As fans packed into Raymond James Stadium for WrestleMania 37, WWE’s annual premier show had a different buzz for a face of its women’s division. After performing for more than a year without fans due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Bayley, one of the promotion’s brightest spots week-in and week-out, did not compete at the show.
“That Mania stung,” Bayley tells Uproxx Sports. “I was so heartbroken that I didn’t even want to go ask what was happening. I felt like I had the best year of my career. Then I hosted WrestleMania, which was an honor. Got to be alongside some legends, have some cool moments, a lot of spotlight on me both nights. Now I can say I’ve done it. But that’s not where I thought I should have been.”
Fast forward almost three years later and she has a chance at redemption. A 30-minute drive down 275 to Tropicana Field in Saint Petersburg, Bayley will be one of 30 women vying for a chance to main event WrestleMania 40 when she hits the ring at this year’s Royal Rumble on Saturday, Jan. 27.
“I think that it will be a good little bird in the face to whoever didn’t want to put me on, right in the backyard of (WrestleMania 37),” Bayley says. “I’m gonna use that as fuel.”
One of the traditional big four Premier Live Events, Bayley understands the significance of what it would mean to win a Royal Rumble. It would give her the chance to do something that’s alluded her during her 10-year WWE career. She’s defended the title, the tag titles, and wrestled in dream matches, but she’s never competed in a singles title match at WrestleMania.
“To me, this year in particular is about cementing my legacy and my career,” Bayley says. “I’ve done a lot up until this point. With Damage CTRL, I feel like I’m on a different level than everybody else, even the women that I came up with, because it comes with a different responsibility.
“Bringing up Dakota, bringing up girls and vouching for them, it’s a different type of responsibility than just having to worry about yourself,” she continues. “The fact that I’ve been able to do that successfully and add to it that IYO is the champion right now just puts me on a different level. I think this year is going to solidify who I am and what I’ve brought to the industry and to the company.”
Becoming the leader of Damage CTRL is something Bayley says happened quickly. The trio debuted at SummerSlam 2022 after Bianca Belair defeated Becky Lynch for the Raw Women’s Championship, a moment she says made the group feel instantly important. “It feels very special,” she remarks, “to have been able to do that on a big show.”
While the ultimate dream for Bayley is having that WrestleMania main event, she says much of what she wants to accomplish is her current onscreen role with Damage CTRL, and helping usher in the next generation of stars.
“Whether it’s women in NXT right now or whether it’s someone backstage like an Indi Hartwell or Candice LeRae that isn’t getting that TV time, that can be main event superstars, I think that is one of my main purposes here,” Bayley notes. “I’ve been a champion and as much as I want to main event WrestleMania and get that singles match, as much as I want to win the Rumble, if it’s not in the cards for me, it’s okay because I understand what my purpose is. That’s to make the division bigger than it is and just give back and share my equity.”
If she does go on to win the Rumble, Bayley is crystal clear on plans for who she’ll challenge.
“Let me just say it, this is the last time I’m gonna say it. IYO is champion, right? And in Damage CTRL that means we’re all kind of a champion. She deserves to have that all to her own. Kabuki Warriors, we’re gonna get them those tag titles because it’s what they deserve. If I get a title from Rhea Ripley, how cool would that look? Now all we gotta do is get Dakota to win the NXT Women’s title,” Bayley says.
“And you’ve never seen that before, and that’s what we’re about this year. We’re about making history. We’re about never before seen, and we’re about taking over the world. So, the only way we could do that is by knocking Mami off her little high horse. She thinks she’s the stuff right now. Wait til I get my hands on her.”
