Asuka interfered in the Women’s Intercontinental Championship match on the April 27 episode of WWE Raw, attacking Iyo Sky and costing her a potential title win against Becky Lynch.
The match took place at the Sames Auto Arena in Laredo, Texas. Lynch had issued an open challenge after returning to Raw as Women’s Intercontinental Champion following her WrestleMania 42 victory over AJ Lee. Sky accepted the challenge.
Sky controlled portions of the match, hitting a superkick, a double underhook backbreaker, a tornado DDT, and the Over the Moonsault. Lynch got her feet up on the moonsault and hit the Manhandle Slam, but Sky kicked out. Lynch then attempted a moonsault of her own but was kicked off by Sky, who hit another Over the Moonsault.
Asuka then attacked Sky while the referee was not looking. The interference allowed Lynch to hit a second Manhandle Slam and pin Sky to retain the Women’s Intercontinental Championship.
Following the match, Asuka continued the assault on the downed Sky, delivering strikes and applying the Asuka Lock. The live crowd in Laredo broke into loud “We want Kairi” chants, referencing Kairi Sane, who was released by WWE during last week’s wave of roster cuts. Sane had been a central figure in the Asuka-Sky storyline for months. Despite fan demand, Asuka vs. Sky was never booked for WrestleMania 42. Reports indicate the match is now being planned for WWE Backlash on May 9 in Tampa, Florida.
An Asuka vignette that aired earlier in the show notably excluded nearly all references to Sane.
WWE Raw airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix.
