Popular WWE star Bayley has been one of the top names in rumor mills all year since her contract will expire soon. Comments about wanting a bigger role in WWE and reports of AEW interest have fans wondering about her future. Bayley remains one of the most decorated and successful female performers in WWE history, but she’s clearly moved down a tier with the emphasis on building new stars from NXT for the women’s division.
Longtime wrestling insider Mike Johnson shared the following update on the paid PW Insider page:
“Mike Johnson reports on PWInsider Elite that WWE creative’s been pitching ideas for Bayley’s return. The expectation is she’ll be back on Raw within the next few weeks.”
Fans wondered if Bayley’s absence from television was signaling her future leaving the promotion. AEW’s Mercedes Mone (formerly Sasha Banks) has been posting publicly about wanting to face Bayley again to create more rumors about her joining the rival promotion.
Fellow former WWE stars and close friends New Level recently debuted for AEW to add more momentum to the company. Bayley would be a huge get for AEW’s women’s division, but WWE’s creative apparently believes she’s staying put for the long-term via a new contract.
Why Fans Thought Bayley Would Leave WWE
Various moments have shown Bayley no longer being one of the most important female performers. Last year saw Bayley getting removed from a WrestleMania match within 24 hours in a move that many wrestlers and fans would deem disrespectful for someone of her stature.
Mone making history in AEW and other promotions also creates easier comparisons about what Bayley could be doing elsewhere. Getting to work with her best friend and feeling fresh again in a new company could have been the perfect formula for Bayley to gain relevance again.
AEW getting hotter this year also creates a driving force for former WWE talents to go there and make a difference. Unfortunately, Bayley and most performers make no difference to WWE’s bottom line of fans paying them huge money for tickets. AEW and other promotions could see the direct benefit of a legend coming there for the first time.
Why Bayley Is Likely Staying With WWE
All the reasons for Bayley to leave WWE makes sense, but she’s been a star with the company for over a decade. Bayley is clearly going to be a WWE Hall of Famer one day and has a great relationship with current boss Triple H.
A bold move to AEW has a lot of risk associated with both the long- and short-term impact of her decision. AEW requires a faster paced style that could see some WWE talents struggling to fit in and hurting their reputations.
Bayley could want to avoid rocking the boat too much with a good situation. WWE will always pay Bayley good money, and her backstage influence could lead to a training job. Many reasons exist for Bayley to stay and not drastically change her life. PW Insider believes that she is signing another long-term contract with WWE for this season.
WWE Gets Huge Update On Bayley’s Future Amidst AEW Rumors