'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
This Sunday is the 34th annual Royal Rumble PPV. For Peyton Royce, this will be her second Royal Rumble appearance, and she's hoping to put on a career-altering performance.
Since splitting from her long time tag team partner Billie Kay last year, Peyton has had difficulty finding her footing on her own. However, that will not deter her from taking over the top spot in the Women's Division.
That's a lofty goal for many of the women on the roster when you stop and think about the last two years. When Ronda Rousey walked into WrestleMania 35 as the RAW Women's Champion, it was the last time someone not named Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Bayley, Sasha Banks, or Asuka held the RAW or SmackDown Women's Championship.
Taking Rousey out of the equation, you have to go back to SummerSlam 2018 when Carmella and Alexa Bliss walked into that event as the top two champions.
It's been a long time since someone new has been able to climb to the top of the mountain in the WWE women's division. Speaking to SK Wrestling ahead of the Royal Rumble, Peyton Royce was asked what she (or anyone else on the roster) has to do to finally break through in 2021.
"Your guess is as good as mine. I'm doing everything I can to knock that door down. Those five women are so incredibly talented and they are in the position they're in for a reason. I have been dying to kick that door down and I will keep trying every single week to do so. I guess it's just gonna take time and a really great breakout performance. Could happen at the Royal Rumble this weekend."
While Peyton Royce continues her fight to move up the rankings in WWE, she's not doing it alone. One of her biggest supporters backstage, and in the public eye, is Bayley, one of the very women Peyton is trying to knock off the top.
Bayley constantly brings up Peyton Royce's name backstage
Bayley has been there for Peyton Royce from day one. Both she and Billie Kay lived on Bayley's floor for weeks when they first came over from Australia. Not long after they moved in with her, Bayley saw Peyton in the ring for the first time.
In an interview on the Table Talk Podcast last year, the former SmackDown Women's Champion said she saw something in special in Peyton Royce from the get-go.
"I’ve always had an eye for her. She just hasn’t had the time to show that even when IIconics were the Tag Team Champions. She just hasn’t had that spotlight yet. It kills me that she hasn’t had that yet.”
It's been several years now and Bayley continues to support her friend, both on social media and backstage in WWE. Peyton Royce told SK Wrestling that Bayley's support means the world to her.
"She knows me as a person and she knows me as Peyton. So for her to be so vocal about her support for me means more than I know how to put into words. She's in a position where, you know, she can kind of help bring that next person up. I so appreciate every time she gets an opportunity to do that. She's always mentioning my name."
Vince McMahon himself is also reportedly very high on Peyton Royce, so it may indeed only be a matter of time before she gets that big push.
Make sure to check out PART ONE of SK Wrestling's conversation with Peyton Royce in the video above. PART TWO will be out on the SK Wrestling YouTube Channel on Thursday.
