Bayley secured her place as the number one contender for AJ Lee’s Women’s Intercontinental Championship after triumphing in a challenging gauntlet match on WWE Raw. The contest featured six competitors—IYO SKY, Lyra Valkyria, Bayley, Asuka, Raquel Rodriguez, and Ivy Nile—all battling to earn a title opportunity against Lee scheduled for next week’s show.
The match began with SKY and Valkyria facing off. SKY delivered a back breaker and followed with a meteora in the corner, but Valkyria countered when SKY attempted the Over the Moonsault. Despite Valkyria’s resilience, SKY managed to land a powerful kick that brought Valkyria down and finished with the moonsault to take the win.
Raquel Rodriguez and Ivy Nile Shift Momentum
Raquel Rodriguez entered the match next, catching SKY’s attempted suicide dive and delivering a strong shoulder tackle. SKY responded with a hurricanrana, a missile dropkick, and another meteora. However, as she prepared for a moonsault, Liv Morgan distracted her. Stephanie Vaquer, the Women’s World Champion, intervened by taking Morgan out, allowing SKY to capitalize on the distraction and pin Rodriguez with an inside cradle.
Following Rodriguez’s pinfall loss, she aggressively attacked SKY outside the ring, executing a Tejana Bomb on the apron. This moment of vulnerability enabled Ivy Nile to swiftly eliminate SKY with a pin. Bayley then entered the match, immediately facing Nile while simultaneously eyeing her former ally, SKY, on the floor.
Bayley Overcomes Nile and Takes on Asuka
Nile fought tenaciously against Bayley, countering signature moves like Bayley-to-Belly and Rose Plant attempts. She showcased strength with a delayed vertical suplex and followed with a second-rope suplex and swinging uranage. Still, Bayley managed to escape the ring and reset the pace, then executed an elbow drop from the stairs onto Nile on the apron. Back inside, Bayley’s Bayley-to-Belly move secured Nile’s elimination, advancing Bayley to face Asuka one-on-one.
Bayley launched an aggressive offense against Asuka, but the bout was disrupted when Kairi Sane interfered outside the ring. Bayley locked Asuka into a knee bar, yet Asuka reached the bottom rope to break the hold. Bayley nearly ended the match with a running knee, but Asuka’s resilience kept her in the fight.
As Sane attempted a second interference, Valkyria came to assist her tag team partner. Asuka captured Bayley in the Asuka Lock after countering an elbow drop, but Bayley managed to escape and landed a decisive Rose Plant move to clinch the victory.
Upcoming Title Match Sets High Stakes
Bayley’s endurance and strategy in this gauntlet mark her as a strong contender heading into next week’s title showdown against AJ Lee on WWE Raw. The hard-fought victory over a varied and capable field underscores Bayley’s determination and readiness to capture the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. Fans can anticipate an intense rivalry as Bayley seeks to claim the championship and further elevate her position within WWE.
