WWE: 3 fresh challengers for SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley

Mia Yim

If you want a truly fresh opponent, why not go with someone who isn’t even a current member of the SmackDown roster? NXT is brimming with talent, and unfortunately the downside to that is some of them can often get lost in the mix.

Mia Yim first arrived in WWE as part of the second Mae Young Classic, defeating Allysin Kay and Kaitlyn before falling to Toni Storm in the quarterfinals. Despite the loss, WWE clearly saw the value in Yim as she became a mainstay of NXT in late 2018 following that tournament.

During her NXT tenure, Mia Yim has found herself in matches with the potential consequence of earning a shot at the NXT Women’s Championship on seven different occasions. However, her only title shot came when she challenged then NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler at NXT TakeOver: Toronto in August 2019.

Now, with stars like Shotzi Blackheart, Mercedes Martinez, Dakota Kai, Tegan Nox, Candice LeRae, and more pining for an opportunity at NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai, it’s harder than ever for Yim to break through the pack. Meanwhile, Yim is more than ready to move on to the stage that is Friday Night SmackDown.

At 31 years of age, Mia Yim boasts 11 years of in-ring experience. She’s a former Shine Wrestling Champion and TNA Knockouts Champion, and Yim was ranked sixth on the 2016 PWI Female 50.

Mia Yim is more than ready, and could bring a fresh element not just to Bayley’s title reign but to SmackDown as a whole. Yim’s challenge would push Bayley to adapt to an altogether different kind of competitor and only strengthen her reign.