10 Things We Learned From Post-Extreme Rules WWE Raw (June 5)
4. Bye Bye Bayley
If in doubt, write her out.
It seems following on from last week's woeful endeavour and Sunday's virtual squash, WWE have concluded that the Bayley character needs a brief respite. Thrown in that she was recovering from injuries, it would be good if the company can stretch this out a little longer to help her absence grow back some fondness.
Despite relentless optimism (mirroring the character herself) from discerning followers, it is now indefensible how big a mess has been made with 'The Hugger'. Given all the wrong things at the wrong time, her WWE tenure couldn't stray further from all the crucial nuances that made her such a vital performer in the developmental brand.
The Bliss defeat was disheartening, but in a sense, it wasn't even as criminal as the fact she went into WrestleMania 33 as champion after ending Charlotte Flair's pay-per-view streak in February, instead of attempting to unseat the champion on the Grandest Stage. It's one of the company's biggest blunders this year and possibly represents better than anything else how far in the wrong direction they've steered.
Hopefully lasting more than just a week, this self-imposed sabbatical could be just what she needs to find fire and fan faith, with a surprise return potentially huge if WWE carefully plot it's trajectory.