Bayley Says WWE Star Benefited From Release

Bayley believes that Nia Jax being released from WWE helped her find focus.

Nia Jax first joined WWE in 2014 as part of NXT. It was during her time in the developmental brand that she first feuded with Bayley, with The Irresistible force unsuccessfully challenging the star for the NXT Women’s Title in 2015.

Jax moved up to the main roster in 2016 and soon became a dominant force in the women’s division, and over the following years, feuded with the likes of Mercedes Mone, Alexa Bliss, and Ronda Rousey. In November 2021, though, Nia Jax was one of 18 WWE stars released from their contracts with the company.

At the 2023 Royal Rumble, Jax returned to WWE, and since then has arguably been on the most impressive run of her career. In 2024, she reached new heights, winning the Queen of the Ring tournament in May, and then at SummerSlam defeating Bayley to capture the WWE Women’s Championship.

Nia Jax Has Impressed Bayley Since Her WWE Return

During an interview on The Angle with Joey Karni, Bayley explained why she thinks Jax being released worked out well for the star.

“I think her being released from the company might have either humbled her or really set her straight to be focused. Not that she wasn’t focused before, we don’t take any of this for granted, but I think you really have to have those life talks with yourself when something that big happens.”

The star also thinks Jax has been better since returning, saying she loves seeing how much she has grown.

“It’s a good thing to show for the division that she has come back better, like you don’t want to come back and be worse and I have that fear all the time, but I love to see that she’s grown and that she was able to really have amazing matches, that whole Queen of the Ring tournament was incredible.”

H/T to WrestlingNews.co for the above transcription.