Bayley's future with WWE in question as AEW shows interest

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JULY 18:Bayley makes her entrance during Saturday Night's Main Event at Madison Square Garden on July 18, 2026 in New York, United States. (Photo by Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images) WWE or AEW. Those seem to be the only two viable options staring Bayley in the face as her WWE contract is reportedly up soon. My colleague Geno Mrosko argued that Bayley should go to AEW, and I agree with him. As an outsider offering unsolicited career advice, I would tell Bayley to go where the money and the easy schedule are. If that’s AEW, then welcome to Jacksonville! But what I truly wish for Bayley is something even more, something I wish for all wrestlers. Option C: A successful life beyond wrestling. In recent months, Bayley has launched Lodestone, a series of seminars and training camps for women wrestlers. Speaking to Nikki & Brie Bella on their show in November, she said, “I’ve always pictured myself continuing on with wrestling and wanting to open a school someday.” Certainly, Bayley has something to offer the industry that future generations can benefit from. That she wants to do it is a testament to her passion. In talking to the Bellas, Bayley added, “Non-wrestling stuff is kind of a little bit harder for me because this is all I’ve ever wanted to do.” That worries me. There can only be so many schools to open, so many students to teach, and so many jobs within the industry. With WWE gobbling up the industry, there may be fewer opportunities for wrestling lifers to find long-term, gainful employment. I joked that I’d love to see Bayley open a party rental shop, offering inflatable tube men to customers. But I’d be elated if Bayley became a real estate mogul battling Ryan Serhant. Or an interior designer whose work appears on Homeworthy. Regardless, whatever Bayley does next, I hope it’s a fruitful venture. But between options A or B, I’m rooting hardest for option C: an entirely new path that’s less dependent on the industry and more self-sufficient. Vaya con Dios, Bayley.

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LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 22: Bayley looks on in ring during Monday Night RAW at The O2 Arena on June 22, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Joe Maher/WWE via Getty Images) | WWE via Getty Images One of the hottest rumors of 2026 is Bayley’s contractual status. She’s still signed to WWE through 2026, apparently, and there will undoubtedly be a bidding war for her services once she becomes available. AEW is heavily interested in procuring her services while WWE surely wants to keep her on a roster that hasn’t been without her dating all the way back to December of 2012. That’s when she first signed with the company. She spent four years in developmental before making the jump to the main roster, and she did nothing but make history along the way. It’s not an exaggeration to say that without her contributions more generally, women may not have the foothold in WWE they enjoy now. Outside of headlining WrestleMania, she’s quite literally done it all. And maybe that’s the biggest reason for her to move on to something new. There’s nothing left for her in WWE. They can pay her well, sure, but how secure does that even feel in the TKO era? There’s far more security in AEW, it would mean a reunion with her best friend in Mercedes Mone, and opens up a wide range of compelling possibilities that simply would not exist if she re-signed with WWE. I suppose it’s possible she could come in and Tony Khan forgets about her within a year or so but she would instantly come in as arguably the top star in the division, and someone who should be a regular presence on television week in and week out. New matches, new moments, more creative freedom — what’s not to love about this idea?