Bayley Talks Being Unsure How The Crowd Would React To Her At WWE WrestleMania 40

After forming and being the leader of heel stable Damage CNTRL for years, new WWE Women's Champion Bayley was unsure what response she was going to get from the WrestleMania 40 crowd in Philadelphia. Bayley initially formed the group with IYO Sky and Dakota Kai in July 2022 and current WWE Women's Tag Team champions Asuka and Kairi Sane later joined them. Bayley was kicked out of the stable she created back in February, after winning the Royal Rumble and challenging Sky for her championship. The former "Hugger" defeated Sky during night two of the event, capturing the title. Speaking during the press conference following WrestleMania, Bayley said she wasn't sure what the crowd was going to think of her, as she's "newly friends" with the "WWE Universe" again.

"I was concerned that some of them didn't forgive me for calling them idiots for so many years," Bayley said. "I wasn't sure how it was going to be because IYO is so incredibly talented and it's hard to not cheer for her. She's so amazing, but she's a really bad friend. So I was very excited to hear that everyone still had my back after all these years. I truly think that my journey through the WWE these past 11 years, we have cemented such a connection... So coming out, I felt like, 'Ugh, finally.'" 

Bayley said she believes she did her job the past few years in the company to show how much she cares about her character, and how much she cares about the fans. She said that WrestleMania felt like "the weirdest dream," and that she "fantasy booked" her whole life, after winning the title, then watching the likes of John Cena and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson compete in the ring. Bayley said she feels very grateful after winning the championship. Bayley will defend her championship for the blue brand, but has not yet been advertised for Friday's "WWE SmackDown" as of this writing.