Asuka and Sane turn on IYO SKY as Damage CTRL breaks up on Raw

On the September 22 episode of WWE Raw in Evansville, Indiana, longtime allies Asuka and Kairi Sane attacked IYO SKY in a closing segment that severed the trio's on-screen alliance and left SKY reacting publicly to the betrayal. The attack followed the night's main event, in which Rhea Ripley defeated Asuka in a singles match, and capped a week that included SKY's loss in the Women's World Championship match at WrestlePalooza.

Raw opened a tense backstage thread that carried into the ring. Earlier in the episode IYO SKY asked Asuka not to face Ripley in the main event, and exchanged sharp words with Kairi Sane. During the match, Asuka moved to use Sane at ringside as a distraction; when the plan misfired Ripley rolled up Asuka for the pin. After the match Asuka sprayed mist at Ripley and began attacking her. Sane joined the assault, and when IYO ran to intervene the two former Damage CTRL partners turned on her as well, laying SKY out in the ring.

IYO SKY posted a video on social media after the show in which she described the attack as emotionally painful. "We were friends," she said. "I thought we were friends. I believed we were friends." She added, "This hurts more than...