The WWE has seen an incredible shift in the quality of its Women's Division. Gone are the swimsuit contest and blatant ogling that had stayed around from the Attitude area. Instead, the women on the main roster have been elevated to real members who fans want to see wrestle.
Change in Philosophy
This change in philosophy seems to be largely influenced by the rest of the sports world. At the time, Ronda Rousey was on top of the UFC and stars like Serena Williams were getting their due as elite athletes by any standard. Rather than be left in the dirt, WWE decided that it would be time for a change in the way that they presented the women.This was the debut of Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte.
Known as some of the best women wrestlers that NXT had to offer, they raised the quality of the main roster women's wrestling. They provided an injection of athleticism and freshness that the division hadn't seen in quite some time. They were three of the Four Horsewomen of NXT. Bayley, the fourth, has been holding down the fort in NXT waiting for her time to be called up.
Bayley Staying Put
It seems, however, that Bayley will continue her excellence in NXT for a little while longer. Reports have indicated that WWE does not want to bring her up to the main roster to join the others because, simply, they have no one to replace her with in NXT. No star is quite big enough to let her move up without hurting business.
Bayley provides NXT and eventually WWE with something that they have never had before in terms of a women wrestler. She is colorful, fun, and an extremely positive role model that kids, men, and women have all latched onto. Done right, she has the ability to grab audiences in the same way that the "never give up" attitude of John Cena does.
Building Stars
That is the future ceiling for Bayley, but it is one that she can't reach just yet. The NXT women's division is in a transitional state to put it nicely. Many of the stars that it once had are on the roster and with the debut of Dana Brooke last week, they are even thinner. The stars at this moment are two, Asuka and Bayley. There are many bright spots like Carmella and Peyton Royce, but they need even more time to develop before Bayley can leave.
She is carrying such a heavy burden that if she were to move up tomorrow, the NXT women's division would be in trouble. It is a developmental system, despite how big it has gotten. Bayley has been in it for a while and so any work she can get with the younger girls is completely beneficial to them. She can help them in the ring the same way that Natalya did for many of the originals when NXT began.
So, for Bayley, until NXT finds another bankable star, which could very well be Asuka, she will continue her time in the program. It may be for the best, however, because her character is so different from anything that the WWE women's division has seen before that her call-up will need to be special to make the crowd understand. Until that moment, enjoy her work in NXT.