Bayley apologizes to fellow WWE Superstar; hopes to end recent issues
Bayley is the current WWE Women's Champion on SmackDown. The fan-favorite superstar spent the past few years as a heel and turned some friends into enemies along the way. Now she is apologizing to another star but also doubling down on her stance as champion.
The Role Model and Bianca Belair have a storied past. They have teamed up a few times and wrestled against each other dozens of times since 2020. Bayley's recent run as the heel leader of Damage CTRL led to bad blood between The EST and the seven-time champion. However, they have teamed up once since the former hugger's WWE Women's Championship win at WrestleMania XL.
Bayley appeared on WWE's The Bump today and was asked if things are finally better between her and Belair after their troubled past. The 16-year veteran had some praise for her 35-year-old rival but said Bianca can't understand what she had to do until she's been here a few more years.
"I don't think it's even close. [laughs] I understand where Bianca's coming from, I get it, and honestly I don't need to be her friend or best friend. I don't need to be her tag partner or her sister, I don't need to be her locker room leader or anything, I just need her to see my side. Bianca has done more than a lot of people in WWE, but she still has only been here for what, 4 or 5 years? I've been here for 11 years, you go through [and experience] everything, and until she's been here as long as I have, I don't think she'll fully understand the things that I did and needed to do to get where I am," Bayley said. [From 59:31 to 1:00:28]
Bayley, who just praised Tiffany Stratton as well, continued and said she has no regrets about what has happened between her and Belair. She offered to talk things out but said she was OK if that didn't happen.
"I think my actions speak for this right here [points to title]. If I hadn't done [and gone through] all those things, I wouldn't be sitting here right now. I'm sorry Bianca had to pay the price of a lot of those things, but she was the top dog. Sometimes it was personal, but most of the time it was business, it was for Damage CTRL. I have no regrets, but you need to get over it, sister. You know it's time to grow up, let's talk about it. If not, that's fine. That's your side, this is my side, we're cool," Bayley said. [From 1:00:29 to 1:01:09]
The last televised Bayley vs. Belair singles match took place during SmackDown on January 12 and saw Belair get the win in just over 16 minutes.
Bayley and Bianca Belair teamed up on WWE TV for the first time in years
The go-home edition of WWE SmackDown before Backlash aired live from Lyon, France on May 3. The episode opened up with eight-woman tag team action as Bayley teamed up with Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi to defeat Tiffany Stratton, Asuka, Dakota Kai, and Kairi Sane.
SmackDown marked the first time Bayley and Belair had teamed up since the 2020 WWE Survivor Series Premium Live Event, which was their only time teaming until this month.
Survivor Series 2020 saw the duo team with Natalya, Ruby Riott, and Liv Morgan against Nia Jax, Lana, Lacey Evans, Peyton Royce, and Shayna Baszler in a Traditional Survivor Series match. Bayley was eliminated first, and Belair was a part of the countout that left Lana as the Sole Survivor.