WWE’s first Women’s Intercontinental Champion, Lyra Valkyria, has made an impressive impact since joining the main roster in 2024. After reaching the Queen of the Ring tournament finals and capturing the inaugural Women’s Intercontinental Championship, she now sets her sights on WrestleMania 41.

In a recent interview with Pubity, Valkyria expressed her desire to face Asuka at the upcoming event in Las Vegas this April.

“A match that got away from me would be facing Asuka,” Valkyria revealed. “That would be pretty massive. When I was first debuting on Monday Night Raw, I was supposed to face her at Backlash in France, but she got hurt. Instead, I wrestled Dakota Kai, which was poetic since we later had a history-making moment together. But facing Asuka is definitely a match I’d love to circle back to.”

WWE’s biggest event of the year will take place across two nights on April 19-20 at Allegiant Stadium, where Valkyria hopes to make her WrestleMania debut memorable.

WWE Star Asuka’s X/Twitter Account Hacked

Rising Through the Ranks

Valkyria’s impressive run includes victories over prominent stars like Dakota Kai, Iyo Sky, Kairi Sane, and Becky Lynch. Her NXT Women’s Championship victory against Lynch in 2023 proved to be a career-defining moment.

Lynch, a future Hall of Famer, has been instrumental in Valkyria’s development. “Becky has always made it clear that she’s there for me,” Valkyria shared. “She told me to never doubt what I bring to the table because it’s more than I realize. Betting on myself is the best advice she’s given me.”

With Lynch’s rumored return to the ring, speculation has grown about a potential all-Irish championship clash at WrestleMania.

For Lyra Valkyria, this Monday’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match against Bayley on tonight’s WWE Raw isn’t just about securing a spot in one of WWE’s most brutal matches—it’s the realization of a dream years in the making.

During her appearance on the Battleground Podcast, Valkyria was reminded of a tweet she wrote in 2017, long before she became the first-ever WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion. “Imagine one day being able to make someone feel how I felt meeting Bayley. Now that would be amazing,” she wrote.

Now, seven years later, she’s facing Bayley in a match that could shape the next chapter of her career. The inaugural WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion battles a childhood hero

“It’s so crazy when these tweets resurface. I don’t even remember them at this point,” she admitted. “But I remember that moment. I had just wrestled a match that didn’t go my way, and Bayley took the time to give me advice, to pick me up. Now I’m stepping into the ring with her—it’s surreal.”

Layra Valkyria’s Surreal Match Against Bayley

Bayley, a Grand Slam Champion and one of WWE’s most accomplished superstars, stands between Lyra and her first Elimination Chamber appearance. But the rising star isn’t backing down from the challenge.

“I keep saying, ‘This is my biggest match ever.’ But this one really is,” Valkyria said. “Bayley is one of the best, but I’m ready to prove I belong at this level.”

With a chance to punch her ticket to the Elimination Chamber and potentially WrestleMania, this match isn’t just about competition—it’s about proving that Lyra Valkyria isn’t the future of WWE’s women’s division. She’s the present.

Lyra Valkyria had a standout moment at the WWE Royal Rumble, but not for the reason she expected. During the match, the first-ever WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion faced an unexpected wardrobe malfunction, leading to a split-second moment of panic. Thankfully, Liv Morgan was there to lend a helping hand—literally.

Speaking on the Battleground Podcast, Lyra addressed the viral incident with humor and composure.

“Of course, it would be in the Royal Rumble—my biggest show ever. Why not? My top just had to fall off,” she joked. “I’ve never been so happy to be hit in the face.”

Here’s a look at the champion’s gear in question:

“It was completely out of my control, so I just handled it the best way I could,” she said. “You can’t let stuff like that throw you off. At the end of the day, I got to run that ramp as the Women’s Intercontinental Champion—pretty cool moment.”

Morgan’s quick thinking helped defuse the situation, knocking Lyra down just long enough for her to adjust her gear. Despite the hiccup, Lyra remained focused, making the most of her first Rumble appearance as champion.

