During Saturday’s WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event special, Lyra Valkyria submitted Bayley, putting her rival and former tag team partner to sleep. Bayley’s loss has sparked speculation among fans regarding her status with WWE. This speculation intensified on Monday during RAW when Valkyria interrupted an interview segment featuring Women’s Intercontinental Champion Sol Ruca, which aired during a commercial break and was also shown on RAW’s international feed on Netflix.
In that interview segment, Valkyria boasted, saying she had “run Bayley outta here” and added, “I’m probably glowing because I dropped the dead weight when I ran Bayley outta here.”
Reports from F4WOnline.com indicate that Bayley’s current WWE contract is believed to be expiring in the fourth quarter of 2026; however, the exact end date has not been confirmed. There are rumors that it will end in that timeframe. Recently, AEW star Mercedes Moné also hinted at a potential matchup with Bayley in AEW via a social media post.
According to Fightful Select, within WWE, there are expectations that Bayley’s current deal could conclude by the end of the year unless any injury time is added. It has also been noted that, as of now, Bayley has not signed a new contract. While no one in WWE has confirmed her immediate future on television, her contract status has become a topic of discussion in both WWE and AEW.
WWE is expected to try to re-sign Bayley, but it has been noted that she will be “in demand,” especially amid a period when the company is making headlines for pursuing salary reductions, which have led to exits from talents like Sheamus and the New Day.
The report further states that there has been speculation within AEW about Bayley’s contract status for some time, and they are likely to express interest in signing her if the opportunity arises. Bayley has been seen backstage at several AEW events as a visitor; however, Tony Khan typically avoids discussions with contracted WWE talent during these visits. Several sources have discussed Bayley’s potential transition to AEW for nearly a year.
Fightful spoke with an agent who believes that Bayley should at least enter a negotiation phase. The agent added that she will have sufficient demand from both WWE and AEW to potentially influence contract terms for others within WWE. Unlike most WWE contracts, which often lack guaranteed years or no-cut clauses, it is suggested that Bayley could help raise the standard following recent restructurings that have led to talent departures.
Additionally, both AEW and WWE are likely to offer multi-year, multi-million dollar contracts. AEW tends to fulfill their deals and covers travel costs, allowing talent to pursue outside bookings and signings. A source within the convention industry believes Bayley would be highly sought after for signings and meet-and-greets, potentially among the most in-demand talents in recent decades.
