Bayley Unhappy With WWE Referee After Controversial Loss On RAW
Bayley confronted a WWE referee after losing to Lyra Valkyria on RAW, arguing Valkyria pulled her tights during the pinfall. The Role Model had recently returned to TV after her July loss to Valkyria at Saturday Night’s Main Event. after an absence.
Bayley is unhappy with a WWE referee just days after making her return to television. The Role Model lost her Monday Night RAW match against Lyra Valkyria after Valkyria pulled Bayley's tights during the pinfall. WWE later posted footage of Bayley confronting the referee about the finish. Bayley told him, “She pulled my tights in there. She played you the whole time, ref,” while the referee answered, “I was looking at the shoulders.” The exchange came after Bayley returned on September 7 by interfering in Valkyria's Money in the Bank qualifier, helping Sol Ruca win and earn her spot there.
Bayley challenged the referee over the disputed RAW finish
The loss came after Bayley had been away from WWE television since losing to Valkyria at Saturday Night's Main Event on July 18. When the two met again on RAW, Valkyria got the three-count after grabbing Bayley's tights, which Bayley clearly did not agree with.
WWE's video of the post-match exchange shows Bayley taking her complaint straight to the referee. She questioned his call and pointed toward Valkyria's actions during the pin. “Do you have eyes?” Bayley asked. The referee replied, “What are you talking about?”
Bayley then made her complaint even more direct: “She pulled my tights in there. She played you the whole time, ref.” The official gave his explanation, saying, “I was looking at the shoulders.”
Bayley's return was tied to Valkyria's Money in the Bank match
Bayley had returned to RAW on September 7, but she did not simply walk back into the ring for a singles match. She interfered in a Money in the Bank qualifying bout involving Valkyria, Sol Ruca and Maxxine Dupri.
Her interference stopped Valkyria from winning and helped Ruca take the victory instead. Ruca then secured her place in this year's Women's Money in the Bank Ladder Match.
There is also a piece of history involving Bayley and Mercedes Moné, her former WWE tag team partner. Moné, now with AEW and holding the AEW Women's World Championship, spoke to the Daily Star about wrestling Bayley again.
“You never know in wrestling. That's always a dream match for me, that is, to have another match with her,” Moné said. She also called Bayley one of her greatest opponents and brought up their NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn match, saying it changed how people viewed women's wrestling.
The feud with Valkyria is still active after their latest match, and WWE has yet to reveal how the rivalry will conclude. The referee's explanation did not change Bayley's complaint about the pinfall.