With WrestleMania season in full swing, Lyra has bigger things to focus on, including a crucial Elimination Chamber qualifying match against Bayley this coming Monday on WWE Raw. But if one thing is clear, it’s that she’s proven she can handle any challenge—wardrobe malfunctions included.

Lyra Valkyria’s Full Circle Showdown: From Bayley Fan to Opponent

Lyra Valkyria has made history by becoming the inaugural WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion. In the tournament finals held during the second episode of WWE Raw on Netflix, Valkyria defeated Dakota Kai at the SAP Center in San Jose, California. Following her victory, WWE Raw GM Adam Pearce presented her with the championship.

The Women’s Intercontinental Title was unveiled prior to the November 25, 2024, episode of Raw as part of WWE’s continued efforts to expand its women’s division, following the introduction of the Women’s United States Title. The tournament to crown the first champion began on December 2, 2024, and featured top competitors from Raw, SmackDown, and NXT.

The full tournament lineup included Shayna Baszler, Katana Chance, Zoey Stark, Raquel Rodriguez, Kayden Carter, Lyra Valkyria, Zelina Vega, Ivy Nile, Alba Fyre, Kairi Sane, and Natalya. In the semifinals on the December 30 episode of Raw, Valkyria defeated IYO SKY, while Dakota Kai triumphed over Zoey Stark to secure her spot in the finals.

Congratulations to Lyra Valkyria on this historic victory.

This week’s episode of WWE Raw featured the semi-final matches of the Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament, narrowing the field to two competitors. Dakota Kai secured her place in the finals by defeating Zoey Stark earlier in the show.

In the other semi-final match, fellow Damage CTRL member IYO SKY faced former NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria. Despite SKY’s best efforts, Valkyria emerged victorious, setting up a highly anticipated finals showdown against Kai. The tournament finals will take place on January 13, 2025, at the sophomore installment of WWE Raw on Netflix, live from the SAP Center in San Jose, CA.

The January 13 episode already boasts a stacked card, including:

• CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins
• Tribal Combat: Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa
• Women’s World Championship – Last Woman Standing Match: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
• Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre
• Women’s Intercontinental Championship Tournament Finals: Dakota Kai vs. Lyra Valkyria
• John Cena’s Retirement Tour Kickoff

The inaugural Women’s Intercontinental Champion will be crowned as Kai and Valkyria face off in what promises to be an exciting finale to this groundbreaking tournament.

Two more pro wrestlers have gotten engaged as Lyra Valkryia got quite the proposal to kick off the weekend. While in New York City, the former NXT Women’s Champion happened to walk into a hotel room adorned with rose pedals and photos of her and her long-time boyfriend LJ Cleary. Rose pedals were laid out on the bedspread asking Lyria, “Will you marry me?”

Valkyria clearly said yes as Cleary took to Instagram to share the big news that also shows Valkyria wearing a beautiful engagement ring.

“Yes. 10 years together celebrated by getting engaged to the person I will be spending the rest of my life with, and she is the love of mine.”

Several names like Scotty Too Hotty, Flash Morgan Webster and Pretty Deadly’s Kit Wilson all took a moment to congratulate Cleary and Valkyria on the happy news.

Valkyria was just showcased on WWE Raw as she teamed with a returning Natalya in Calgary to defeat the Pure Fusion Collective in a six-woman tag match.

Congratulations to Lyra Valkyria and LJ Cleary on this exciting news!

Who Is LJ Cleary?

While Valkyria has been busy on WWE Raw since after WrestleMania, LJ Cleary has been honing his wrestling craft overseas both in Ireland and NOAH. Cleary just actually celebrated his one year anniversary in being with NOAH, but back in June made his debut in New Japan. Just a week ago, Cleary competed in London under the NOAH & Progress banner taking on Amakusa.

WWE’s hunt for the first-ever WWE Speed Women’s Champion got underway after this week’s episode of SmackDown from Washington, D.C. The title was announced earlier this month and comes after Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque confirmed that women’s matches were coming to the X-exclusive program.

