🧩 Background: The WrestleMania Snub
At WrestleMania 41, Bayley was originally booked as Lyra Valkyria’s tag-team partner. But a backstage “attack” sidelines Bayley last-minute, making room for Becky Lynch to step in and team with Lyra—ultimately securing the Women’s Tag Team Championships . This generated immediate fan backlash, questioning why Bayley was written off in favor of Becky .
🤼‍♀️ Bayley’s Big RAW Return
On the June 9 episode of RAW in Phoenix, Bayley stormed the ring to confront Becky. She accused Lynch of orchestrating the backstage attack and demanded retribution—shocking both fans and Becky . The ensuing beatdown created instant heat and set the tone for their feud over the Women’s Intercontinental (IC) Championship, currently held by Becky.
🧠Why WWE Pivoted: Veteran Perspective
Bill Apter, on The Wrestling Time Machine, provided clarity:
> “So maybe they have to placate Bayley to stay and give her another program with Becky for the belt.”
Apter noted that internet rumors hinted at Bayley considering an exit. With fans pissed that she was removed from WrestleMania without storyline justification, WWE needed to re‑emphasize her importance on the roster and give her a high‑profile feud—both as a retention tactic and to offset fan frustration.
He added that involving Bayley in a major program with Becky—centered on the Intercontinental title—helps make her feel valued and keeps her invested in WWE creatively and contractually .
🔥 Storytelling Gold: Recycled Heat
Sportskeeda’s Prityush Haldar echoed this, noting that Becky’s new Intercontinental run was tailor‑made to revisit classic rivalries—Bayley chief among them . A rivalry rekindled taps into decades‑old narratives: childhood friends turned foes, locker‑room tension, and star power renewal. In Apter’s words, this “rereuns some of the feuds that Becky had” during her earlier IC run, now “caught on very well” .
🌟 WWE’s Strategic Three‑Prong
1. Creative Value for Bayley: Position her in a meaningful story, sealing her in WWE’s upper card.
2. Reignite Rivalry: Reuse past heat to craft emotionally resonant matches.
3. Title Stakes: Boost the relative prestige of the Women’s IC Championship by having two main‑event veterans chase it.
âś… What This Means for Fans
Expect bell‑to‑bell promos and high‑stakes matches with storied history between the two.
The program “makes Bayley feel wanted” and signals WWE trusts her with top talent positioning .
For Becky, rekindling this feud allows her to reinvent the IC title picture and show versatility as both face and written‑in heel.
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⚠️ Final Take
WWE’s decision to book Bayley into this feud isn’t random—it’s a calculated business and booking strategy. With Bayley’s sudden exclusion from WrestleMania sparking fan criticism, WWE responded by reigniting one of the company’s most emotionally charged rivalries. This accomplishes three goals: retain Bayley through a meaningful program, enhance the IC title’s profile, and tap into forgotten but potent storyline heat.
If creative delivers, the RAW feud between Bayley and Becky could become one of the standout women’s feuds of 2025—a well-earned redemption arc for Bayley, and a
compelling chapter in Becky’s ongoing legacy.
