On WWE Raw the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments got underway. On the women’s side, Zoey Stark and IYO SKY advanced to the quarterfinals which led to the final women’s match of the night, former NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria against Damage CTRL’s Dakota Kai who replace Asuka who wasn’t medically cleared to compete in the match.
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During the match up, Valkyria gets some early offense with a headlock takeover. Kai counters her and the fisherman buster into a small package but is unable to pick up the win. Before heading to break, Kai trips up Valkyria in the corner. When the action returns, Valkyria sends Kai to the floor with a strike rush. Kai eventually regains control of things with a springboard stomp but that’s not enough to take down the former women’s champion. Valkyria then beats her with her Nightwing finisher, advancing in the tournament.
Valkyria’s match on Raw was her official main roster debut match after being drafted to the red brand last week. With her huge win over one of the women’s divisions most dominating factions, she will next go head to head with Zoey Stark, a former NXT Champion in her own right as she held the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championships with IYO SKY. Valkyria held the NXT Women’s Championship for over 100 days, first winning it last October from Becky Lynch. She defended it on five separate occasions but was defeated by Roxanne Perez at Stand and Deliver in April. It seemed pretty clear that with that huge loss, something big was brewing for the young star.
Before the match got underway, Women’s World Champion Becky Lynch was interviewed by Michael Cole where she really put over the new crop of talent that were just drafted to Raw and SmackDown. She has great things to say about Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn, mentioning Fyre’s dominating reign as NXT U.K. Women’s Champion. She also talks about Kiana James, Zelina Vega’s renewed passion and Valkyria who she has a decorated history with but that she “trusts.” Valkyria certainly backed up to everything that Lynch stated in this match and it’s clear she will have a bright future on the main roster.
Stay tuned to Comicbook for more news on the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments which will conclude on May 25 in Saudi Arabia.
