Lyra Valkyria Turns on Bayley Following Women’s Tag Title Loss on WWE RAW

One of the more surprising moments on the June 22 episode of WWE RAW came when Lyra Valkyria turned on Bayley, delivering an unprovoked attack that signaled a significant shift in her character.

The two had just come up short in a bid for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, falling to champions Paige and Brie Bella. After the match, Bayley approached Valkyria in what appeared to be a show of support following the defeat — but rather than accept the gesture, Valkyria snapped and attacked her former partner.

The turn was notable for a few reasons. Valkyria has been one of the more carefully built babyfaces on the roster since arriving on the main roster, and pairing her with a veteran like Bayley seemed designed to give her additional visibility. Instead, WWE has opted to pull the trigger on a heel pivot, apparently choosing to lean into whatever tension had been quietly simmering between the two.

Bayley, meanwhile, remains one of the most versatile performers on the roster — equally effective as a face or heel — and a program built around her history of mentoring younger talent only to be betrayed could give this feud a compelling emotional foundation. Valkyria attacking someone who was trying to console her adds an edge to the heel turn that goes beyond a simple opportunistic attack.

How WWE follows up on this moment heading into the coming weeks will be worth watching closely, as Valkyria’s long-term direction on RAW likely hinges on how effectively this new chapter gets off the ground.