The Tournament Begins

The first-ever WWE Speed Women’s Champion will be decided in a tournament. This week, fans got their first look at the Superstars who have the chance to etch their name in the history books.

Fans at this week’s SmackDown didn’t have to wait long to see WWE Speed women’s division matches. During a dark match, Lyra Valkyria took on IYO SKY. The tournament will begin airing on X on September 4.

WWE Speed consists of three-minute matches meaning Superstars have to waste no time in order to score a victory over their opponent. Matches for the Men’s WWE Speed Championship are granted a five-minute limit. Ricochet was the first WWE Speed Champion but he has since lost the gold to current champion (and longest reigning champion) Andrade.

WWE’s Fastest Matches

Three minutes may not seem like a lot of time, but there are some matches that more than fit this time limit. On the September 4, 2000, episode of Raw, Chris Jericho and Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler defeated Tazz and Mideon, with Lawler getting the roll-up over Tazz and his team winning in three seconds. 

Aliyah scored a 3.17-second win over Natalya during a January 2022, edition of SmackDown. WWE would lean heavily into the win, with the now former Superstar receiving an ‘Aliyah 3:17’ shirt to celebrate her victory. Aliyah was released from WWE in 2023 though, so don’t expect her to be racking up wins on WWE Speed.

Lyra Valkyria is confident that Becky Lynch will “come back around” following The Man’s reported exit from WWE. 

Lynch parted ways with WWE after her contract expired on June 1, ending an eleven-year run in which the Irish Superstar became one of the company’s top stars. Lynch’s final match saw her lost to WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan in a steel cage match during the May 27, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. 

One name who had learned plenty from Lynch is Lyra Valkyria, who had been an ally of The Man ever since her call-up to the main roster. Speaking at this week’s Raw, Valkyria was asked about Lynch’s loss last week and was confident Becky will return. 

“She’s disappointed, but I know Becky. Becky is at her best when people think they have her beat. She’ll take that loss and she’ll come back around and use it to make herself better. That’s how winning is done, real winning, something Liv Morgan knows nothing about.”

IYO SKY is FURIOUS!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/Fkc8X5uFGe

— WWE (@WWE) June 4, 2024

When asked about moving forward without Lynch, Valkyria said her focus is now on the Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match. She was then attacked by IYO SKY, the woman Valkyria beat in the Queen of the Ring semi-finals. 

What’s to Come for Becky Lynch? 

Valkyria isn’t the only person who expects Lynch to return to WWE when the time is right. Sources in WWE believe The Man will come back around and sign a new deal after her break from the ring. While there are fans who would love to see Lynch join AEW, The Man has told those in WWE she doesn’t plan on becoming All-Elite anytime soon. 

The 2024 Queen & King of the Ring in Saudi Arabia was a newsworthy event throughout the show. We saw many unexpected moments, but we already knew a new queen would be crowned. Now, Nia Jax is the new Queen of WWE.

The winner of the 2024 Queen of the Ring tournament is guaranteed a match at SummerSlam against the champion on their respective brand. That gave Lyra Valkyria and Nia Jax even more to fight for.

The finals of the Queen of the Ring was certainly a David vs Goliath match for the women’s division. Lyra fought on, as she took a ton of punishment from the Irresistible Force.

In the end, Nia Jax’s force was just too much for Lyra, and she secured a clean pinfall. To her credit, Valkyria put up an incredible fight, as Corey Graves and Michael Cole sang her praises after the match. Now, Jax will take on Bayley in Cleveland at SummerSlam, provided the former Hugger maintains her championship status.

https://twitter.com/skyblonded/status/1794433400171888787

After the match, Triple H got in the ring with the Queen of the Ring crown, and he placed it on Jax’s head. This was followed by a heel promo from new queen.

Triple H le otorga la corona de Reina a Nia Jax de manera muy emotiva. Y Michael Cole recordando lo mal que lo ha pasado Nia estos años. #WWEKingAndQueen pic.twitter.com/1QdT0IVXJb

— LuigiWrestling (@LuigiWrestling) May 25, 2024

Lyra Valkyria, a former NXT Women’s Champion who took the title from Becky Lynch, was recently drafted to RAW as part of the 2024 WWE Draft. She is new to the main roster and quickly rising with this opportunity. 

