Ronda Rousey may be the new buzzword in the world of professional wrestling but the MMA superstar will have to earn her stripes to get to the top, according to one of WWE’s brightest female talents.
Former Raw women’s champion Bayley is welcoming the new eyes that Rousey will bring to Wrestlemania 34 next month, when she makes her in-ring debut, in a yet to be confirmed match.
Speaking to Newshub, Bayley has warned the former UFC champion that respect is earned in the WWE, not gifted.
“She isn’t taking my spot, she is not stopping me from achieving my dreams just because she is here,” Bayley told Newshub.
“She has touched so many different people in the world of sports.
“People want to see Ronda Rousey because she is an attraction.
“I have people come up to me at my gym and they tell me they are going to watch because they are big UFC fans.
“I don’t feel like she is taking the spotlight away from us – if anything it is pushing us to be better because she is getting that spotlight, so we have to push harder to keep our spot.
“My goal is to be the women’s champion, to main event on a regular basis, to be at Wrestlemania. It doesn’t matter to me who comes in, they are not taking my spot unless they earn it.”
Rousey’s exact role for Wrestlemania is yet to be fully determined, but with WWE executive and performer Triple H confirming she will be involved, the 31-year-old’s road to the big dance is a lot clearer than Bayley’s.
The 28-year-old is in limbo as she has fallen out of the title picture, a far cry from 12-months ago when Bayley entered Wrestlemania with a belt around her waist.
“I guess everybody feels that pressure given it is Wrestlemania season and nobody really knows what’s going on unless you are in a championship match.
“Last year I felt safe because I was the champion, but now, yeah, it is a little nerve racking. I would to be on the card in any form.
There is however one path that WWE fans are craving for that would see Bayley in a match at the show of shows.
Her best friend Sasha Banks is in a similar situation having come up short in recent months in trying to dethrone Raw women’s champion Alexa Bliss.
Bayley and Banks have developed a close bond over the last five years, having spent time together in WWE’s developmental brand, NXT, culminating in the best wrestling match of 2015 at NXT Takeover in Brooklyn.
But that friendship has been put to the test in recent months with WWE’s storylines hinting at potential friction between the two.
Bayley is it pains to rush a storyline that leads to a showdown with Banks on April 9 (NZT), despite fans calling for it to happen.
The childhood wrestling fan strongly believes that such an angle needS a strong buildup with marquee billing.
However with both desperate to fill a spot at WWE’s super bowl, the dream match might take place after all.
“Whatever it takes is what we are all willing to do,” Bayley told Newshub.
“I would love for it to be against Sasha but I just don’t know if there is enough room for us to give that match the time it deserves.
“But we have a really good connection to the point that anytime we can tell that story we would be able to.
“If now is a good time and I would to start that up again if we are able to.”
Catch Wrestlemania 34 on the WWE Network on April 9 (NZT).
