It’s been a long time coming, but IYO SKY is finally coming into her own in WWE. The former “NXT” Women’s Champion did quite well for herself on the developmental brand, but had trouble finding her footing upon her main roster call-up and introduction as a member of Damage CTRL. But, at this year’s Backlash, in her title match against Bianca Belair, something finally clicked. And ever since, the creative minds of WWE have been willing to give her a bit more room to spread her wings, even crowning her as WWE Women’s Champion at this year’s SummerSlam. 

However, the lingering shadow of Damage CTRL remains. After all, while she may be the reigning champ, Bayley still has been positioned as the leader of the faction, and Dakota Kai’s presence still makes SKY feel like a secondary presence in the group, belt or not, going back to their time as a tag team. But, at Crown Jewel, SKY finally began to feel like her own person. A bit of miscommunication saw her deck Bayley on the outside of the ring, likely fueling the tension that’s been building between them as of late. Furthermore, the appearance of Kairi Sane on the scene just took SKY up a level. 

Longtime friends and once partners as the Sky Pirates, Sane allows SKY to be at the forefront of their partnership and not solely serve as an accompaniment. SKY’s time in Damage CTRL is likely coming to an end soon enough, and now she’ll have an equal to do damage with in the WWE women’s division. She’s no longer a henchwoman, but a leading force. That’s an even bigger win than successfully retaining her title at Crown Jewel, which she did anyway.