Nia Jax, was released from WWE in 2021, but she returned when Triple H took over creative control. She has steadily worked her way back up the roster with strong booking. Her imposing presence was evident when she told Bayley to prepare her WWE Women’s Title for SummerSlam.

Queen of the Ring Quarterfinals:

• Iyo Sky defeated Shayna Baszler
• Lyra Valkyria defeated Zoey Stark
• Jade Cargill lost to Nia Jax via DQ
• Bianca Belair defeated Tiffany Stratton

Queen of the Ring Semifinals:

Nia Jax defeated Bianca Belair

Lyra Valkyria beat IYO Sky

Queen of the Ring Finals:

Nia Jax defeated Lyra Valkyria

We also invite you to join us in a comprehensive breakdown of the 2024 King & Queen of the Ring tournaments by checking out the following article.

It’s a new era for women’s wrestling in WWE and a ‘fun fact’ about this year’s Queen of the Ring tournament shows exactly how far we’ve come: one match from this year’s tournament lasted longer than the sum of all of the matches in the entire 2021 competition.

Since taking over WWE from Vince McMahon, Triple H has made significant strides in advancing the company, particularly the women’s division. While McMahon’s era initiated the Women’s Revolution, Triple H has amplified its momentum. The 2024 Queen & King of the Ring tournament exemplifies this progress, capturing fans’ attention.

This week on WWE RAW, fans witnessed an intense match where IYO Sky faced Lyra Valkyria. The bout was a highlight, as Lyra emerged victorious, setting her up to face the winner of Bianca Belair and Nia Jax on SmackDown for the Queen of the Ring crown.

The match between IYO Sky and Lyra Valkyria captivated audiences and achieved a significant milestone. It was longer than all the matches from the 2021 Queen of the Ring tournament combined. The IYO Sky vs. Lyra Valkyria match lasted approximately 19 minutes, surpassing the 18 minutes total of the 2021 tournament matches.

2021 Queen of the Ring

In the 2021 Queen of the Ring tournament, Zelina Vega emerged victorious over Doudrop, celebrating her win after a 5:55 match with a crown and scepter. She also briefly adopted a British accent. Unfortunately, Vega couldn’t participate in the 2024 tournament due to injury. However, the current tournament reflects a renewed focus on the women’s division, providing more time and spotlight than ever before.

This renewed emphasis on the women’s division under Triple H’s leadership is evident. The 2024 Queen & King of the Ring tournament showcases the talent and potential within the division, promising an exciting future for WWE’s female Superstars.

WWE will get closer to crowning a new King and Queen of the Ring on the May 20 edition of WWE RAW. Tonight’s edition of Raw from North Carolina’s historic Greensboro Coliseum will see a continuation of the men’s and women’s tournaments. If you’re in the area, tickets for the show are still available at Ticketmaster.

The King and Queen of the Ring Tournaments tournaments began on May 6 and will conclude this Saturday at at the Jeddah Dome in Saudi Arabia. This will be the first Premium Live Event to be named after the tournaments since WWE King of the Ring 2002. 

On the men’s side of things, GUNTHER will take on Jey Uso for a place in the finals in Jeddah. GUNTHER reached this spot with victories over his old rival Sheamus as well as Kofi Kingston. Jey reached the semi-finals with wins over Finn Balor and Ilja Dragunov. 

For the Queen of the Ring Tournament semi-finals, Lyra Valkyria will take on IYO SKY. The recently called-up Valkyria reached this spot in the tournament with wins over Dakota Kai and Zoey Stark. SKY has rebounded from her loss at WrestleMania 40 by advancing with wins over Natalya and Shayna Baszler. 

In non-tournament action, we’ll see Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn battle Chad Gable in a non-title match. These two and Bronson Reed will compete for Zayn’s title this weekend.

