A video package recapped last weeks messy main event: Womens World Champion Iyo Sky defended against Rhea Ripley with Elimination Chamber winner Bianca Belair acting as guest referee. After taking multiple hits during the brawl, Belair had enough and threw out the match entirelyleaving the title picture in limbo.
That brought out Raw General Manager Adam Pearce, who stood in the ring beside the Womens World Title, now perched awkwardly on a podium like it was about to deliver a TED Talk.
Iyo Sky arrived first, followed by Bianca Belair, then Rhea Ripleywho Pearce mistakenly introduced as representing The Judgment Day, prompting an audible eye-roll from commentary and a correction by Michael Cole. Smooth.
Pearce admitted fault for last weeks debacle: I was wrong to make Bianca the referee. I was wrong to think you could all act like professionals. Harsh, but fair. To clean up his own mess, Pearce announced the obvious-but-welcome decisionat WrestleMania, its a Triple Threat for the Womens World Title: Iyo Sky vs. Bianca Belair vs. Rhea Ripley.
Rhea tried to speak but was instantly interrupted by Bianca shoving the contract into her hands like a tax bill. Ripley signed, shoved Iyo, and Iyo responded by launching off the apron with a springboard dropkick that floored both challengers. She then calmly signed the contract to make it official.
Lyra walked in as champion for 84 days, ready to defend against Bayley in what doubled as a warmup for their upcoming tag team Gauntlet Match on SmackDown. Teammates on Friday, rivals tonight. Classic.
Womens Intercontinental Championship: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Bayley
Bayley snatched an early roll-up for two. Lyra returned the favor. They traded reversals with snap counters until Bayley cut things off with a knee to the jaw. Lyra rebounded with a sweep kick, a crisp dropkick, and a Northern Lights suplex that had the crowd fired up.
Lyra shifted gears into a unique arm-hook submission, then transitioned into a roll-up for two. The pace barely let upLyra missed a spinning kick, Bayley ducked and rolled out, only to eat a running dropkick on the floor. Back inside, Lyra soared with a top rope crossbody for a near fall.
Back from the break, Bayley took control with a top rope elbow to the back and began targeting Lyras spine. A crossbody to Lyras lower back and a half crab followed. Lyra writhed in pain but clawed her way out with sharp kicks.
Bayley and Lyra brawled with forearms, with Bayley getting the edge by snapping Lyras neck on the ropes. She added a sliding dropkick, then a suicide dive attemptonly for Lyra to slide in the ring and dodge it. Lyra came flying with a dropkick, but Bayley caught her midair and hit a Bayley-to-Belly slam on the floor.
Both women beat the count back in.
Lyra surged with an enziguri and a sitout powerbombtwo count! Bayley answered with a running kneetwo count! Bayley tried a sunset flip bomb into the turnbuckle, but Lyra hit a Tornado DDT and followed up with a fishermans suplex. Two-count again!
Lyra flew off the top with a missile dropkickBayley caught her midair and transitioned into a Boston Crab. Lyra screamed in agony, barely reaching the ropes or Bayleys foot, in this case. Bayley lined up for the Roseplant, but Lyra flipped out and cradled her into a jackknife pin for the three-count!
Winner: Lyra Valkyria
Lyra offered a handshake. Bayley initially refused, then changed her mind and raised Lyras hand. Mutual respector the start of a swerve? Well find out Friday, but until then, sound off in the comments!
