WWE's Bayley Sends Support to AEW Star Ahead of ROH Final Battle Match

Bayley sends support to Billie Starkz ahead of her title match at ROH Final Battle.

By Haley Miller

WWE's Bayley took to social media to show a sign of support to AEW's Billie Starkz ahead of her ROH Women's World Title Match at ROH Final Battle.

Bayley posted a photo from her "Bayley the Hugger" days hugging a young Billie Starkz dressed head to toe in Bayley merchandise. Starkz responded on social media shortly after, saying "Now I have to win! Thank you," with a purple heart emoji. Starkz is set to take on former mentor and the ROH Women's World Champion in the main event of Final Battle tonight. Earlier this year, Starkz touched on how Bayley was her inspiration to start wrestling. "I was very attracted to Bayley when I first started watching wrestling, especially her NXT era. I remember a lot of that," Starkz said in an interview with Wrestling News.co. "I was very attached to that part of wrestling. There's still like a part of me who will go back and watch the matches and be like, 'Oh, this is so nice.'"

Athena recently shared that there's still so much she'd love to do with the title, including taking it overseas to defend it and bring ROH to a global audience. Ahead of the match, Athena has held the title for 370 days, the current longest reign in the title's short history. Nearly a year ago, Starkz debuted in AEW against Britt Baker. Since, she's had 11 matches in AEW and 15 matches in ROH since her debut in early 2023.

On a recent episode of ROH, Starkz had become fed up with Athena's treatment toward her. After Athena voices her disappointment that whenever the two team together they lose but she doesn't have any problem winning her singles matches, Athena holds a graduation for her "minions on training." Only Lexy Nair graduated, and when Starkz attempts to confront Athena about it she tells her not to ruin Nair's moment. Starkz finally snaps and throws Athena into the barricade, snatching up the ROH Women's World Championship. She holds it high above her head and Starkz asks Tony Khan for a championship match which he made official for Final Battle.

ROH Final Battle Card:

"Survival of the Fittest" for ROH World TV Championship: Dalton Castle vs. Lee Moriarty vs. Lee Johnson vs. Kyle Fletcher vs. Komander vs. TBD

The Von Erichs vs. The Outrunners

"Fight to Honor" Jay Briscoe Tribute: Blackpool Combat Club vs. FTR and Mark Briscoe

El Hijo del Vikingo vs. Black Taurus

"I Quit" match: Tony Nese vs. Ethan Page

ROH Six-Man Championship: Brian Cage and Gates of Agony (c) vs. TMDK

ROH Pure Championship: Wheeler Yuta (c) vs. "Filthy" Tom Lawlor

Related:

Keith Lee vs. Shane Taylor

ROH Women's World Championship: Athena (c) vs. Billie Starkz 

Trending Now: