Bayley Credits Heel Turn for Saving Her WWE Career

WWE’s own Bayley, former multi-time Women’s Champion, is getting real about how her major 2019 heel turn changed everything.

Known for her infectious energy and super-relatable character during her early NXT days, Bayley had fans eating out of the palm of her hand. But after playing the babyface role for a whopping seven years, she felt it was time for a game-changer. Cue 2019, when she debuted a brand-new look, took out her beloved Bayley Buddies, and introduced the world to “The Role Model.” Spoiler: it worked.

In a chat with Pro Wrestling Experience, Bayley opened up about why that shift was necessary and how it completely revitalized her career. “I think about times like during the pandemic, I don’t know if that character would have been able to last through the pandemic and have the type of success that I did then,” she shared.

Bayley didn’t hold back on crediting WWE for letting her take the leap. “I always credit them [for] allowing me to have that moment and them allowing me to explore my growth because I didn’t feel that what I was doing at the time was gonna extend my career any longer,” she admitted. “So I knew I needed to turn that page and just make something different happen.”

And different it was. Bayley’s transformation into a heel brought fresh energy that fans didn’t know they needed, carrying her through the pandemic era and solidifying her place as one of the top names in the business.

Bayley last stepped into the ring on the November 15 episode of SmackDown, clinching a triple threat victory over B-Fab and Candice LeRae to move forward in the WWE Women’s United States Championship Tournament.