Bayley is back on Monday night Raw, but what in the world is going on with her contract status? Just hours after her dramatic return, conflicting reports blew up the internet, leaving everyone scratching their heads and wondering about her long-term future with the company.
What’s the Deal with Bayley?
Alright, so Bayley shows up on Raw and immediately costs Lyra Valkyria her Money in the Bank qualifying match, letting Sol Ruca snag the win. Huge. But then Dave Meltzer from Wrestling Observer Radio drops the news that she’s signed a new deal. Awesome, right? Not so fast. Mike Johnson from PWInsider.com fires back, saying she *hasn’t* signed anything new and is still working on her existing contract! Talk about a plot twist.
We don’t even know how much time is left on that current deal. Bryan Alvarez from Wrestling Observer Live mentioned last month that she was believed to be under contract until January. That’s, like, four months away! Remember all those rumors when she was seemingly written off after losing to Valkyria back on July 18 at Saturday Night’s Main Event? Turns out, AEW apparently had “high hopes” about making a run at her if she became a free agent, and they haven’t even been informed about her re-signing. So yeah, there’s a ton of confusion about whether Bayley has made a long-term commitment. Her return totally gives the Raw women’s division a shot in the arm, but the uncertainty is real.
Johnny Wrestling Is Back in Action
Over on SmackDown, Johnny Gargano is finally getting the TV time he deserves, and it’s about time! For months, the guy was stuck in backstage segments, planking on crates and not saying a word. We all knew he was a top-tier talent, dating back to his indie days and NXT, so that was brutal to watch. Last week, everything changed in his hometown of Cleveland. WWE champion CM Punk, of all people, offered to put the title on the line just to get Gargano back in the ring. That’s all Johnny Wrestling needed! He stood up, accepted the challenge, and they put on a spectacular main event. Punk won, yeah, even with Sami Zayn trying to mess things up and cost him the title, but Gargano was back! It was his first match since way back in April at the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal. He’s gonna make up for lost time, and there are so many exciting talents for him to work with on the blue brand. This is where he reminds everyone what he can do.
Jordynne Grace Is Changing Things Up
And speaking of returns, it looks like Jordynne Grace is coming back soon too! She hasn’t wrestled on SmackDown since April, but the word is her absence is ending. What’s even wilder is that she’s reportedly coming back to do something “categorically different” than before. Grace, who was a three-time TNA Knockouts world champion before joining WWE in early 2025 as part of the NXT brand, was a key player there, even if she never snagged the NXT Women’s Championship. A new look, a new role, something completely different? That’s definitely got me hyped to see what’s next.
So, we’ve got Bayley’s contract drama keeping us on the edge of our seats, Johnny Gargano finally getting his moment in the spotlight on SmackDown, and Jordynne Grace about to drop a totally new vibe. These are some massive storylines unfolding, and it’s gonna be wild to see how they all shake out in the coming weeks. What’s the truth about Bayley’s deal? How far can Gargano push on SmackDown? And what exactly will Grace do that’s “categorically different”? I’m ready for it all!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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