IYO Sky must defeat Bianca Belair clean at WWE Crown Jewel 2023

WWE must continue to book IYO Sky as a strong champion and that includes defeating the dominant Bianca Belair clean at Crown Jewel. 

A big women’s match for WWE Crown Jewel was announced as Bianca Belair will challenge IYO Sky for her WWE Women’s Championship. It’s a major one-on-one affair, with many fans excited for Belair’s return to the ring. While that is one point, this is an opportunity for WWE to position Sky as a major player in the women’s division, and with that in mind, she should pick up a clean win over Belair.

Belair was written off television for a few months, giving her the opportunity to take a well-deserved vacation. That vacation came on the heels of a 420-day run as the WWE Raw Women’s Champion; a lengthy reign that not only helped build her fanbase but established her as a central player on the WWE roster. With the way she lost the WWE Women’s Championship in minutes thanks to Sky’s Money in the Bank cash-in, it makes sense why she’s slotted back into the title picture. But if WWE wants to continue the effort to make new stars, Sky must pick up the victory.

Sky is another fan favorite, even long before her entry into the WWE Universe. There’s been a major push to see her become a champion on the main roster, and that came to a head at SummerSlam back in August. She’s held the title for 84 days as of this piece, and she’s had some great matches along the way. Fans held their breath for what seemed to be the moment that Charlotte Flair would take the title off her waist, but that wasn’t the case. Now, Sky must get a victory over another big name on the roster to further cement her run with the championship.

WWE is frequently criticized because the company tends to keep the same names in the title picture. This was the case in both the men’s and women’s divisions for years under Vince McMahon. The men’s divisions would consistently feature Randy Orton, Brock Lesnar, or Roman Reigns as title challengers, while others were left with few opportunities in the spotlight. The same occurred in the women’s division, which is a major reason why a contingent of fans have animosity toward Flair.

That trend seems to be slowly changing as Triple H leads creative. More individuals are getting a chance to appear on shows. This is especially true in the women’s division, where both shows are highlighting more women each week, even if that comes through backstage segments or vignettes. That same purpose should continue with those who get to carry the championship. And while fans will want to see Belair right back atop the women’s division on SmackDown, that doesn’t mean WWE has to rush back into that moment.

Cementing Sky’s run with a win over Belair not only helps her but also the individual who eventually defeats her. As WWE continues to work to build up the women’s division, there’s value in picking up wins over top names. Lyra Valkyria defeating Becky Lynch clean for the WWE NXT Women’s Championship is a prime example. That win will hopefully not only elevate Valkyria but draw interest in whatever she does next in that division. The same opportunity is true here, as WWE should book Sky to pick up a big victory.

Bianca Belair versus IYO Sky is a match that we’ve seen before but is still an exciting contest for both women. It will be interesting to see what they do differently as a part of the Crown Jewel card. Other than the MITB cash-in and an NXT house show in 2018, Sky has never defeated Belair in one-on-one competition, and this should be the moment it happens to continue building her run as champion.