Tag: Bayley

Bayley Brings Back The Hugger In WWE RAW Return, But Still At War With Herself

WWE fans got a dose of nostalgia on this week’s Monday Night RAW when Bayley made her return — and she wasn’t alone. The “Hugger” persona that first made her a fan-favorite came back in full force.

The moment unfolded after Lyra Valkyria scored a big win over Roxanne Perez, only to be ambushed by Perez and Raquel Rodriguez. Just when the numbers game looked too much, Bayley charged down to the ring to even the odds.

What made the save even more impactful was Bayley’s demeanor. Throughout recent vignettes, WWE has shown her at war with herself — haunted by past versions of her character and conflicted over the damage she’s done, especially to Valkyria. That inner struggle spilled out live on RAW, but ultimately, Bayley leaned into her most beloved side.

After clearing the ring, she stepped back into her old shoes — Bayley then cheerfully got out of the ring and hugged Joe Tessitore and Corey Graves on commentary before embracing ring announcer Alicia Taylor. She gave some love to a few fans at ringside, as well as referee Jessika Carr and a security guard before racing back up the ramp, giving high fives to everyone she could

Bayley’s return adds another intriguing wrinkle to the women’s division. Will this rekindled Hugger energy mark a true shift in her character, or is this just one chapter in her ongoing battle with identity? Either way, Valkyria couldn’t have asked for a better ally.

Despite her earlier jovial self, Bayley lashes out at Lyra Valkyria backstage. Bayley still appears to be at war with herself. Which one of these personas will win out in the end?

Bayley Wants WWE To Bring Back All-Women ‘Evolution’ Premium Live Event

It’s been over five years since WWE hosted Evolution, its first and only all-women’s pay-per-view, and fans are still wondering why a sequel hasn’t happened. While WWE’s women’s division has continued to grow in both talent and star power, there’s been no official word on a follow-up event. However, one of the stars from the original Evolution card, Bayley, believes that now is the perfect time to bring it back.

In a recent interview with Screen Rant, the former multi-time Women’s Champion made a passionate case for Evolution 2, citing the ever-expanding women’s roster, the rising talent in NXT, and WWE’s newly established working relationship with TNA Wrestling as major reasons why the event needs to happen sooner rather than later.

“I’ve been dying for an Evolution 2, and I think now is the perfect time. Bigger than ever, we have more girls than ever. We can have a freaking back-to-back two-night show if we wanted to, like WrestleMania. There’s so many girls, so many at NXT, we got this TNA partnership, we got two new titles. What are we doing? Let’s do it!”

Bayley’s enthusiasm isn’t surprising. She was part of the 2018 Evolution event, teaming with Natalya and Sasha Banks to defeat The Riott Squad (Liv Morgan, Ruby Riott, and Sarah Logan). That show was widely praised by fans, featuring classic matches like Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing Match and Ronda Rousey vs. Nikki Bella for the Raw Women’s Championship.

Despite the positive reception, Evolution was reportedly never seen as a major event within WWE at the time. Some backstage speculation suggested that the show was created to counteract backlash over WWE’s decision to exclude its women’s division from Crown Jewel, a pay-per-view held in Saudi Arabia just days later.

Why Now Is the Time for Evolution 2

Bayley’s argument for an Evolution sequel is stronger than ever. WWE now has a larger women’s roster, an influx of NXT talent, and—perhaps most intriguing—a working partnership with TNA, which opens the door for cross-promotional dream matches. With the introduction of new championships like the WWE Women’s Championship and WWE Women’s World Championship, there’s even more gold to fight for.

The demand for Evolution 2 has never disappeared, with fans frequently calling for WWE to make it an annual tradition. Now, with TNA stars like Jordynne Grace appearing in WWE, the idea of a WWE vs. TNA women’s showcase could be the spark needed to bring Evolution back in a bigger and better way.

So, will WWE listen to Bayley’s plea and finally book Evolution 2? With WrestleMania season in full swing and the women’s division thriving, now might be the best chance to make it happen. What are we doing? Let’s do it!

