It's one of the most exciting times of the year across all of sports and entertainment.
The NCAA Tournament has just tipped off, NFL free agency is in full swing, Opening Day is just around the corner, and in the land of professional wrestling, another WrestleMania is right around the corner.
Both Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live will be rolling through Dallas next week, and I had the chance to chat with the former Raw women's champion Bayley about her recent run of history-making matches and more:
On where performing in front of Dallas crowds rank vs. everywhere else you have wrestled...
Bayley: "Dallas is great. With WrestleMania 32 [in Arlington], I was out there in the crowd. I believe that was Sasha, Charlotte [Flair], and Becky [Lynch]'s first WrestleMania and that was when the new Raw women's title was announced. So, I was in the crowd for all of that, and they were just amazing. Obviously, it's people from all over the world, but the atmosphere in Texas itself is amazing. And Dallas is a huge sports city, so I'm definitely excited to go back, and I'm happy that we're going to have both Raw and SmackDown there because I think they deserve it. It's a huge wrestling town."
Whataburger or In-N-Out?
Bayley: "Oh goodness. Whataburger is alright - it's a little sloppy for me. But In-N-Out I think is overrated. And that's just, I don't know, I get a lot of crap for that because I'm from California and people are just obsessed with In-N-Out. But I would have to choose the protein style double cheeseburger over any other burger."
If there's anybody else outside of WWE you'd like to bring in and work with...
Bayley: "I'm a huge Paramore fan. So, if Hayley Williams wants to come be my manager or special guest referee a match or something, then I'd be very open to that."
I could see that. She could even give you some new entrance music or something...
Bayley: "Exactly. That's my dream."
Speaking of music, how was doing the Mixed Match Challenge with Elias?
Bayley: "It's really fun. It's some of the coolest stuff I've been able to do. Although our Mixed Match Challenge days were cut short, we're hoping to get another chance and get voted back in. But it's just been fun annoying him and playing off him."
If Bayley ever stopped living the 'hug life' would joining up to be bandmates with Elias be something you'd like to do...
Bayley: "I would love to. I just got to learn the guitar a little bit better or else I think he'd get tired of me real quick."
Another big match, the recently announced women's WrestleMania battle royale, what was your reaction to the creation of another historic match for the women's division?
Bayley: "I think it's awesome. Like they say in the promotional video - all women from all brands are welcome to join. So, that means we'll have the Raw and SmackDown women combined with also NXT Women just like the Rumble was. And I think it's a great opportunity for everybody especially the girls from NXT who get to take advantage of it. But I'm excited to be a part of - if I get in that match, I'm hoping I do, it's pretty cool - to be a part of another history-making match, and just to be on WrestleMania alone is obviously what everybody wants, and what we work for all year long."
