The ring’s the thing for WWE’s Bayley

The ring’s the thing for WWE’s Bayley

by rick olivares

Professional wrestler Bayley (whose real name is Pamela Rose Martinez) entered the function room at the Marco Polo Hotel. She was able to get a good night’s sleep and she feels refreshed. 

“I think by mid-day I’ll feel some of that jet lag kick in,” pointed out the current World Wrestling Entertainment Smackdown Women’s Champion. “All I need is the crowd’s rush to get me through.”

It wasn’t too long ago when Bayley was growing up in California a pro wrestling fan. “They were larger than life heroes,” she said. “They wore these colorful costumes. Wore masks. Had outlandish entourages and oversized personalities. Our comic book super-heroes in the flesh. I was enthralled as a kid.”

Now she’s on the other side of the ring with millions and millions of fans following her every match, every Instagram post, and more. 

“It’s crazy. I always wanted to make fans feel that magic in atmosphere and what I experienced,” said Bayley. “It trips me out to see kids and even grown men wearing shirts with me on them. I don’t think I will ever get tired of it.”

However, Bayley echoed some sentiments bared by fellow WWWE stars Kevin Owens and Ali who graced a roundtable discussion with media a few hours earlier. 

“Our schedules can get really crazy and we t times are caught up in bad situations or even mood swings,” bared the WWE’s first Triple Crown or Grand Slam Champion having won women’s titles in all three promotions – Raw, Smackdown, and NXT. “As for me, I have to think three or four times before I say something because I could regret what I will say or even do. I have a six-year old and a 13-year old nephew watching too. And I would hate to give them a wrong impression that being a WWE superstar has gotten into my head.”

It is actually satisfying to see and hear a celebrity like Bayley talk not only being a role model, but also being concerned for the unfortunate instead of wrestling history all the time. “I do love pro wrestling and it has been good for me, however, I must remember that without this opportunity, I wouldn’t be able to experience all these things.”

One of the responsibilities of being a WWE superstar is doing a lot of charity work especially during big events such as Wrestlemania or Summer Slam. “With the WWE, we get to go around and go to places such as and children’s hospitals that is really special for me.  It is a big deal to spread joy, spend some time with kids who are battling way more heavier things that we can ever get worked up inside the ring. Outside wrestling never knew I could do that so I love doing this charity work.”

Doing charity work isn’t the only other thing in Bayley’s life that gives her a purpose. What drives Bayley is being at the forefront with her fellow WWWE wrestlers Charlotte Flair, Asuka, Carmella, Mandy Rose, and Peyton Royce to name but a few to carry the fight for gender equality. “Women have always been a huge part of pro wrestling and the WWE. They may not have gotten the spotlight they deserved, but the reason why we are here is because of Trish Stratus, Victoria, Lita etc. They paved the way for all of us. And the fact that we are seen as main eventers and appearing on the cover of video games is cool and fortunate for us. So this is a great job.”

Being a WWE superstar means constant travel and being on the road for much of the year. Every chance she gets, she returns home to her fiancée, Aaron Solow, and their Maltese Shih Tzu, Flex. 

“Flex the best,” enthused Bayley. “I had dogs growing up. Flex is my fiancée’s dog so he is like mine as well. Flex travels a lot with us and has even been on the ring!”

It’s a tough business, but I am loving every moment of it,” summed up Bayley. “Who says dreams cannot come true?”