Other top feuds headed into the PLE include Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. United States Champion Logan Paul and Liv Morgan challenging Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship.

Keep checking back to SEScoops for more coverage of tonight’s WWE Raw, including all the news coming out of the show afterwards. 

Catch up on the Top 10 moments from last week’s show:

WWE took its first steps towards crowning a new King and Queen of the Ring this week with a total of six first-round matches on the May 6, episode of Raw. 

Both tournaments will culminate at the WWE King and Queen of the Ring PLE later this month which will take place in Saudi Arabia. WWE had initially planned on hosting the event last year but nixed the idea in favor of WWE Night of Champions. That event saw Roman Reigns reach 1,000 days as Universal Champion and Seth Rollins crowned World Heavyweight Champion. 

King of the Ring Results

On Raw, the recently called-up Ilja Dragunov defeated new WWE Speed Champion Ricochet to advance to the next round. Meanwhile, Jey Uso got payback on The Judgment Day with a tournament victory over 2021 runner-up Finn Balor. Originally, Drew McIntyre was supposed to be in Jey’s spot but his injury forced changes to be made. Dragunov and Jey will face each other in the quarter-finals next week. 

Queen Of The Ring Results

Raw also saw Zoey Stark advance with a win over Ivy Nile, while Lyra Valkyria defeated Dakota Kai. Like Jey Uso, Kai was a last-minute replacement for Asuka, who Damage CTRL confirmed is out with an injury. Stark and Valkyria will face each other in the next round on the May 13, episode of Raw. 

What’s To Come? 

While WWE promoted four matches from each tournament for Raw, only three took place. At a WWE live event this week, Kofi Kingston and Rey Mysterio will face off in a first-round match. This was supposed to be Rey Vs. Xavier Woods but the latter has been replaced due to not being medically cleared. The winner will face GUNTHER next week. 

Shayna Baszler and Zelina Vega will also do battle at a WWE live event, despite being previously promoted for the Raw taping. The winner will face IYO SKY on next week’s Raw with a spot in the semi-finals on the line. 

First-round matches will continue on the May 10, episode of WWE SmackDown. Carmelo Hayes, LA Knight, and Santos Escobar have all announced their participation.

Monday Night Raw was able to score some of the biggest names from WWE NXT during Night Two of the 2024 Draft. 

The Draft continued on the April 29, Raw and followed on from the selections made during the previous week’s episode of SmackDown. During the fourth round of Night Two’s pick, Ilja Dragunov was selected by the Raw brand. Speaking after being drafted, the former NXT Champion spoke about his experience with the gold brand. 

“NXT became my home. A lot of these people became a home away from home for me. But now it’s time for my next chapter and I’ve got to make a promise, a promise I already kept here. To every place I come I push the place to the next level… and that’s the same thing I’ll do when I come to Raw.”

EXCLUSIVE: @UNBESIEGBAR_ZAR looks forward to once again sharing a brand with a legendary rival in @Gunther_AUT. pic.twitter.com/yGf1W1HwSs

— WWE (@WWE) April 30, 2024

Dragunov wasn’t the only big name from NXT to be moved. Former Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria was selected by Raw in the fifth round. The Irish Superstar was visibly emotional as news of her selection was made and the remaining NXT roster was very happy for her as seen in the clip below. 

LYRA VALKYRIA REACTION WAS SO WHOLESOME ??????

SHE IS #WWERAW BOUND ??????

pic.twitter.com/t2EHRKNC46

— FADE (@FadeAwayMedia) April 30, 2024

Valkyria made a handful of appearances last year on the main roster in the run-up to her NXT Women’s Championship victory over Becky Lynch. Lyra recently failed to recapture the title from Roxanne Perez in a triple-threat at WWE NXT Stand & Deliver that also included Tatum Paxley. 

With Dragunov and Valkyria moving to Raw, it’s hard to ignore that this has left NXT without two of its top Superstars. There have been fears that NXT would be depleted in the draft and some NXT talent are wary of being called to the main roster without a plan. As NXT’s head, Shawn Michaels will now have to work around losing some of the brand’s top names which will give another Superstar the opportunity to step up. 

