Bayley says her title win was never the goal of Damage CTRL.
At WWE SummerSlam 2022, Bayley returned from injury alongside IYO SKY and Dakota Kai. Collectively known as Damage CTRL, the group had a successful run together, as Kai and SKY won the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship. The stable eventually added Kairi Sane and Asuka, and the faction turned on Bayley after she won the 2024 Women's Royal Rumble. Bayley then beat SKY to win the WWE Women's Championship at WWE WrestleMania XL.
Speaking with Joey Karni of The Angle Podcast ahead of WWE SummerSlam, Bayley was asked whether winning the WWE Women's Championship was always the goal when she returned with Damage CTRL.
“No. No, this was never the goal. IYO SKY becoming champion was the goal. Dakota Kai becoming champion was the goal. It was weird, I was talking to people when I was pitching for this, there were videos that I did and promos that I wrote that was like, 'I’m not here to be a champion. I’ve done all those things. I couldn’t care less about those things. What I’m here to do is for them to feel that, for them to have their Mania moments, their Summer Slam moments, to become champion.' Luckily we were able to do that, and this was kinda just like a little side piece, a little par that I wasn’t expecting, and that’s their fault. If they would’ve have turned on me, IYO could’ve still been champion, but here we are," Bayley said.
Bayley lost the WWE Women's Championship to Nia Jax at WWE SummerSlam.
In a recent interview, Bayley reflected on her success in WWE. Check out her comments here.
Fightful will have coverage of WWE SmackDown as it airs on August 9th.
Thanks to Joey Karni of The Angle Podcast for sharing these quotes.
