The WWE rumors are pointing to a quick rise for Bayley, who just made her debut on WWE Raw this week but now has the chance to take advantage of a bit of a power vacuum and move up the ranks quickly.
The former NXT Women’s Champion has been seen as a rising star in the WWE universe for years, starting with her move from the independent circuit to NXT in 2012 when she was just 23-years-old. And after months of speculation as to when she would get the call up to the big show, Bayley finally made her debut on Monday’s episode of Raw when she challenged Charlotte for the WWE Women’s Champion title.
Charlotte deferred to her protege Dana Brooke, leading to Bayley’s first win in the WWE. It ended up being one of the pinnacle moments of the first post- SummerSlam episode of Raw , which traditionally draws a big audience.
It was also a debut celebrated by fans, many of whom took to Twitter to share their happiness with finally seeing Bayley on the big stage.
Bayley Debuts On WWE Raw https://t.co/SN95hR3UzC pic.twitter.com/2SZVBXVbUt
— WhatCulture Wrestling (@WhatCultureWWE) August 23, 2016
As Rolling Stone writer Kenny Herzog noted, Bayley already has one of the most important an intangible qualities of a successful wrestler: a strong connection with fans. Herzog wrote that her shtick is little “too on-the-nose nice” for his taste but noted that it still plays very well with fans in general.
As Hezog noted, Bayley appears made for the spotlight of the WWE.
“What I mean to say is, the fan favorite is finally part of Raw’s roster, much to the delight of the inner child that apparently lives in most grown men, and a lot of actual children. A la Enzo and Cass, there’s no arguing what’s plainly apparent: people love Bayley. Her character works on different levels that belie its simplicity, and her talent and infectiousness should fair well on the big stage.”
Bayley’s debut could come at a very fortuitous time for the newcomer. While the WWE normally has a fairly predictable structured tier of superstars, with the biggest draws at the top commanding much of the screen time and crossover appeal, there is currently a void of talent vying to be the best in the WWE.
Brooklyn loves @itsBayleyWWE !!! Welcome to #Raw ! pic.twitter.com/gvXMS1AFPj
— Sam Roberts (@notsam) August 23, 2016
There appears to be a time of transition ahead for the WWE, with John Cena and Randy Orton likely on their way out in the near future and no clear picture of who will be the successors. There have been a string off very talented stars who have fallen off either due to injury or retirement — CM Punk and Daniel Bryan being the two biggest examples — leaving a void that could be filled by any number of superstars.
That leaves the WWE with a lot of question marks beyond John Cena at the top of the structure, Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted.
“The best headliners as far as compared to the average within the market this year, besides Cena, have been Seth Rollins (who doesn’t make the difference Cena does, but makes far more of a difference than anyone else) and A.J. Styles (who makes a more minor positive difference) as well as Bray Wyatt, who does better on top than either Reigns or Ambrose.”
Forbes also noted that beyond the obvious draw of John Cena, it’s “pretty much anyone’s game” for who will take over the future of the WWE. While others will be ahead of Bayley, it could mean the perfect time for a fresh face to take over.
That has left rumors pointing to Bayley as a potential heir apparent of the WWE. Her star is already shining brightly after her debut on Raw , and a string of more strong performances could have her climbing quickly in the WWE.
[Image via WWE]