WWE WrestleMania 41 is on the horizon and the entire card is taking shape. One of the big matches to watch features IYO Sky defending the Women's World Championship. While the story now has questions around who she will defend against, anyone with wrestling knowledge knows this is going to end up in a triple-threat match. WWE is teetering close to treating Sky as an "afterthought" and that must be avoided at all cost.
Professional wrestling has tiers to stardom. Everyone isn't main event or championship caliber. Unfortunately, there are times when it is easy to see who fits within one tier, while others are placed in lower tiers.
Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley are massive stars in the women's division. Others such as Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch fit in that group as well. While they may be fan favorites, individuals like Auska, Bayley, and yes, Iyo Sky are booked as if they are a level below the first group mentioned. So what does that mean for Sky heading into WrestleMania 41? This is where things get murky.
If Iyo Sky walks into WrestleMania 41 as champion, this will be the second time she's done so in as many years. In 2024, she dropped the WWE Women's Championship to Bayley. Expectations are growing that she's going to drop the title to either Belair or Ripley, with the triple-threat being used to keep the non-pinned woman looking "strong."
In reality, this moment should be used to see Sky pin one of the two women and retain her championship. Losing another title match to a woman a tier above her would set Sky back in a way that WWE does not need at this time. The company needs as many stars in both the men's and women's division as it can get. Belair and Ripley's starpower would not be harmed losing to a competitor like Sky. The inverse can't quite be said if it happens yet again. The perception will become that Sky is a fantastic wrestler and fans love her, but she's going to lose the big matches against the biggest names.
Iyo Sky is a performer that WWE can count on. When someone else is injured, the company looks to her to fill in the gap. Presenting her as an afterthought in an important angle on the biggest show of the year hurts her long-term value as a superstar, both here and abroad.
Will Iyo Sky defeat Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley at WWE WrestleMania 41? Right now, it seems like an afterthought. But this could be the moment WWE gives her a solid push as a main event attraction, developing another major star in an uber-packed women's division.