WWE’s Bayley Set to Represent in NBA Celebrity All-Star Game

WWE’s own Bayley is stepping onto a different kind of stage this month, as she’s set to participate in the NBA Celebrity All-Star Game. The announcement came earlier today via the NBA’s X account, confirming that the “Role Model” will be part of Team Rice, coached by NFL Hall of Famer Jerry Rice and internet star Khaby Lame. They’ll be facing off against Team Bonds, led by baseball legend Barry Bonds and rapper 2 Chainz.

Bayley’s squad will include some notable names, such as former NBA star Matt Barnes, country singers Walker Hayes and Shaboozey, comedian Druski, and NFL great Terrell Owens. Interestingly, a lot of the participants have ties to the Oakland/San Francisco Bay Area, where the NBA All-Star Weekend is set to take place. That includes Bayley herself, who hails from San Jose, California.

This marks a first-time appearance for Bayley in the NBA’s Celebrity Game, making her just the second WWE star to play in the event. The first? The Miz, who turned heads with an incredible half-court buzzer-beater in 2023. Whether Bayley will deliver a highlight-reel moment of her own remains to be seen, but if her in-ring career has proven anything, it’s that she knows how to shine under pressure.

Of course, Bayley won’t have much time to celebrate (or recover) after the game. The very next night, she’s set to be in Washington, D.C., for NXT Vengeance Day, where she and Roxanne Perez will challenge Giulia for the NXT Women’s Championship. That means a cross-country travel sprint for the former Women’s Champion, but Bayley has never been one to back down from a challenge—whether it’s on the court or in the squared circle.

Stay tuned to see if Bayley makes her mark on NBA All-Star Weekend, and don’t forget to catch NXT Vengeance Day the following night for what could be a major moment in her career.

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1886808511922700385
https://twitter.com/NBAAllStar/status/1886813249410122030

Bayley Switches From SmackDown to Raw, Declares for the 2025 Royal Rumble

Bayley is back where it all began for her main roster career—on WWE Raw. The announcement of her roster move was first made by WWE official Adam Pearce, who confirmed the change during the “transfer window” via X (formerly known as Twitter). Bayley, however, made it official herself during a backstage segment on Raw, shortly before stepping into the ring for a match against WWE SmackDown’s Nia Jax.

In addition to addressing her return to Raw, Bayley took the opportunity to make another big announcement—she’s officially entering the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble match. Fans will remember that Bayley won last year’s Rumble and used that victory to dethrone her former Damage CTRL ally, IYO SKY, for the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 40. However, Bayley’s title reign came to an end at SummerSlam when Nia Jax captured the gold. To add salt to the wound, Jax once again came out on top in their match on Raw, solidifying her dominance over the former champ.

Interestingly, Bayley and Jax now stand as the only two women who have declared their entry into this year’s Rumble so far. With the road to WrestleMania just heating up, it will be worth watching to see if Bayley can recapture the magic of last year’s win or if her recent struggles with Jax will continue to haunt her.

Meanwhile, Bayley’s schedule has been as chaotic as ever. She appeared on WWE NXT last week in what seemed like an attempt to mentor former NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez. However, things took an unexpected turn when Perez attacked Bayley in the middle of the ring. The confrontation ended with “The Prodigy” extending an invitation for Bayley to return to NXT this week, as revealed in a SmackDown digital exclusive.

With tension rising across Raw, NXT, and even SmackDown, it’s clear that Bayley’s presence is felt throughout the WWE Universe. Whether it’s reclaiming gold, asserting her dominance in the Rumble, or dealing with fiery up-and-comers like Perez, Bayley has no shortage of challenges ahead. Fans will undoubtedly be glued to their screens to see how “The Role Model” navigates this pivotal chapter in her career.

Stay tuned for updates as the Royal Rumble approaches, and be sure to catch all the action as Bayley continues to make waves across WWE programming.

