WWE star to be forced to put career on the line in championship match at SummerSlam 2025? Possibility explored

As announced via WWE's official website and social media platforms, Women's Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch has a proposal for Lyra Valkyria ahead of their title showdown at SummerSlam. Valkyria and Lynch have been in the midst of one of the best feuds of the year since the RAW after WrestleMania.

The Man turned on her protege after they lost the Women's Tag Team Title hours after having won them at WrestleMania. A returning Becky, unbeknownst to Lyra, had attacked Bayley before 'Mania to take her spot. Over the summer, Lyra beat Becky to retain the Women's Intercontinental Championship at Backlash before Lynch won the title utilizing nefarious means at Money in the Bank.

Bayley's return makes this a three-way feud, with Lynch retaining the title in an incredible Triple Threat opener at Evolution. With Lyra Valkyria having earned her rightful one-on-one rematch for the championship at SummerSlam, the two Irishwomen are set to seemingly finally put an end to their story. However, it could see Valkyria being forced to put her career on the line in a massive twist.

Valkyria earned the title shot at SummerSlam with her win over Bayley in a two-out-of-three-falls match on RAW last week. The upstart's feud with Lynch has seen her and the Women's Intercontinental Title ascend to newer heights. Moreover, Valkyria's passion and personality deeply resonate with the WWE Universe.

An end to such a storied feud is unlikely to be simple, and the aforementioned announcement might have something to do with it. A stipulation could be proposed by Lynch tonight for her title defense against Lyra at SummerSlam. While that could be a gimmick match of some sort, an Iron Woman, Submission, Street Fight, or "I Quit" Match would make sense given the nature of their finishes.

Speaking of the last match type, what if Becky Lynch compels or even forces Valkyria to put her career on the line? Think about it: Becky Lynch is a megastar. She could simply be tired of dealing with Lyra. Maybe she could propose something milder, like if Lyra loses, she can never challenge for the Intercontinental Title again.

Fans already saw a show of Lynch's arrogance at Money in the Bank. She clearly thinks that she is way above Lyra; that they aren't even in the same stratosphere.

Big Time Becks has already humiliated Lyra Valkyria multiple times over. However, the question is, Is that a result of a superiority complex or an inferiority complex? Lynch shockingly lost the NXT Women's Championship to Valkyria in October 2023. She lost to Lyra at Backlash this year too. Lynch had to cheat to win at Money in the Bank, and she didn't pin Lyra at Evolution.

Lynch is clearly paranoid, and behind that mask of overconfidence lies fear and uncertainty that Lyra, a fellow Irishwoman, may not just have Becky's number; the inaugural Women's IC Champion may actually become better than her. In fact, due to that paranoia, Becky may fear that Lyra Valkyria may already be better than her and may eventually eclipse her star.

That is a scary thought when you are arguably the greatest and biggest female professional wrestler of all time, and even more so when Lyra, the person concerned, shot to fame at Becky's expense and humiliation and is a fellow Irishwoman. It may haunt Becky Lynch enough for her to want Lyra gone from WWE; perhaps, entirely gone from the wrestling business, for good.

Not just incredible in-ring work, but this psychology fits perfectly with the characters' motivations, which is what makes the SummerSlam bout so interesting.

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What could WWE be cooking to provide a fitting conclusion to the Becky Lynch-Lyra Valkyria saga at SummerSlam?

If a title vs. career match is really the plan for SummerSlam, then an "I Quit" Match does make the most sense given the nature of the stipulation. The two stipulations do not need to go hand-in-hand, but it certainly sounds like a great package deal. Another way to go, though, could be a ladder match for the championship at SummerSlam.

Whether it is the Intercontinental Championship's synonymity with ladder matches, the need for a singles ladder match among women that could blaze the trail and set the highest of standards, the sheer brutality of ladder matches, the absence of any way to win the contest via fluke, or the potential for a story of struggle, determination, and passion that can be told via such matches, it remains a great way to wrap up the feud.