not confirmed by WWE.
It was said that her injury may have actually caused plans to change for incoming talent and two wrestlers on the roster were openly frustrated that the company’s lack of depth left them scrambling to find an appropriate replacement. One person said “they did it to themselves,” before noting that Bayley helped carry the company during the COVID-19 pandemic and did everything that was asked of her.
The injury was said to be a freak accident that happened while chain wrestling at WWE’s mandatory return to road Performance Center training.
Bayley was recently interviewed by Metro UK and spoke about how the recent WWE roster cuts have hit her especially hard. The host of “Ding Dong Hello” said that it’s hard to not be sharing a locker room with many of her friends anymore.
“For me, the past few have been really hard because most of them are really good friends and so talented, and I’m just like, “What?!” she said during the interview. “It’s really hard not to see certain ones in our locker room and share travelling the road together.”
Many wrestlers have gone on to reinvent themselves or reinvigorate their careers after being released by WWE, however. Bayley continued to say that she is excited to see what some of the released talent don’t.
“I know that everything happens for a reason in life, and whatever that may be, we’ll found out later, but I know they’re gonna be successful. I just can’t wait to see them all do their thing, wherever that may be.”
Breeze spent so much time teaching me things in the ring, watching my matches, little details, character work, (and later teaching me in LIFE) that I would literally write WHAT WOULD BREEZE DO on my wrist for my matches. pic.twitter.com/GVbLfk2qk2
Bayley specifically mentioned Tyler Breeze as someone who the rest of the roster in WWE benefitted from.
“I’ve been to his school and I’ve seen all his students, how much fun they have learning from him and the consistent students he has coming in – that just goes to show that he’s doing something right,” Bayley said of Breeze.
“He’s such a good guy, he’s hilarious, he’s passionate and he’s such a hard worker.”
Getting ready for a title match is always going to be a test of nerves. Getting ready to go into a title match with a wild stipulation is something else entirely. For former WWE champion Bayley, the pressure of the impending I Quit match with Bianca Belair is intimidating.
Talking to the hosts of WWE Talking Smack, Bayley made the confession. “So, this match is a little intimidating for me.”
However, in true heel form, she soon turned her nerves into an attack on her opponent. “Imagine how Bianca feels. Yeah, it’s intimidating to me, but I’ve been ready for every single thing that’s been thrown at me in my career in WWE since day one. I’m ready for anything. Bianca is done for. I don’t care what she thinks or the title that she holds because it’s coming back home.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/CQSZOvDr0fc/
This will be the third meeting between the pair, with Bianca Belair having won the previous two matches. Belair won the Smackdown title back at Wrestlemania and has looked confident in her reign ever since. Bayley, however, is a multiple-time champion and will be looking to use her experience to her advantage in this rare match.
Bayley and Belair Prepare for a Rare Women’s Championship Match
This match will be just the third match of its kind for women in WWE history. The first came in 2008 when Melina and Beth Phoenix squared off.
The second was an NXT UK Women’s Championship match in 2020. The champion retained that night, and Bianca Belair will be hoping to emulate that at Money in the Bank.
Bayley, however, will be looking to lay her hands on a third Smackdown Women’s championship belt, and make amends not only for her two previous losses against Belair but also for her elimination from the Royal Rumble earlier this year. Belair went on to win the event, thus earning her fateful shot at Wrestlemania.
Bayley can often be heard yelling directly at Michael Cole during some of her matches. She recently noted in an interview with Metro that a unique part of wrestling in the Thunderdome is being able to hear the announce team. Bayley also said that she wants to make a match between her and Michael Cole happen inside a WWE ring.
“Oh, I will make it happen! Don’t even worry about! It’ll happen,” she said about a potential match with Cole to Metro.
“I don’t know if people realise it or they think I’m doing it just for fun – which it is fun, to give Cole crap. But I can literally hear them! They’re 10 feet away from me in an empty arena, so I can hear everything he’s saying, so it just felt fitting to respond to it. Why not?”
Later this month, WWE will welcome back live fans meaning Bayley will no longer be able to hear Cole on commentary. Bayley would continue to say that she is looking forward to hearing fans’ reaction to her when WWE heads out back on the road.
“I’m interested to see how they react to me when I come back,” she said. “I just feel so grateful that [WWE] gave me the opportunity to show a different side to me and show that I can be so much more. I’ve been having the best time!”
Bayley lost a title shot to Bianca Belair at Hell in a Cell recently. She got back in the win column last week, however, when her and Seth Rollins defeated Belair and Cesaro in a mixed tag match.
