Bayley's Win vs. Carmella on WWE NXT Is Latest Example of Her Immense Value

The Feb. 10 episode of NXT saw Bayley successfully retain her Women's Championship over Carmella in yet another match that showcased her immense value to the roster.

The best wrestler on the NXT women's roster, she has become the foundation of the division. In recent months, she has been tasked with working with women who are less experienced and are not the level of worker that her previous opponents were. Thus, the pressure to deliver a quality match rests squarely on her shoulders.

To her credit, she has repeatedly risen to the occasion.

First there was a title defense against Alexa Bliss, arguably the most athletic of her recent opponents. Bliss was still finding her feet as a heel, the pesky and petite villain who wanted gold to accentuate her toned waist.

Bayley worked a match that suited Bliss' skill set. Realizing that her opponent did not have a wealth of moves and submissions in her arsenal, she crafted a match built on crowd psychology. Bliss used facial expressions and body language coupled with an arm-based attack. It was simple and played to her strengths.

The champion did the same against Nia Jax, bumping around the squared circle at TakeOver: London for the intimidating newcomer, doing everything she could to make her look like the most dominant Diva on the roster.

With Eva Marie, she played the role of popular babyface whose title reign was in jeopardy of ending as a result of WWE's determination to crown the Total Divas star as champion. She helped build drama with quality near-falls and dramatic spots that had fans honestly believing she may not leave with her title.

And finally, on the Feb. 10 episode of NXT, Bayley wrestled best friend Carmella in a match completely different from the three above-mentioned bouts.

A battle between two babyfaces, it featured crowd-pleasing spots including suicide dives from The Princess of Staten Island and an exchange of roll-ups. The finish allowed both women to save face, demonstrating Bayley's generosity as a performer.

There is a fine line that a company or creative team must not cross when booking a champion such as Bayley. Having her tear through competition will result in resentment, as fans have witnessed in the past with such Superstars as Triple H and John Cena. It also is also a fine way to overexpose said champion.

Instead of venturing down the road, Bayley is still primarily treated like the underdog, regardless of her opponent. Inside, she is a fan who still considers herself lucky to do what she does, and NXT Creative plays that up. She is never portrayed as infinitely better than any of her opponents, and she sells for them.

Despite being a superior wrestler to all of her opponents, she lets them get their spots in, lets them bask in the spotlight, but she ultimately goes over. That keeps her strong and, at the same time, allows her opposition to gain legitimacy and credibility.

At this point in her NXT career, Bayley has become the mentor to the next crop of talent destined to carry on the legacy of women's wrestling in the brand. She has excelled, all the while carrying the division's championship with the honor and dignity that it deserves.

Was Bayley unfairly left behind, left to watch as her fellow Horsewomen experienced tremendous success up on Raw and SmackDown? Probably.

Rather than sulking, she has made the most of her situation and has, in the process, become one of the faces of the NXT brand and, arguably, the most beloved star on the entire WWE roster. Unselfish and giving, passionate and popular, she is an MVP in the truest sense, and matches like her latest title defense against best friend Carmella are proof positive.