Pro wrestling fans happily rejoiced whenIyo Skycaptured theWWEWomen’s World Championship from Rhea Ripley on the August 08, 2025, episode ofRAWon Netflix. As one of the most popular female wrestlers in the promotion, The Empress of Sky was a performer the audience had waited to see get her just due.
For Sky, 34, it was a long journey to the top of the mountain. She signed with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2017 and immediately captured the attention and affection of the audience. The Japanese sensation continued to tantalize us with her efforts inNXT, often with show-stealing aerial maneuvers. Along the way, she’s won two world championships and garnered plenty of praise from her peers.
While she’s always been admired by the fans,Sky has never been pushed into as prominent a position as she is today, thanks to an unexpected surge in popularity among audiences. Iyo Sky is now heading intoWrestleMania 41to defend her championship against two megastars in the sport, Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair. And despite plenty of support from the WWE Universe, there are several factors as to why she won’t be leaving Vegas with the gold.
Iyo Sky Got Over Organically With Audiences, But It Doesn’t Matter
She Gets Great Reactions From the WWE Universe
Sky had something special that fans wanted. As one of the first signees to the ‘new era’ of the women’s division, she had emerged from almost out of nowhere to the fans who only watched WWE. And much like her contemporary, Asuka, she had an air of mystery and a special allure about her. Without saying much, she spoke volumes to the audience, with the endearing in-ring performances typical of theJoshitradition of Japanese pro wrestling.
Unfortunately, she has spent most of her tenure with the promotion under the management of now-departed leader Vince McMahon. For all his creative achievements, Vince had almost no real vision for a competitive women’s division. Moreover, the language barrier and the ability to cut promos have always been an issue in terms of stars from foreign lands, and Sky has been no exception to that, although to be fair, she is the best Japanese star on the microphone in terms of language skills.
However, many things changedwhen Triple H took over. For fans who had waited patiently to see Sky get a massive push, it was like a dream come true. And her stunning upset win over Ripley to win the title, just weeks ahead of The Show of Shows, was met with approval by audiences, who are rewarding Sky with massive reactions every time she steps into an arena. But while people may love her,money is what talks in the professional wrestling business. It’s how the company views her now that will matter at ‘Mania.
Rhea Ripley Should Be Considered the Favorite at WrestleMania
The Former Champ Is One of the Top Stars in WWE Today
Standing head and shoulders above the competition today is Rhea Ripley, who many consider to be the favorite in this bout. Currently, Rhea is the most popular female on the WWE roster, easily one of the most popular stars in the company overall thanks to her massive following on social media, a big merchandise seller, and a huge cornerstone of the promotion’s present and future.
Ripley, like Sky, is another breakout star after being part of a faction. Mami cut ties with Judgment Day, while Iyo Sky has stepped to the forefront of Damage Control. They also weren’t what many would call the company’s ‘first choice’ to be the focus of the franchise. Sky and Ripley rose to the top because they were christened by the fans, not the federation.
ButRipley has a lot of X-factors that Iyo doesn’t. She’s more marketable, delivers some of the company’s best promos, and has a look that you can sell to a younger audience. By all rights, Rhea is considered the standard-bearer of the division right now. She’s also started to gain some mainstream exposure, which is something WWE always strives for. And at just 28 years old, Ripley isn’t going anywhere for a while.
When she lost the belt to Sky, most critics and observers felt like the move was done for shock value alone. Or, perhaps they wanted to take advantage of the massive response it would get from the crowd on a chilly night in Buffalo. But mostly, it was probably to set up what could be the evolution of another WWE personality.
Will There Be a Twist Ending to This Championship Match?
Signs Point to a Possible Heel Turn From One of the Competitors
The other combatant in this match, Bianca Belair, came into the boutsporting a bit of a new attitude. Always smiling and having fun with the WWE Universe, The EST has been noticeably sullen following the revelation that it was Naomi who put Jade Cargill out of action. She’s been much more aggressive lately, as was displayed during the in-ring standoffs between her, Sky, and Ripley.
There’s been a lot of chatter thatthis is hinting at a heel turn, and that she and Naomi may have been plotting this all along. The two women had never really had a true physical confrontation, even after Bianca found out she had been “lied to”. Rumors around the water cooler are that Naomi will show up and help Belair, turning both of them fully heel. In the context of this match, Belair stands on Ripley’s side, in the sense that she is also a massively marketable star who fits the mold of a “WWE product” much more than Iyo Sky.
With two of the biggest stars in women’s wrestling facing her, Sky will be swimming into shark-infested waters atWrestleMania 41.She’s in the ring againsttwo bigger stars who generate more money, and one of them might be in the middle of a heel turn. So, as far as the storyline and the money are concerned, it’s unfortunately unlikely that Iyo Sky will retain the WWE Women’s World Championship. While she deserves all the success and accolades, the Empress of the Sky is probably en route for a crash landing this weekend in Las Vegas.