More on the 2024 WWE Draft

Here are some recent articles regarding the 2024 WWE Draft as the landscape of WWE continues to change: 

WWE’s NXT brand pre-taped next week’s episode already, and that included a packed night of action for fans. Sadly, one match did not turn out as anyone would have liked, as Shotzi battled Lyra Valkyria for the NXT Women’s Title. 

LYRA VS. SHOTZI FOR THE NXT WOMEN'S TITLE NEXT WEEK ?#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/Tq1j6fawpu

— s e t h (@futurafreesky) February 14, 2024

Shotzi Injured 

Shotzi sustained a knee injury while attempting her apron DDT during tonight’s taping for next week’s WWE NXT Championship match. She will undergo evaluation to confirm the severity of the injury.

Fightful’s Corey Brennan reported that the NXT Women’s Title match needed to be stopped midway through the contest.

Shotzi and Lyra Valkyria’s NXT Women’s Title match during tonight’s second #WWENXT taping was stopped due to a serious knee injury suffered by Shotzi.

Shotzi and Lyra Valkyria's NXT Women's Title match during tonight's second #WWENXT taping was stopped due to a serious knee injury suffered by Shotzi.

She was helped to the back and is being checked out now. pic.twitter.com/PyOkDZtH1A

— Corey Brennan Of Fightful.com (@CoreyBrennanFF) February 14, 2024

Shotzi had been slated to compete against Tiffany Stratton in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match on this week’s WWE SmackDown, but the status of the match is now uncertain. For what it’s worth, I was able to confirm that Tiffany Stratton is in the Chamber match, so Shotzi was likely losing her qualifying match anyway.  

Fightful Select later noted that this is not a work. Shotzi was in a ton of pain backstage, and she wasn’t able to place any weight on her leg.

After speaking to several sources in NXT, Corey Brennan was able to confirm that Shotzi was not able to place weight on her injured knee and was forced to hop to the back with assistance from WWE’s medical team. It was apparent when Shotzi arrived backstage that she was in a large amount of pain. Officials backstage were said to be very concerned for Shotzi and she was immediately taken for medical evaluation. 

SE Scoops will provide more updates as information is made available. 

Next Week’s WWE NXT

Next week’s episode of NXT promises to be a good episode. Apart from the NXT Women’s Title match, former WWE NXT Women’s champion Roxanne Perez will take on Wren Sinclair.

On the men’s side, NXT will feature a singles bout between Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen, which may finally close the book on their story. Additionally, following their face-to-face confrontation on tonight’s episode, Lexis King will challenge NXT North American champion Oba Femi for his title.

WWE NXT Vengeance Day took place on February 4, 2024, at the F&M Bank Arena in Clarksville, Tennessee, marking the first NXT livestreaming event to be held in Tennessee. The event brought some notable moments, including a massive one for Roxanne Perez.

Who wants it more?!@roxanne_wwe and @Real_Valkyria are pulling out all the stops tonight!#VengeanceDay pic.twitter.com/bh60t3Cyiz

— WWE (@WWE) February 5, 2024

NXT Women’s Title Match at Vengeance Day

Lyra Valkyria defended the NXT Women’s Title against Roxanne Perez at Vengeance Day. This match had the Tennessee crowd on fire, but they didn’t know what to expect.

WHAT IS GOING ON?! @lolavicewwe just cashed in her #NXTBreakout Contract. This is now a Triple Threat Match! #VengeanceDay pic.twitter.com/6GYvfE0Ogg

— WWE (@WWE) February 5, 2024

Lola Vice won the Women’s Breakout Tournament. With that win, she had a guaranteed contract for a title shot. Midway through Roxanne and Lyra’s match, right after Perez nailed Pop Rocks, Vice ran down to make this a triple threat match.

