Natalya’s pursuit of the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship came to a heartbreaking end on the December 23 episode of RAW, as she was eliminated from the tournament by IYO SKY. SKY triumphed over both Natalya and Alba Fyre, securing her spot in the tournament’s next round.
The victory sets up an exciting showdown between IYO SKY and Lyra Valkyria on December 30. The winner will go on to face either Zoey Stark or Dakota Kai in the tournament finals, with the prestigious title on the line.
Following her defeat, Natalya was visibly upset in a backstage segment shared on Twitter, where she confided in R-Truth. “I just feel like such a failure,” she admitted, her frustration clear.
R-Truth, ever supportive, reassured Natalya, telling her, “No, stop it, you’re not a failure. You’re the BOAT (Best of All Time). You win some, you lose some. Life’s a butch and you can’t just be butching about it, you know what I’m saying?”
The heartfelt moment took an unexpected turn when Pete Dunne, who has had ongoing tensions with R-Truth, interrupted. Dunne threatened, “Oi, listen, I told you to keep that name out of your mouth or I was going to break your jaw.”
Before things could escalate further, Natalya stepped in to defend R-Truth, firmly stating, “Hey, you do not talk to Truth like that, you hear me?”
With a moment of hesitation, Dunne softened and responded, “You know what, this has gone on long enough. I’m done with you, I’m sick of you. Next week, me and you in that ring and I’ll shut you up for good.”
As Dunne walked away, Truth, now wearing one of Natalya’s hats, quipped, “Now all three of us have got a problem with Butch.”
Adding her own reflection, Natalya remarked, “Life really is a butch.” Later, she shared a heartfelt message on Twitter, expressing her determination: “What I do know is, I need to work harder. And I promise you, I will. #WWERaw”
In a more personal post, Natalya opened up about her inner struggles, writing: “There’s so much more I want to say, but I don’t know how to. I wake up everyday worried that I won’t be able to realize my full potential. It haunts me. More than I can say. But I’ll never stop fighting. I’ll never stop showing up for my dreams. I love and appreciate everyone who’s fought hard with me. You guys are truly the best. ❤️”
It’s worth noting that prior reports suggested there had been significant backstage support for Natalya to become the inaugural WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion, underscoring the immense faith in her abilities and potential within the company.
