The go-home episode of WWE RAW before Night of Champions 2026 took an unexpected turn when Lyra Valkyria turned heel and destroyed Bayley.
For those unaware, Lyra and the Hugger locked horns in a Women’s Tag Team Championship match on the red brand. Before the match, Valkyria seemed focused and determined to win those titles from Brie Bella and Paige.
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Despite all efforts, the babyface team failed. Paige pinned Lyra and retained their titles. After the match, the 29-year-old star was visibly upset by the loss.
When Bayley tried to console and hug her, Valkyria showed her true colors and attacked the veteran. After this, in a backstage segment, Jackie Redmond tried to ask Lyra for the reason for her actions, but Lyra refused to give any explanation.
In this article, let’s discuss three potential reasons why Valkyria turned on Bayley on RAW before NOC.
#3. Lyra was frustrated with multiple failures
Lyra Valkyria is the female star who won the Women’s IC Championship. After this, she paired with Bayley, but their alliance failed to achieve any major accolades. The multiple failures are the key reasons why Valkyria lost her control and turned heel on the Hugger.
It’s clear that the 29-year-old star is hungry for victories, but things weren’t on her side when she was with Bayley. As a result, Valkyria decided to split this alliance and turned heel.
#2. WWE is finally planning to push Bayley as a single star
It’s been a long time since Bayley has suffered from poor booking in the Stamford-based promotion. The popular female star hasn’t won any high-profile matches or titles. The WWE Universe voiced its opinions online on various occasions, expressing its anger with the Hugger’s booking.
Turning Lyra Valkyria into a heel and separating her alliance with the former Women’s Champion could be a sign that the Triple H-led creative regime is finally planning to push Bayley. This might be another major reason why Valkyria turned heel on the 37-year-old star.
#1. Lack of strong female heel stars on RAW
The WWE RAW roster is stacked with major female talents, including Liv Morgan, Becky Lynch, IYO Sky, and more.
However, the red brand lacks credible female heel superstars. The only major villainous stars on the Adam Pearce show include the Judgment Day faction and the Man. Adding a fresh heel to the women’s mid-card division could be another possible explanation for the heel turn.
Now, Lyra might work as the villainous star for a long time on the Monday night show. This will not only change the company’s landscape but also open doors to multiple feuds and new rivalries.
Lastly, it will be interesting to see how the storyline will progress in WWE after Lyra turned heel on Bayley. It seems that the Sports Entertainment juggernaut is planning for a match between them, either at WWE Night of Champions or SummerSlam 2026.
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Edited by Angana Roy