THIS IS AWESOME 👏👏👏#VengeanceDay pic.twitter.com/YupQa5id73

— WWE (@WWE) February 5, 2024

After the match carried on a bit more, Roxanne Perez nailed Pop Rocks again, but Tatum Paxley ran in and took her out of the ring. The pandemonium ended as Lyra nailed Night Witch on Lola Vice instead, and she secured the win to retain the NXT Women’s Title.

 What’s Next?

Lyra Valkyria is now on the road to defend her NXT Women’s Title at March 5th’s Roadblock event. Then Stand & Deliver is coming on April 6. 

Her future opponents have not been determined yet, but odds are, they will address that in the coming weeks on NXT’s weekly USA Network television show.

That was CHAOS. @Real_Valkyria survives and is STILL your #WWENXT Women's Champion!#VengeanceDay pic.twitter.com/811u0uVikB

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 5, 2024

WWE brought their final premium live event of the year with Deadline, and there were a few surprises. Fans expected to see Cora Jade end her long absence from the ring, and that is exactly what happened.

Blair Davenport won the Women’s Iron Survivor Challenge match, and that means she is next in line to face Lyra Valkyria for the NXT Women’s Title. After that big win, Lyra came out to stare her new challenger down.

WHAT. A. MATCH. @BDavenportWWE is your Women's Iron Survivor! #NXTDeadline pic.twitter.com/VbqKJLmXOD

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) December 10, 2023

Suddenly, Cora Jade showed up and clocked Lyra Valkyria from behind. She laid out the NXT Women’s Champion, and she picked up her title for good measure.

After Cora Jade posed with the NXT Women’s Title for a bit, they made it very clear on commentary that Cora Jade is back. This ends a very long hiatus from the ring.

Cora Jade was spotted backstage at NXT Deadline. It was expected that she would end her hiatus from the ring tonight, and that is exactly what happened. Now, she is back, and gunning for the NXT Women’s Title once again.

Business just picked up 🤯@CoraJadeWWE is back!!!#NXTDeadline pic.twitter.com/Kj0fd95GG5

— WWE (@WWE) December 10, 2023

Cora Jade’s last match took place on July 25, 2023, where she faced Dana Brooke in a Kendo Stick match. Dana Brooke won that match, and Jade walked out of the locker room a short time later. Dana Brooke was later released by WWE. Cora Jade isn’t getting that win back against Dana Brooke, but she may have her sights on a larger prize. 

We will have to see what is next for Cora Jade after her surprising return. Keep it tuned with us at SE Scoops for more updates.

What’s your take on Cora Jade making her way back to NXT at Deadline? Let us know what you think by engaging with us on social media! 

The women’s division of WWE NXT will soon see the arrival of Lyra Valkyria, judging by a teaser video during this week’s episode.

During the show, footage of a woman running in a forest was played, with narration by Valkyria in both Gaelic and English.

The 26-year-old Superstar said that she is “ready for a new battleground,” namely WWE NXT.

Lyra Valkyria

Joining WWE in 2020, Valkyria originally worked under the name Aoife Valkyria and defeated Amale in her in-ring debut for NXT UK in January of that same year.

The following month, Aoife Valkyria briefly toured with WWE NXT, working with names including Aliyah, Mia Yim, and Taynara Conti (now AEW’s Tay Melo.)

Returning to NXT UK in September 2020, in a winning effort against Isla Dawn.

Valkyria remained undefeated before suffering a loss to Meiko Satomura in April 2021.

Valkyria lost to Jinny in July 2021, thanks to interference by Joseph Conners, but would defeat Jinny the next month in a No-DQ match, in which Conners was in a shark cage.

The losses to Satomura and Jinny mark Valkyria’s only two defeats since joining WWE.

Before WWE

Like many Irish Superstars in WWE, Valkyria cut her teeth in Over the Top Wrestling, where she is a former OTT Women’s Champion.

Valkyria’s origins in wrestling began in 2015 in Fight Factory Pro Wrestling, where she became the first woman to win the promotion’s Junior Heavyweight Championship.

The Valkyria name comes from Valkyria Cain, the protagonist of the Skulduggery Pleasant book series by Derek Landy.