Bayley’s introduction to wrestling started the old classic way. She was a fan since she was 10. “I was an obsessed teenager and made my family buy all kinds of posters and shirts for me,” she says. From there to her 380-day reign as WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion (which still stands as the longest in the championship history), Bayley’s journey in WWE has been nothing short of remarkable. Edited excerpts from the conversation.
With the current story-line revolving around your feud with Damage Ctrl, how are you preparing for your match against Iyo Sky at Wrestlemania?
It’s a roller coaster every single day. This is what I’ve always dreamed of and what I’ve always prepared my mind for. But I think going into this year’s WrestleMania is very different. Last year, I was side by side with Damage Ctrl and this year, I am going up against them, particularly Iyo Sky. This match is more than just about the championship. It’s like you can relate to it back in your elementary years when your friends turned their back on you and it’s harder to get through. I think it’s gonna make for a bigger moment at WrestleMania for all of us.
Added pressure given that the match is taking place at Wrestlemania?
Always. I always feel like I have something to prove. This being my first solo WrestleMania, it’s something that I have fought for for a long time. This is only Iyo’s second WrestleMania. The fact that she is in this championship match says a lot about her. I’m excited. We’ve never been in the ring together, so it’s gonna be crazy.
Tell us about your interactions with Iyo Sky away from the ring?
She is hilarious. You don’t get to see that side of her, how funny she is and how goofy she is. Being able to see her with Kairi and Asuka and the way that Dakota and I mixed in there, we had such a good time together. I know she’s a goofy person, but she takes this very seriously. She moved away from Japan, from her friends and her family to do this. So standing across from her, whether we’re backstage or whether we’re out in the ring, I know she wants to be better than me. That’s what it all comes down to.
How does it feel to be part of an era where women are making a career in wrestling, which was considered to be a male-dominated industry?
It’s amazing. Yesterday, I went to an NBA game and the Milwaukee Bucks were wearing a shirt that said, ‘support women in sports.’ I took a bunch of pictures of it because it was just amazing to see them support women in sports. It really made me appreciate where I was because of that exact reason. We are just as big as any male athlete right now. And in WWE, our fan base is so strong. The guys in the backstage locker room are our brothers. Some of them are like father figures.
Do you follow a particular diet?
For a couple of years, I was doing whatever I wanted. I’m on a stricter diet now. I have a nutritionist and a strength coach and he really keeps me in check. It’s like the boring stuff you see online. It’s chicken rice and veggies, yogurt and protein powder, oatmeal, and eggs.
Your message to budding wrestlers?
You have to be in it for the long run and be consistent. The road will always be full of ups and downs, but if you stay consistent with your goals and your work ethic, you’re going to get to where you want to be.