Lyra Valkyria's Warpath: Was the Title a Goal or Just a Weapon in the Battle Against Becky Lynch?

At WWE SummerSlam 2025, the stage is set for what may be the final act in the fierce saga between Lyra Valkyria and Becky Lynch. But as the no-disqualification title bout played out, one question remained central: Was Valkyria chasing a belt or vengeance?

Once allies and co-champions, the two have devolved into bitter adversaries, with their personal feud now just as important as the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship. Valkyria, the title's first-ever holder, is not only seeking redemption. This girl is after closure.

History of Broken Trust

The fallout began shortly after their short-lived partnership peaked at WrestleMania. Valkyria and Lynch briefly held tag team gold before losing it the very next day. It was later revealed that Lynch had attacked Bayley, a former Grand Slam Champion and longtime locker room leader, to steal her spot at WrestleMania, fracturing Valkyria's trust and setting the wheels of rivalry in motion.

Their encounters since have been heated. Valkyria successfully defended her title once, but Lynch eventually captured the belt at Money in the Bank. Since then, Bayley re-emerged, clashing with both women and complicating the championship picture.

Despite those interferences, Valkyria managed to outlast Bayley in a countout contest to earn a rematch at SummerSlam. But the stakes were raised further. As outlined in this preview, if Valkyria lost this time, she forfeited the right to challenge Lynch again for the championship.

A Title or a Statement?

While the championship was technically the prize, the emotional subtext is equally strong. In an appearance on Busted Open Radio (h/t Wrestling Inc), Valkyria made it clear that the match is about more than gold.

'The level of respect and admiration I had for her was still there', she said of Lynch. 'I can honestly say that that's completely gone now'. Her comments show that she was no longer chasing a childhood idol. Valkyria was instead targeting someone she now sees as a barrier to progress.

Lynch, meanwhile, appears unfazed. In a recent interview, she described herself as the 'gatekeeper of opportunities' and compared her treatment of Valkyria to tough love. 'If your dog pees on the floor... you rub its face and it has to learn', she quipped, making no effort to mask her disdain.

Physical and Mental Warfare

The lead-up to the match has been physically taxing for both women. On the final episode of RAW before SummerSlam, Lynch suffered a brutal beating from a kendo stick-wielding Valkyria. The reigning champion later shared photos of a massive bruise on social media, calling it an 'unprovoked attack' and branding her opponent a 'crazy birdlady'.

The match itself was a brutal testament to how far both women were willing to go. In front of a sold-out MetLife Stadium, the no-disqualification stipulation made room for every weapon imaginable — and for outside interference.

Lynch unleashed an onslaught of steel chairs, chains and zip ties. Valkyria endured it all, even battling back after being restrained and repeatedly struck with a wrench. The crowd roared when Valkyria, hands still bound, managed a running dropkick and a moonsault to rally.

The violence escalated when Valkyria sprayed Lynch with a fire extinguisher and landed the Night Wing off the steel steps. But as Valkyria finally appeared on the verge of victory, Bayley stormed the ring to confront Lynch. In a split-second miscalculation, Bayley's attack struck Valkyria instead.

That opened the door for Lynch to hit the decisive Man Handle Slam — and pin Valkyria one final time.

The stipulations, set by mutual agreement, ensure no disqualifications and no countouts, guaranteeing that the rivalry ended cleanly. For Valkyria, the terms also mean career consequences. A loss would permanently remove her from contention for the IC title as long as Lynch held it.

This isn't just a test of strength or skill. It's a battle of attrition shaped by history, wounds and emotional baggage, all under the lights of MetLife Stadium on SummerSlam.

Legacy on the Line

Though the outcome was marred by controversy, the match provided the sense of finality WWE needed. With Bayley's interference costing Valkyria her last chance at the title while Lynch moves forward as champion, the path is clear: Valkyria will now be forced to reckon with Bayley rather than the belt.

When Valkyria first defeated Dakota Kai to become the inaugural Intercontinental Champion, she helped establish a true mid-card platform for women's wrestling. In many ways, Lynch elevated the title's visibility during her reign, but Valkyria has argued that the belt's purpose became distorted in Lynch's hands — warped into a trophy of ego rather than a standard of competition.

Even in defeat, Valkyria exits the feud transformed. The grueling war with Lynch has made her a more resilient, formidable competitor. As Lynch prepares to defend her championship against new challengers — including the likes of Asuka, Kairi Sane, or rising stars such as Roxanne Perez and Stephanie Vaquer — Valkyria's next chapter looks to be a collision course with Bayley herself.

Whatever the outcome of that impending rivalry, SummerSlam made one thing abundantly clear: Lyra Valkyria will never walk into a ring the same way again.