The September 22 episode of WWE Raw ended in shocking fashion, as Asuka betrayed IYO SKY and ended a friendship that began long before either woman joined WWE. In the final moments of the show, Asuka struck Rhea Ripley with her trademark mist before delivering a spinning kick to SKY, her longtime ally and former protégé.
Footage taken after the broadcast showed Ripley and SKY checking on one another, drawing a loud reaction from the live crowd, who cheered to see two of WWE’s top women standing together.
Backstage, an emotional SKY broke down in tears as she reflected on Asuka’s betrayal.
“We were friends. I thought we were friends. I believed we were friends, Asuka and Kairi don’t want me. Devastated. No, but I wasn’t helpful to them. I realized that today. This hurts more than losing a match. I just don’t know. I’m done.”
Tension had been brewing for weeks, with Asuka claiming that SKY needed only her and Kairi Sane—not Ripley. But with SKY now cut off from some of her oldest allies and fresh off a loss in her bid for the Women’s World Title at Wrestlepalooza, her next move in WWE remains uncertain.