Bayley Gets Candid About New WWE Finisher, Struggle To Find Herself As A Babyface

As one of WWE's "Four Horsewomen," Bayley is usually a fairly popular wrestler among the company's fans. However, there have been times when her character hasn't resonated as strongly, and negative fan reaction led to the wrestler and the company agreeing to turn Bayley heel for the first time in 2019.

Appearing on "Insight," Bayley reflected on the lead-up to her heel turn, pinpointing the moment in time when she knew something had to change. It came after she separated her shoulder in 2019, when WWE officials asked her to break the news about being forced to drop off WWE SummerSlam to the audience through a promo. Though she was supposed to be a hero, Bayley was met with a chorus of boos.

"I don't know why they were booing me," the wrestler said. "I was almost in tears. I remember Mercedes came out because she was taking my spot at SummerSlam and ... we looked at each other and she was like, 'Man, f**k these people.' And I was like, 'Yeah!' Because she could see that I felt so terrible about myself."

After turning heel, Bayley changed her finishing move from the Bayley-To-Belly to the Rose Plant. The latter move is very basic, with Bayley grabbing her opponent's leg and slamming them down into the mat. It's seen by many fans as one of the more underwhelming finishers in WWE today, but Bayley isn't shaken by the criticism.

"Everyone hates my finish, huh? Sorry guys," Bayley stated. "I think I stopped worrying a long time ago, because that will kill you. ... Not that we don't listen to [fans]. Obviously, we care. They're the reason we do this, you know?"

Bayley acknowledged that the Rose Plant can be awkward to set up, but the wrestler maintained that it can be very impactful when done well. Still, even WWE figures such as Michael Cole have spoken to Bayley about possibly changing to a different finishing move. However, the benefit of the Rose Plant is that it's safe and easy. While Bayley could adopt an elbow drop, as suggested by Cole, the wrestler noted that it's a painful move to dole out on a regular basis, and she'd like to preserve the quality of her knees for the future.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Insight" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.