Bayley Confronts Roxanne Perez on WWE NXT, Setting the Stage for a Heated Rivalry

Tuesday night’s episode of WWE NXT proved to be a must-watch event, delivering surprises that had fans buzzing. Not only did TNA Knockouts Champion Masha Slamovich make an appearance at ringside, but the closing segment of the show brought another unexpected moment: the return of Bayley to her old stomping grounds. The former NXT Women’s Champion confronted Roxanne Perez, and the fiery exchange may have just set the stage for a high-profile feud between the two stars.

Bayley Challenges Perez’s Legacy

Roxanne Perez, coming off her recent loss of the NXT Women’s Championship to Giulia, opened up about her reign during the final segment of the show. Perez, who held the title for an impressive 276 days, boldly claimed she elevated the championship and the women’s division as a whole—something she doesn’t believe Giulia is capable of replicating. She also suggested that the current women’s roster would be “lost without her,” doubling down on her role as the division’s backbone.

But not everyone agreed with Perez’s self-assessment. Enter Bayley.

“The Role Model” made her surprise return to NXT, addressing Perez in a rare veteran-versus-prodigy moment. Initially, Bayley attempted to guide Perez, offering advice about how losses can help a wrestler grow stronger. However, Perez wasn’t in the mood for life lessons. She rejected Bayley’s input outright, prompting the veteran to shift her tone.

Bayley reminded Perez that NXT’s women’s division has thrived in her absence and insisted it would continue to do so with or without Perez. Taking it a step further, Bayley declared that while Perez wallowed in her defeat, she herself was on the path to WrestleMania 41, where she plans to capture the WWE Women’s Championship.

The heated confrontation boiled over when Perez blindsided Bayley with a punch to the face. Not one to back down, Bayley responded by raining down punches of her own, ending the show in a chaotic brawl that left fans eager to see what’s next.

What’s Next for Roxanne Perez?

Perez’s loss to Giulia last week left many speculating about her future in NXT. The fiery encounter with Bayley suggests that her next chapter may involve the SmackDown star, but how this rivalry plays out is anyone’s guess.

One possibility is that Perez could follow Bayley to SmackDown, where she’s made only one prior appearance. A move to the main roster would make sense for the former champion, who has already achieved so much in NXT and is poised to become a major player on WWE’s biggest stages.

On the other hand, Bayley has proven she’s not above stepping back into NXT to settle a score. Over the past two years, WWE has frequently integrated main roster stars into NXT storylines, with superstars like Becky Lynch, Finn Bálor, and Natalya making impactful appearances on the brand. Bayley working a full-fledged program in NXT could not only elevate Perez but also continue to shine a spotlight on the already thriving division.

A Battle of Eras

Bayley’s return to NXT and her clash with Roxanne Perez feels like a clash of two eras. Bayley helped define NXT’s golden age of women’s wrestling alongside stars like Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch. Perez, meanwhile, represents the next generation of WWE’s women’s division, carving out her legacy with a title reign that brought prestige to the NXT Women’s Championship.

The contrast between Bayley’s veteran confidence and Perez’s youthful defiance has already created a compelling dynamic. If this rivalry continues, it could serve as a defining moment for Perez, whether she stays in NXT or makes the leap to the main roster.

Closing Thoughts

Bayley’s surprise return to NXT and her confrontation with Roxanne Perez marks another exciting chapter for WWE’s developmental brand, which continues to mix established stars with rising talent. Whether this feud unfolds in NXT or on SmackDown, it’s clear that Bayley and Perez are on a collision course.

Bayley Reportedly Injured In A WWE House Show Match In Salisbury, Maryland

WWE Superstar Bayley appeared to have suffered a knee injury during Sunday night’s WWE non-televised live event in Salisbury, Maryland, according to a report from PWInsider. The match was between her, Charlotte Flair, and WWE Women’s Champion Asuka and when Bayley went for a clothesline, her knee gave out.

The match was said to have been “halted” after the incident and Bayley was assisted to the backstage area by WWE officials. PWInsider also noted that they were told by WWE sources that it wasn’t a “worked spot” and it was a “legitimate situation.” Bayley has had issues with her knee in the past. The former “SmackDown” Women’s Champion suffered a torn ACL in July 2021 and didn’t make her return until July 30, 2022, at SummerSlam.

