5 Reasons Bayley Will Be As Big As John Cena

Everyone loves Bayley, and if you don’t it probably means we can never truly be friends. She has a side ponytail, ticker-tape armbands and wacky waving inflatable tube men. Never has there been anything in wrestling so hard to dislike than the Bayley package.

Since her unexpected ascent in NXT, and an epic title match in Brooklyn, fans have speculated exactly how far Bayley can go as an act in the WWE. Late last year reports began to circulate that Bayley’s t-shirt was the top selling item among the company’s entire female roster. Sure, she wasn’t really outselling the Bellas – who benefited from a much wider selection of merchandise and a massive Total Divas related marketing push – but her lonesome t-shirt was the number one seller.

So how big was Bayley going to be? Would she be the next AJ Lee? Could she be a staple of the women’s division for years to come? Or was she was going to be bigger than that? These questions remain unanswered, but allow me to relate to you a little theory: Bayley is going to be as big as John Cena. Here’s why.

 

1. The Smarks love Bayley like Daniel Bryan

If there’s one thing which has defined the last five years in pro-wrestling, it’s probably the rise of the Smark. Smarks, or wrestling fans who think they know the industry well and see it as an art form, have somehow found themselves a vocal minority able to make or break careers. Bayley’s kid friendly character would not normally be what Smarks cheer for. Over the last two years though, Bayley has won them over.

No one since Daniel Bryan has quite tapped that innate crowd connection which turns an ordinary everyman into an unstoppable audience avatar. Bayley is the everywoman. Often she’s described as the girl next door, and while this is usually meant as a compliment, it doesn’t quite pinpoint her appeal.

Hulk Hogan was the embodiment of the 80s wrestling fan, while Steve Austin defined the rebellion of the gen-Xers watching WWF in the late 90s. Bayley is a reflection of the modern wrestling fan, because these days we’re not cool like Austin or into Hogan’s American superman shtick. We’re goofy, often slightly embarrassed to be liking wrestling yet earnest in our love for the medium. For Smarks everywhere, Bayley is our protagonist.

 

2. The Kids love Bayley like John Cena

Why are kids important to wrestling? Well, first of all they’re the next generation of fans. One day many of them will be adult wrestling fans, and how is that not a good thing? Secondly, they buy enough wrestling tat to put Vince McMahon’s descendants through college for generations. John Cena did not become family friendly by accident. Kids buy his t-shirts because he’s the Luke Skywalker of wrestling. He’s a simple hero who’s easy to root for, and so is Bayley.

Aside from superfan Izzy, there is an entire internet catalogue of Youtube videos showing young girls losing it over Bayley. Her merchandise will never stop selling. Like Cena she is a role model, which is great because until recently little girls weren’t exactly encouraged to like things like wrestling. Little girls were supposed to like Disney princesses and Bratz dolls. And sure, it’s more than okay for girls to like those too, but it’s a small tragedy every time a child is told they can’t like something they like just because it’s “not for them”.

Bayley’s big sister vibe will bring new fans to wrestling for the next decade. There’s genuinely few wrestlers who can boast this kind of drawing ability.

 

3. Bayley is already a ring general

Even in his prime Hulk Hogan was not a great wrestler, but in the 80s it didn’t matter. Suplex forward to 2016 and it matters a whole lot. John Cena could not have carried WWE the last decade without being a great wrestler, and Bayley wouldn’t be where she is without being a ring general. With her debut match on Monday Night Raw, she carried the still-green Dana Brooke in an above average match. It’s a feat NXT viewers have been used to for the last year.

Whether it’s relative rookies like Liv Morgan, high risk performers like Sasha Banks, or international superstars like Asuka, Bayley can get a good match out of any of them. That level of ring chemistry and adaptability is rare. Long time fans already know most of Bayley’s signature moves, but in her last match with Asuka she matched the Japanese star’s hard hitting style strike for strike.

 

4. Bayley is part of the NXT Takeover

No, I’m not talking about the next NXT pay-per-view. NXT is quite literally in the process of taking over the WWE’s main event scene. In fact, with Triple H helping Kevin Owens win the Universal Championship, it’s quite possible WWE are  making this an actual storyline. With Bayley having been the face of NXT for the last year (Sorry Finn Balor, you’re great, but we tuned in for Bayley) this development can only elevate her.

Whether it’s used as a storyline, or is simply a backstage change, the future of WWE rests with Triple H and his NXT call ups. With the need for a new number one star gradually becoming more urgent for the company, Vince McMahon finally decided to pull the trigger on an NXT icon in the build up to Summerslam. Finn Balor would get the push and management would see if he could be the top babyface they’re looking for.

With Balor injured, that space will be filled by Bayley. It may take a while for WWE to realise this, and there may be some resistance to the idea, but it will happen.

 

5. Bayley has natural charisma

In her last few months at NXT I began to worry about whether Bayley would make it on the main roster. Her doe eyes and nervous face panicked me. Would she crumble under the pressure? Would she get lost in the shuffle?

When she walked out the night after Summerslam and owned a ring occupied by Charlotte and Hall of Famer Mick Foley, my doubts disintegrated. More recently she’s held her own alongside the New Day, who are the most over act in the company in case you’ve been living in the batcave for the last year. In the ring this translates to the ability to tell great stories. On promos it means her charisma, drawn directly from the crowd, can hype pay-per-views and make feuds more meaningful for the people watching.

Like I said, Hulk Hogan was not a great wrestler. But the man had enough charisma to fill a football stadium. Bayley is not there yet, but if she works hard and is given space to grow she could be. Sooner than we think Bayley could be a wrestling ambassador, appearing on Good Morning America and being the first female face of the WWE.