WWE fans who don’t read spoilers for WWE NXT were a bit surprised when Bayley wasn’t able to wrestle at NXT Takeover: The End . NXT General Manager William Regal announced that she couldn’t perform, so Nia Jax would later take her place in the match against Asuka for the NXT Women’s championship. This will be Jax’s second title match in her tenure at NXT. As for Asuka, she will be defending her championship for the first time since winning it at NXT Takeover Dallas .
Bayley’s situation is one that differs from most of the NXT stars. It’s comparable to Finn Balor’s status with the company, who is rumored to debut on the main roster at any point in time. Since Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson ditched their friend AJ Styles last week on television, Balor’s debut will happen sooner rather than later. There are plenty of male superstars currently on the main roster, but the company lacks female stars due to injuries.
Naomi is on her way back. Tamina is still nursing an injury, and Emma recently underwent back surgery. Emma probably won’t be back until 2017. Dana Brooke’s call-up was a shock, but it added to the lack of depth in the Women’s division. Bringing in Bayley wouldn’t just add another body, it would give it more legitimacy. She’d be an instant title contender upon her debut.
Bayley on Her Character: “I Want Kids to Feel Like I Felt” #Bayley #WWE #NXT https://t.co/CDxqxskrS9 pic.twitter.com/psAbPFGWNt
— 411 Wrestling (@411wrestling) June 3, 2016
Even though she isn’t competing at NXT Takeover: The End , did her future plans for the main roster change? According to Ringside News and the Wrestling Observer Newsletter , Bayley’s future plans in the WWE aren’t in doubt.
“WWE has big plans for Bayley going forward. While WWE will not have Bayley wrestle at the NXT Takeover special, she will instead wrestle the winner of the Nia Jax vs. Asuka match.”
There have been recent reports of Bayley’s situation moving forward. When the brand split was announced last week, she even teased that she’s free on Tuesday nights, which is when WWE SmackDown will air on the USA Network in July. That’s certainly another debate that will continue until the WWE draft commences. How will the Women’s division fare with possibly another title getting added or if Charlotte will float between brands?
Bayley talked about Charlotte’s title reign recently on talkSPORT’s Gorilla Position podcast and said that she is doing an amazing job on the main roster.
Bayley Discusses NXT’s Popularity, Being a Role Model, Sasha Banks https://t.co/qBfJ1UdR9S #News #WWE pic.twitter.com/q5clhrmSa0
— WrestlingRumors.net (@WrestleRumors) June 2, 2016
“I think she’s doing an amazing job, it’s been really cool to watch her grow because I was in FCW (Florida Championship Wrestling) for her first match and NXT TV for her first match with her dad in her corner, so to see how far she’s come to be able to be like, ‘I don’t need you anymore’, and knowing she’s going to be on her own now, I’m excited to see what her next move will be. I think she’s doing a really great job, she’s been put in this position to carry on her legacy and name, I know it’s so much pressure but she’s doing a great job.”
A feud between Charlotte and Bayley has the potential to main event shows or even pay-per-views if the WWE Creative team allows it. In July, Naomi, Becky Lynch, Dana Brooke, Sasha Banks, Nataly, and Charlotte will be the only healthy women the WWE could utilize. Add Bayley to that mix and it’s an all-star cast.
WWE fans have a right to be concerned about the women moving forward. Brand splits usually indicate more dedicated writing to different groups in the business. Tag teams should have the same worry because there are not enough teams for both shows. This is where WWE NXT will come into play, and hopefully, Bayley is one of the women to help keep the same optimism surrounding the women’s division.
[Image via WWE]