Bayley did give an update on her injury via Twitter. The “WWE SmackDown” star shared a photo of her knee bandaged and the caption, “I’ll be alright, thanks, everyone.”

At the moment, Bayley’s stable, Damage CTRL, is already down one person. Dakota Kai suffered a torn ACL during a match on the May 12 edition of “SmackDown,” when Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez were defending the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles against her and Bayley. Kai underwent surgery a few weeks after. Her injury happened in the same match that Morgan injured her shoulder and the team had to subsequently relinquish the titles. Morgan and Rodriguez have since regained the titles and are the current WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. They have held the titles since defeating Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler on July 1 at Money in the Bank.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Bayley commented on her injury scare:

“I’ll be alright, thanks everyone.”

https://twitter.com/itsBayleyWWE/status/1680768652700704770

Backstage News On Last Minute Plans WWE Made For Bayley’s New Stable

One of the biggest, if not the biggest, stories coming out of WWE SummerSlam last weekend was the return of both Bayley and Dakota Kai, along with the main roster debut of Iyo Sky (fka Io Shirai). The new stable has quickly made an impact between their appearances at WWE SummerSlam and “WWE Raw” two days later, and it’s even more impressive given the last-minute nature of the stable’s conception.

According to PWInsider, things came together for the group so late that Sky’s new name wasn’t trademarked until July 31, the day after SummerSlam, a wildly uncharacteristic move for the promotion, which likes to trademark character names well before they debut. Indeed, Sky’s debut at SummerSlam was accompanied by video graphics that still displayed the Io Shirai name. PWI also noted that while Bayley was expected to be at SummerSlam, there were no “concrete” plans for her to appear when the creative was overseen by Vince McMahon.

PWInsider also confirmed that Kai had not originally been in the plans for SummerSlam. The WWE star, who was released by the promotion back in April and whose noncompete clause had long since elapsed, was reportedly contacted at the last minute and didn’t travel to Nashville, the site of SummerSlam, until the night before. Kai herself stated the deal came together quickly prior to the PLE in an appearance on “WWE: The Bump” this Wednesday.

While the group doesn’t have a formal name as of yet, Bayley hinted that the group could be called Control in a tweet shortly after their SummerSlam appearance. On “Raw,” the trio set the tone for the show, attacking Becky Lynch and brawling with “Raw” Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Asuka, and Alexa Bliss shortly after Sky’s match with Belair, which ended in a no contest.

https://twitter.com/itsBayleyWWE/status/1553775548580724737

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Backstage News On SummerSlam Returns, Name Change Note

During last night’s WWE SummerSlam event, Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Io Shirai made their returns after the WWE “Raw” Women’s Title match with champion Bianca Belair and Becky Lynch.

The three would come out to confront Belair, but Lynch would return to the ring to give her backup.

There are several backstage updates about the returns of Bayley, Kai, and Shirai.

Io Shirai will now be going by the ring name, Iyo Sky according to PWInsider. 

According to Fightful Select, Sky’s contract was set to expire soon and there had been no creative plans for her in NXT after her injury. WWE officials couldn’t confirm a new contract had been signed beyond saying, “it appears so.”  Shirai has not been in the WWE ring since WWE WrestleMania 38 weekend when she competed in a fatal four-way match against Mandy Rose, Cora Jade, and Kay Lee Ray (now known as Alba Fyre) at “NXT” Stand And Deliver.

Bayley had been training at the WWE Performance Center and Flatbacks for weeks in preparation for her return to the ring, according to Fightful Select. She had been sidelined since July 2021 with a torn ACL.

Fightful Select also reported that Kai was a name that several people in the company thought Triple H would make a priority to bring back since he is now that he is the head of creative. Before she was released in April, Kai had several main roster looks. AEW talks were said to never move past an introduction.

It was also noted by Fightful Select that this new stable with Bayley, Sky, and Kai was pitched quite a while ago and it was before Kai was first released in April. Vince McMahon had reportedly rejected the idea. There were other versions pitched that include Kay Lee Ray and Raquel Rodriguez.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Bayley Returning To WWE Very Soon

Former Raw, SmackDown and NXT Women’s Champion Bayley has been out of action for over a year as she recovers from a torn ACL. It sounds as though she’ll return very soon.

