7 Ups & 3 Downs From WWE Raw (10 Feb - Results & Review)

6. Grizzled Vet Overcomes Young Rising Star

It’s very difficult to think of Bayley as an old, grizzled veteran of the ring, but next to most of the locker room these days, she really is one of the most tenured superstars on the women’s roster. She’s literally done it all in WWE and is now competing against women who came into the business idolizing her.

The Role Model’s match against Lyra Valkyria for a spot in the women’s Elimination Chamber match followed this script, with the younger Lyra frustrating the experienced Bayley, forcing the veteran to rely on her cunning to thwart the Women’s Intercontinental Champion. They started out with some mat wrestling, including a knuckle-lock sequence and a nifty moment where Bayley went for her sliding elbow to Valkryia’s back, but Lyra hooked her and turned it into a backslide for a two-count.

At another point, Bayley went for the Rose Plant, only for Lyra to grab a pinfall attempt. Bayley then smashed Valkryia with a forearm, seemingly out of frustration at her opponent’s speed and counters.

The match was sloppy at a couple of points, which did detract from the overall feel a bit, but it also felt like a struggle. The finish followed the overall story, with Lyra going for a La Magistral Cradle, only for Bayley to shift her wait and turn it into a pin for the victory.

Unfortunately, the match played to silence at several points, but it was a good little story and showed not only that Bayley can get it done in the ring, but that younger superstars like Lyra Valkyria are nipping at her heels.