Lyra Valkyria turns on Bayley ahead of SNME showdown
Lyra Valkyria has turned on mentor Bayley and was booked to face her at WWE Saturday Night's Main Event after blaming her for holding her back. The split followed a high-stakes Women's Tag Team loss, ending a year-long partnership that once elevated the rising star.
Key Takeaways
- Lyra Valkyria turned on Bayley after a loss to Women's Tag Team Champions Brie Bella and Paige.
- On Raw, Valkyria called Bayley the worst of the Four Horsewomen and said she wants nothing to do with her.
- Bayley secured a singles match through Raw General Manager Adam Pearce for Saturday Night's Main Event.
- The bout was set for July 18, 2026, at Madison Square Garden, streaming on Peacock in the U.S. and Netflix internationally.
Why did Lyra Valkyria turn on Bayley?
According to WWE, Bayley had lived up to her Role Model nickname by helping Valkyria reach new heights over the past year.
That bond shattered after the pair lost a high-stakes match to WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Brie Bella and Paige. Valkyria responded with a brutal beatdown of her partner.
Bayley tried to talk it out. Lyra refused, insisting Bayley held her back, then piled on insults and another attack on her former mentor.
What did Lyra Valkyria say about Bayley on Raw?
Cageside Seats reported that a red-eyed, disheveled Lyra Valkyria confronted Bayley on Monday Night Raw.
She told Bayley she is the worst of the Four Horsewomen, claimed Bayley was always holding her back, and said she wants nothing to do with her anymore.
Bayley answered by revealing she had already gotten a match made between them for Saturday Night's Main Event that weekend.
When and where was Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria booked?
WWE listed the singles match for Saturday Night's Main Event on Saturday, July 18, airing at 8 ET/5 PT. Cageside Seats placed the show at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
WWE said the special streams live on Peacock in the United States and on Netflix internationally. The bout joined an SNME card that also featured CM Punk and Cody Rhodes teaming against Gunther and Sami Zayn.
Fans following celebrity breaking news will see this as a major women's division shift: a mentorship flipped into a personal rivalry on one of WWE's biggest streaming stages.
Bayley anticipated diplomacy would fail and spoke with Raw General Manager Adam Pearce in advance to lock in the contest. For Lyra Valkyria, the match was framed as a chance to break free of the partner she now blames for stalling her rise.