Lyra Valkyria is preparing for one of the biggest matches of her career as she is scheduled to defend the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship against Becky Lynch. The title bout is set for Saturday, May 10, at WWE Backlash 2025 in St. Louis.
The upcoming confrontation marks the latest chapter in the evolving relationship between the two performers. Valkyria has spoken about the shift from Lynch serving as a helpful figure in NXT to their current rivalry on the main roster.
"She liked being the idol," Valkyria said in an interview with The Takedown on SI. "Even as far back as NXT, she was very helpful and gave a lot of advice... And then I came up to the main roster and that advice and that warmth just disappeared."
Valkyria suggested that Lynch's demeanor changed as she began making her own impact. "I don't think she likes that I'm now on the same platform and you saw on Monday that I'm not going to be stood on," Valkyria stated. "I'm not here to be a super fan."
The current WWE Women's Intercontinental Champion expressed pride in holding the title, noting its identity as a "prestigious workhorse title." Valkyria won a tournament to become the first person to hold the championship.
The rivalry intensified recently on WWE Raw, leading to a tense exchange. Tommy Dreamer, an ECW veteran, described the segment as a "weird confrontation" on the "Busted Open After Dark" podcast, observing the mixed crowd reactions for both wrestlers.
During the segment, Valkyria challenged Lynch to a match for the championship at Backlash, asserting that "The Man" would only accept if the gold was on the line.
The two have a history, as Valkyria previously defeated Lynch for the NXT Women's Championship in October 2023. Valkyria referenced that moment, noting she felt her goal of becoming the first Irish NXT Women's Champion was "taken away" when Lynch returned to NXT.
Valkyria sees her current title as something Lynch cannot take away. "This was my first, which is massive," Valkyria said, pointing to the WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship belt. "Nothing can take away that I was the first ever Irish person to hold this title. She can't take that away."
Looking back at her first year on the main roster, Valkyria acknowledged the unexpected turns, including participating in the Queen of the Ring finals and becoming the inaugural champion.
Valkyria reflected on her journey, acknowledging that progress involves continuous effort. "There's always going to be something that I'm working on, or something I haven't done, and that's just the nature of what this is like," she said.
Ahead of the match, Becky Lynch will be in the building to confront Lyra Valkyria on Monday's episode of Raw, adding to the build-up for Backlash.
