WWE MITB: Bayley’s crowning moment is why we watch and hope

Though Bayley broke Charlotte Flair’s undefeated Pay Per View streak, defended a title at WrestleMania, won the tag titles, and put together one of the best matches of all-time in NXT, it truly felt like her Money in the Bank cash-in was her crowning moment in WWE.

For years, the narrative around Bayley has been almost patronizing. It’s always “poor Bayley” or “Why is Bayley broken?” instead of, “Damn, she’s one of the best wrestlers on this roster”. It seems like if a wrestler isn’t constantly winning championships in WWE, we focus more on WWE’s negatives than said wrestler’s positives.

So that’s why it was comforting to see the narrative shift in 2019, which has been Bayley’s best year on the WWE main roster thus far. Between standing out at the Royal Rumble to stepping toe-to-toe with Ronda Rousey in an excellent match on the subsequent episode of Raw, Bayley confirmed that she has the crowd firmly behind her and never ceased being an excellent “big match” performer.

Thereafter, Bayley won the Women’s Tag Team Championships and helped make the Boss’N’Hug Connection’s WrestleMania 35 program feel important.

Though WWE didn’t believe in their reign as tag team champions, Bayley made her way to SmackDown Live and immediately established herself as a key player with some exceptional promos, including a face-to-face encounter with then-double champ Becky Lynch.

At Money in the Bank 2019, Bayley stole the show, putting together all those months of quiet momentum into a crescendo that didn’t just involve her securing the star-making briefcase.

She quickly cashed in her opportunity on her old rival Charlotte Flair, who used to dismissively see her as an unworthy pawn that could be manipulated. Far from it, Bayley upstaged every other superstar and out-maneuvered Charlotte and Becky in the end, winning the SmackDown Women’s Championship in a segment/match that will surely stand as one of the best of the year.

As the Hartford crowd serenaded a triumphant Bayley, a cathartic release of positive emotions emanated from the screen. Here was Bayley, a woman who has been the definition of consistency for several years, reminding WWE fans that she is the same superstar capable of creating magical moments. All the fans had to do was believe.

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And believe they did. Last year, it was Becky Lynch who received the most forceful reactions from the crowd, who wanted to will her to victory every time she came within reach of the briefcase. This year, Bayley was the crowd favorite, which made her victory and cash-in all the more impactful.

During the match, Bayley stood out more than any other wrestler with her sheer determination to win another singles championship; a mission that was underscored by her fiery promos in the build-up to Money in the Bank.

Now the SmackDown Women’s Champion, Bayley becomes the first in history to hold the NXT, Raw, SmackDown, and Women’s Tag Team Championships. More importantly, she becomes the face of SmackDown at a time when Ember Moon, Mandy Rose, Kairi Sane, Sonya Deville, Liv Morgan and more are just itching for an opportunity to win their first title.

It will be exciting to see Bayley’s reign develop, as there’s so much promise for her as a champion on SmackDown Live. There are so many up-and-coming stars for Bayley, one of WWE’s most respected wrestlers, to help spotlight.

Bayley’s Money in the Bank cash-in wasn’t a star-making performance like Carmella’s, but it was a feel-good, star-confirming performance.

On a pay-per-view that closed with Brock Lesnar capturing the men’s briefcase, which means it will now be another year of no star-building cash-ins on the men’s side, Bayley’s inspiring victory was all the more crucial.

To say that Bayley saved the show would be accurate but also mildly dismissive. Because Bayley’s Money in the Bank win and successful cash-in go beyond just the context of the show itself or even her career.

At a time when it feels easier than ever to be negative about WWE due to TV Ratings, Wild Cards, or actually serious issues like involvement in Saudi Arabia, Bayley’s heart-warming victory was a stirring reminder of why we still watch and hope.