Bayley has been out of action since July of last year, when she unfortunately suffered an ACL tear while training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. After undergoing surgery, WWE announced that the 2019 women’s Money in the Bank ladder match winner would miss roughly nine months of action.

In an update, Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reports that Bayley “is scheduled to be in Nashville for” the SummerSlam 2022 weekend. It wasn’t noted if she will actually wrestle at the show, but at least she’ll presumably be at The Biggest Party of the Summer that will run inside Nissan Stadium on July 30.

Earlier this month, Johnson also reported that Bayley was at the Performance Center. That’s obviously a strong indicator that she’s getting very close to an in-ring return. It shouldn’t surprise anyone if WWE decides against announcing Bayley’s return ahead of time. Recent history suggests it’ll be come as a “surprise”, after all.

Bayley may not be the only other notable star who will return soon. WWE reportedly has plans for Edge to return for the go-home SummerSlam edition of Raw next week. The Rated-R Superstar has been off of television since being betrayed by his Judgment Day allies on the June 6 show.

Belair will defend her Raw Women’s Championship against Lynch, and Liv Morgan will try to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Ronda Rousey. SummerSlam would be the perfect time and place for Bayley to make her WWE return, as she could confront and/or challenge the winner of the Belair-Lynch or Morgan-Rousey match. Bayley has spent ample time in the main event scene, so don’t be surprised if WWE decides to push her immediately following her return to television.

Source: TheSportster

Bayley Expected To Be Out Of Action For Several Months Due To Torn ACL

WWE SmackDown Superstar Bayley has suffered an injury in training that will see her sidelined for an estimated nine months.

WWE announced that Bayley suffered an injury while training for her “I Quit” match against SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair at Money In the Bank, and that she’s expected to be on the shelf for around 9 months. Carmella was announced as her replacement for the match at Money In the Bank during last night’s SmackDown.

It’s now reported by multiple sources, PWInsider and Fightful Select, that Bayley suffered a torn ACL. The injury reportedly occurred at the WWE Performance Center earlier this week as she was training with another wrestler.

It was noted that Bayley’s “knee popped” while training in the ring. The injury was described as a freak accident that happened while chain wrestling with another WWE star. Bayley and the other wrestler were reportedly participating in the mandatory training sessions that were set up so that wrestlers can prepare for the return to touring next week.

There’s also talk that Bayley’s injury may have caused plans to change for a new incoming talent, but there’s no word yet on who that might be.

Two wrestlers on the SmackDown roster were said to be openly frustrated with WWE’s lack of depth, and how that left them scrambling to find an appropriate replacement for the match against Belair at Money In the Bank. One wrestler remarked how company officials “did it to themselves,” adding that Bayley helped carry the company during some of their most difficult times as of late, and was known to be easy to deal with, no matter how much more they asked of her.

Bayley’s WWE tenure has been incredibly successful, and she has managed to build a Hall Of Fame career in her five years on the company’s main roster. She signed for WWE in 2012 after a four-year stint on the independent circuit and reported for duty at WWE’s developmental territory NXT.

Bayley became one of NXT’s most popular wrestlers during her four years in WWE’s developmental system. Bayley’s crowning moment occurred on August 22 at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, when she defeated her real-life best friend and on-screen rival Sasha Banks to win the NXT Women’s Championship for the first time.

After being called up to the main roster in 2016, Bayley replicated her NXT success and defeated Charlotte Flair for the Raw Women’s Championship in 2017 to capture her first main roster title.

When Bayley’s affable, bubbly character started to get a little stale, she switched things up and turned heel. At first, people didn’t really know what to make of the new Bayley, but as the weeks rolled on she proved that she was just as good at portraying an entertaining villain as she was at playing the happy-go-lucky good guy.

The 32-year-old currently holds the record for the longest-reigning SmackDown Women’s Champion and has been one of the MVPs of the pandemic era.

Sources: Wrestling Inc. and The Sportster