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Bianca Belair declared herself as an entrant in the 2024 Royal Rumble match on WWE SmackDown this past Friday night. The EST of WWE also put the Women's Champion IYO SKY on notice during a backstage segment stating that she will end the "IYO Era."
Interestingly, after Belair walked away, the champion made Dakota Kai let Bayley know that the latter should handle The EST of WWE, being the leader of their group.
Also, on the special New Year's Revolution-themed edition of the blue brand, SKY retained the Women's Championship in a noteworthy one-on-one match against Mia Yim. The bout was one of the highlights of the show, as is literally the entirety of the first SmackDown of 2024.
Check out IYO SKY's one-word message on social media below:
"DEFENDED."
Bianca Belair's recent announcement of her reality show - Love & WWE: Bianca & Montez - on Instagram caught the attention of the Women's World Champion, Rhea Ripley. Check it out here.
WWE Women's Champion IYO SKY has a huge fan from STARDOM
Azumi, better known as AZM, is a 21-year-old Japanese professional wrestler, currently signed to World Wonder Ring Stardom.
Prior to challenging Giulia for the NJPW Strong Women's Championship in a losing effort at STARDOM Nagoya Big Winter on December 2, 2023, AZM disclosed her desire to meet SKY and Kairi Sane.
She also added that The Genius of the Sky is a "God," and it is her aspiration to have overseas experience and, eventually, challenge her mentor, the WWE Women's Champion:
"For me, IYO-san is a god. Before IYO-san went to WWE, she wrote in an article somewhere, 'AZM is amazing. Age hasn't quite caught up with her yet, but she's getting stronger, so I want her to do her best.' I almost cried when I read that. She is the one who gave me the opportunity to grow."
For those unaware, the IYO SKY-led faction Queen's Quest recruited AZM in 2017. Today, the former is part of the most successful women's faction in WWE and moreover, holds the top prize of the company.
Do you think IYO SKY will walk into WrestleMania 40 as the WWE Women's Champion? Sound off in the comments section below.
