00:08And her opponent, accompanied by Bayley, from Dublin, Ireland, Lyra Valkyria!
00:20We talked about the bracket earlier, right?
00:22Indeed.
00:23Taking a look at the bracket for where Lyra Valkyria sits.
00:27Charlotte Flair, Jade Cargo, who has been Queen of the Ring, and Sol Ruka, who is the brand
00:35new Women's Intercontinental Champion.
00:37That in itself is a tough four-way contest to get out of that matchup.
00:42We talked about what might be the most difficult draw in the first round.
00:45That certainly has the inside track, I think.
00:47As, of course, Lyra Valkyria, all excited for this encounter, turned up for the inaugural
00:52Women's Intercontinental Champion.
00:54And she's certainly set to embark on her own Queen of the Ring adventure.
00:59Oh!
01:00On Ivy Nile, getting a quick jump.
01:02And this is strategy, because Ivy wants to make a statement tonight.
01:06She wants to make an example of Lyra Valkyria, and she wants her first marquee victory.
01:11And that's the second week in a row, Vic, that Ivy Nile has made a statement before the
01:14belt.
01:15It certainly is.
01:16And look, she is not going to...
01:17I think she's starting to come into her own a little bit, right?
01:20She's someone who is starting to figure it out that she can't play nice.
01:23She can't play by the rules.
01:24But there comes Lyra right back into the fight.
01:26Speaking of can't play nice, Lyra Valkyria bringing the fight right here to Ivy Nile.
01:30And, of course, Lyra, a bit of momentum in her own right, picking up a tag team victory
01:33alongside Bayley against...
01:35Ooh, nice counter.
01:36...against the Judgment Day a couple of weeks ago on Raw.
01:39And just take a listen to the WWE Universe here in Italy for Bayley on the outside, here
01:46to support her bestie, her tag team partner, Lyra Valkyria.
01:50But Bayley also, she has a tough first round draw in the Queen of the Ring tournament.
01:54That classic European track right there for Bayley.
01:58As look at Ivy, picking up the momentum, big kick in the corner.
02:01She may be looking at things early here, Vic.
02:03Quickly going right back in.
02:05She knows that Lyra Valkyria Championship pedigree has had big match situations.
02:09Knows that she's going to need to do a little bit more, a little bit extra in this matchup.
02:13But we talked about Sol Ruka, the Women's Intercontinental Champion.
02:16A shocking upset victory over Becky Lynch.
02:20Also is a former Women's North American Champion.
02:23And I've got to give a lot of credit to our current Women's North American Champion,
02:27Tatum Paxley, who's going to have a showdown with Zarya coming up on NXT this Tuesday for her title.
02:32Certainly a big opportunity right there for Zarya to get some championship gold,
02:35a title she's been seeking for well over a year in NXT.
02:38She certainly has.
02:39But she's seeking championships.
02:40So is Ivy Nile.
02:42And Ivy Nile's first step is to beat a former champion.
02:44And if she can defeat the likes of Lyra Valkyria,
02:47the stock only rises on Monday Night Raw in the eyes of their general manager, Adam Pearce.
02:53And Vic, we've talked about it, of course, with Jordan Grace,
02:55how that Queen of the Ring tournament can serve as a motivator and not a disappointment.
02:59And you hope Ivy Nile certainly takes that same mentality.
03:02I agree.
03:02Look, that's why I said it earlier.
03:04You know, we've talked about a lot of things.
03:05You can feel still this energy.
03:07I mean, it's radiating.
03:08But for Ivy Nile, showcasing some strength right now,
03:11I don't know if you have your stop.
03:12A few weeks ago, 27 seconds.
03:14Last week, 32.
03:15Vic, could you top it here?
03:18Might have come a little bit short, but still nonetheless quite powerful.
03:21But you are 100% correct.
03:23We talked about it with Jordan Grace.
03:24Because Ivy now needs to be trying to make a statement to those in the back,
03:29saying, I should have been in this tournament,
03:31or I need to be considered for those big match situations.
03:34But the only way you do that is by winning big matches.
03:38As Ivy misses in the corner there,
03:40Lyra trying to feed off of the WWE Universe.
03:43Of course, Europe, a lot of support for Lyra Valkyria.
03:48Looking to add another feather to her collection right here.
03:51Lyra would certainly want a championship opportunity at SummerSlam
03:54if she can get through the Queen of the Ring tournament.
03:57Bayley, the WWE Universe, firing up Lyra Valkyria.
04:00Unlike Kiana James, Lyra would love to go in
04:03to that first-round Fatal 4-Way matchup with a victory,
04:07with some sort of momentum.
04:09And of course, we have to point out Eoskye already
04:12punching her ticket this past Monday on Raw.
04:14And we haven't talked about the men's side.
04:15Ova Femi was able to just, well, clear the field.
04:18And obviously, he's not in a very good mood
04:20after what happened at Clash in Italy.
04:21Drop with seven F5s on Sunday,
04:24then comes back just one day later
04:25to knock off three other superstars
04:27in the Intercontinental Champion, Penta,
04:29Carmelo Hayes, and of course, Solo Sokoa.
04:31But look at Lyra right now.
04:33Going right to her perch here, Vic.
04:35Lyra would love to pick up a victory,
04:37would love to win the Queen of the Ring tournament,
04:39where she's come so close to being crowned Queen in the past
04:42and have a championship opportunity in Minnesota.
04:46Missile drop kick, down goes Ivy.
04:48That's SummerSlam.
04:50As the inaugural Women's Intercontinental Champion,
04:52here we go into the cover, hooks the outside leg.
04:55And only two right there, of course.
04:57Talk about Sol Ruka winning that Women's Intercontinental Champion.
05:00Huge shout-out to Sol, and of course, the man, Becky Lynch.
05:03She would love a third reign and get back to Sol.
05:05She certainly would,
05:06and we've been talking about the officials tonight.
05:08Jessica Carr is the official in this matchup.
05:10She was the official in that Intercontinental Championship match
05:14in Italy as well.
05:15As Lyra might be going for Nightwing here,
05:17Ivy's seen this many times in the past.
05:19Well scouted by the Pitbull.
05:21Nice counter snap in the neck.
05:24And right there, Vic,
05:24we can see some growth in Ivy Niles' game
05:26over the last couple of months.
05:28We've seen it.
05:28Can she put together another victory?
05:31This would be the biggest win in Ivy Niles' career.
05:35Looking to capitalize indeed.
05:37Bayley showing some concern right now.
05:40Use up! Use up!
05:42And it looks like turn's not American-made.
05:45Ivy, oh.
05:46I've been going for that vertical suplex one more time.
05:49Lyra slips out the back door.
05:50Here we go!
05:51Into position.
05:52And Lyra's gutter!
05:54Nightwing!
05:55And a hard-fought victory for Valkyria.
06:01Here is your winner, Lyra Valkyria!
06:07Well, Vic, Lyra certainly pushed the limit tonight by the Pitbull.
06:10But before the Queen of the Ring Tournament action begins for her,
06:13Lyra picks up a big win.
06:15Take nothing away from Ivy.
06:16Ivy got away once.
06:17She was not going to get away a second time.
06:20And now for Lyra Valkyria, the momentum is building.
06:24It has been built.
06:25Can she push through that glass ceiling?
06:28Another win over Ivy Nile right before the Queen of the Ring Tournament
06:31as Lyra Valkyria picks up some momentum.
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