Bayley: From Obsessed Fan to WWE Champion at SummerSlam
When Bayley steps into the ring at *SummerSlam
this weekend, the WWE Women's Champion will be right where she always belonged. The 35-year-old, known outside the ring as Pamela Martinez, will defend her title against Nia Jax in one of the main events at WWE's biggest summer spectacle, taking place at the Cleveland Browns Stadium.
Bayley's passion for professional wrestling began at the tender age of 10. She was captivated by the spectacle and the characters, particularly icons like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, one of her early idols. "Everything just clicked for me," she reflects, recalling her childhood obsession. "I'd watch wrestling, write about it at school, even found ways to incorporate it into my English essays. Wrestling was always on my mind."
Growing up in San Jose, California, Bayley traded the basketball court for the squared circle, becoming a devoted viewer of *Monday Night RAW*. She admired the likes of "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, but found herself particularly drawn to the women wrestlers. "They were the coolest," she says, remembering late 90s and early 2000s stars like Ivory, Gail Kim, Lita, and Trish Stratus. "They were badass athletes, all so different, and that's what really attracted me."
At 18, while most teenagers were figuring out their future paths, Bayley chose wrestling. She began training at a local gym in the Bay Area, determined to follow in the footsteps of the women she'd watched on TV. "My obsession just kept growing," she says. "I was a bit shy, and wrestling allowed me to express myself, be goofy, even let loose. It just resonated with me."
Bayley honed her craft by competing in small independent promotions across the country, performing in gyms and bingo halls to audiences of just a few dozen. By the time she turned 22, Bayley had earned a tryout with WWE, and soon debuted with NXT, the company's developmental program.
Initially, she struggled to adapt to WWE's character-driven style, a world of larger-than-life personas reminiscent of Hulk Hogan and John Cena. "I wasn't prepared to be a character," she admits. "All I focused on was wrestling. The whole professional side, the look, the entertainment aspect, it was overwhelming. I hadn't even considered those factors."
With guidance from mentors like the late Dusty Rhodes, who worked with up-and-coming NXT talent, Bayley discovered the secret to success: "Be yourself." She embraced an exaggerated version of her own personality, becoming a WWE superfan, awestruck by her own presence on the big stage.
Bayley's character looked up to fellow WWE stars with childlike wonder and amazement, eliciting laughter from the crowd with her requests for hugs from both friends and foes. Her signature move, an overexcited bear hug, became a crowd favourite, culminating in a victorious slam and a celebratory hug on the defeated opponent.
The endearing humour of Bayley's character, coupled with her genuine commitment, quickly captured the hearts of fans, propelling her career forward.
Meanwhile, women's wrestling was undergoing a period of significant transformation, fuelled by the high-profile matches she and fellow stars like Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch delivered during their early NXT days. "Everything really started kicking in around 2014," Bayley recalls. "[WWE Chief Content Officer Paul 'Triple H' Levesque] gave us the opportunity, and so many women had the platform to showcase their talents. We weren't just good in the ring, we were compelling characters that people connected with."
In August 2016, Bayley made her debut on *Monday Night RAW*, the very show she had watched as a child. She marvels at the accomplishments of her career, including becoming the first woman in WWE history to achieve the "Grand Slam Championship," winning the WWE Raw Women's Championship, the WWE SmackDown Women's Championship, the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, and the WWE's NXT Women's Championship.
Perhaps even more remarkable is the influence Bayley has had on a new generation of WWE stars. Young wrestlers like Roxanne Perez, Cora Jade, and Indi Hartwell, who grew up watching Bayley on *Monday Night RAW*, credit her as an inspiration. "And all of them are here, successful, champions," Bayley notes. "And I was someone they looked up to? I'm proud that I can be someone kids admire and have their own success build upon that. It's beautiful."
*SummerSlam 2024
takes place on Saturday, August 3rd, starting at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.
