Add as a preferred source on Google Bayley is once again one of the names WWE fans are rallying behind after she was defeated by Lyra Valkyria at Saturday Night’s Main Event, held last night at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
The match was marked by an early accident. Bayley caught Valkyria with an elbow to the nose that opened up a heavy cut, but the Irish star kept fighting and put away her former partner with a submission, forcing the referee to stop the match.
Valkyria kept up the attack after the match, throwing the veteran into the ring post, locking in the submission once more, and closing out the segment with a Nightwing on the steel steps.
The reaction from some fans was immediate. Several posts criticized the way WWE has been using Bayley and questioned why one of the most successful wrestlers in the recent history of the women’s division keeps racking up big losses.
“Why can’t they ever book Bayley to win?”
That just happened. 😱
— WWE (@WWE) July 19, 2026
Lyra Valkyria puts Bayley to sleep at #SNME! pic.twitter.com/jmeiecKWdM
“So Bayley is just a stepping stone now. WWE has no idea what they are doing.”
The complaints also included calls for Bayley to leave WWE, with some fans mentioning AEW as a possible destination. So far, though, there’s no confirmation that the former Women’s Champion is planning to leave the company.
The rivalry with Valkyria began after the two were defeated by Paige and Brie Bella in a match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. Valkyria blamed Bayley for the loss, ended their partnership, and began attacking her repeatedly in the weeks that followed.
With the win at Saturday Night’s Main Event, Valkyria gained momentum in her new run as a heel. Bayley, meanwhile, is once again without a clear direction on WWE programming, and her fans’ frustration keeps growing.