Browsing: Sky

In 1996, it was modern-day shock/industrial rock revolutionist, Marilyn Manson, who released the mainstream hit, “The Beautiful People.” Eleven years later, on December 2, 2007, The Beautiful People had a face and an image to uphold to in the pro wrestling world, as its original starlights,  Angelina Love and Velvet Sky, commanded and conquered the TNA Knockouts division for nearly 16 years. Looking back on their humble yet elegant roots, Sky reflects on how one choice in character work could’ve changed the dynamic of their Hall of Fame status.

“When TNA first put Angelina and I together as the Beautiful People, they sent us out there as babyfaces, which is why one of our…first match coming out together…the crowd booed the s**t out of us,” Sky revealed in an interview on “Velvet Ropes.” “Well, their mentality was, you know, this was a Spike TV era. Spike TV was a men’s network. They figure the crowd of mostly men, they want to see happy, hot girls in short skirts. I don’t think they were thinking like, ‘Oh, they’re going to get booed.’ I think they were thinking like, ‘They look the way they do. They’re wearing short skirts, whatever. They’re going to appeal to the masses…Girls, just go down there and just shake hands, kiss babies, and slap hands. Just do it.'”

After seeing how their debut did not appeal to the masses, the TNA office then retreated to returning the two mean girls back to their heelish roots. Embracing vain and narcissistic prima donnas, it was Vince Russo who saw a lot of potential not just in them, but in the Knockouts division as a whole. Thanks to his vision – via what the ratings were saying – women like Sky and Love carried a legacy torch that remains unmatched in TNA to this day.

 “Vince was a total ratings guy. He was like, ‘The ratings are in. Who’s at the top of the list?’ And, you know, the Knockouts and the Beautiful People, we were always at…we were the ratings breakers,” Sky added. “We were told by Spike TV every week like, ‘Hey congrats, girls! Top of the ratings again.’ He was featuring the girls all over the show, and that’s why he saw the transition of so many Knockouts were on the show because of the ratings.”

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Velvet Ropes with SoCal Val” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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CM Punk shared high praise for WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY during a recent YouTube vlog documenting WWE’s tour of Japan. Punk highlighted both superstars as key figures for the company’s future.

Ripley and SKY have recently formed an alliance, stemming from their shared rivalry with the Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane). This partnership was evident during the Japan tour, where they shared an in-ring moment with Punk after a live event.

In the vlog, Punk spoke highly of SKY’s in-ring abilities. “IYO SKY is consistently I think the best wrestler that we have,” Punk stated. He placed Ripley close behind, noting her overall star power. “Rhea is probably a close second, but you talk about superstar…”.

Punk also touched upon his connection with Ripley, acknowledging her past fandom. “…and I donâ€t think itâ€s a secret that I was one of Rheaâ€s favorites when she was a kid growing up…”. He compared this connection to fans crediting him for personal milestones, expressing his gratitude and desire to give back. “…itâ€s kind of no different than the fan that says ‘Iâ€m sober because of you†or ‘I waited 19 years to see you.†I just want to give back because Iâ€m so full of gratitude”.

He added his thoughts on Ripley and SKY by noting their importance to WWE’s trajectory. “Those two are the future,†Punk declared. CM Punk is currently preparing for his World Heavyweight Championship match against Jey Uso at Saturday Night’s Main Event on November 1.

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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is dreaming big after his team’s 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders in CeeDee Lamb’s return to the field.

Prescott went 21-of-30 for 264 yards and three touchdowns as Lamb hauled in five passes for 110 yards and one score. George Pickens also had 82 receiving yards.

When it comes to the offense at least, Prescott doesn’t believe the unit is going to let up anytime soon.

“Those guys aren’t by any means complacent or great and settled with what they’ve done,” he told reporters. “They want the ball. They have high expectations. We have high expectations for each other… Who knows what we can accomplish? The sky is the limit.”

Dallas is averaging more yards (390.6) than any other team and ranks third in points (31.7). Prescott is on pace to set career highs in passer rating (107.6) and QBR (79.2), per Pro Football Reference.

The three-time Pro Bowler reflected on how this might be the most fun he has had in a Cowboys offense.

“Not a knock to any other group that I’ve been a part of, but the chemistry, the camaraderie, the trash talking, the emotions and passions of this unit, it’s there as much as I’ve ever seen it,” he said. “Sure, we’ve got some youth that’s probably a big part of it, but we’ve got guys who just work their tails off every day.”

In terms of the bigger picture, though, the Cowboys will probably go as far as their defense can take them. Allowing more yards (401.6) than any other team tends to put a ceiling on a contender’s playoff hopes.

Dallas’ 3-3-1 record also speaks for itself. Brian Schottenheimer’s squad has yet to string together back-to-back wins in 2025.

If the Cowboys can strike a better balance between their electric offense and porous defense, then the sky might really be the limit.

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By Ella Jay

Oct. 19, 2025 1:41 pm EST

TNA

Last weekend, TNA Wrestling honored three Knockouts with Hall of Fame inductions, two of whom were Angelina Love and Velvet Sky of The Beautiful People. During a recent interview with “Velvet Ropes,” Sky opened up about the dreamlike feeling of accepting her respective place as a part of the 2025 TNA Hall of Fame class.

“It’s so surreal to me,” she said. “It’s very humbling. I mean, you get into wrestling hoping to get your name out there, hoping to be noticed by one of the major TV companies. It’s like that was good enough for me, just making it to TNA, being recognized and doing what I did with Angelina’s Beautiful People. Then taking it a step further and having this honor be like the highest honor of one’s career and getting inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame and having our legacy forever be cemented in TNA history is like what is this life? It’s amazing and I’m just so humbled and so grateful.”

With the additions of Lacey Von Erich, Madison Rayne, and Billy Gunn, The Beautiful People dominated the late 2000s and early 2010s in TNA Wrestling. Together, the group enjoyed one reign as Knockouts Tag Team Champions. Individually, Love earned six reigns as Knockouts Champion, while Sky held the title for two runs.

Per Love and Sky’s request, TNA executive Tommy Dreamer inducted them into the Hall of Fame during the ceremony, held right before the Bound For Glory pay-per-view on October 12. In the case of Mickie James, her own HOF induction was preceded by an emotional speech from Lisa Marie Varon, known to TNA fans as Tara.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Velvet Ropes” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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IYO SKY has explained her chemistry with Rhea Ripley.

The former WWE Women’s World Champion recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. She talked about things such as what was special about her WrestleMania 41 victory, the WarGames trash can moonsault spot and more.

The Japanese star has formed a popular partnership with Rhea Ripley in recent times and the two even teamed to defeat The Kabuki Warriors at Crown Jewel last week. When asked why she thinks she has great chemistry with The Mami, IYO SKY explained that their different styles make them great partners:

“I think so, because she has muscle. Iâ€m running fast. Iâ€m so small, but I can flip and sheâ€s not a flipping person, like so much the opposite. So thatâ€s why I think we have great chemistry.â€

They Shape Who We Are: IYO SKY

The High-Flying star also explained her love for wrestling during the interview. She discussed the difference between other combat sports and wrestling, mentioning how losses are just as important in the business as the wins:

“Wrestling is my life. It is hard to explain. So in combat sport, wins and losses are all that matter.

However, itâ€s only pro wrestling where losses have a value because they shape who we are and give us a chance to turn into something special. Additionally, in pro wrestling, it is important for a character to have weaknesses.â€

SKY was on Ripley’s side when the former NXT UK champion picked up a victory over Kairi Sane on this week’s Raw. Asuka unleashed a post-match attack on the two afterward, however. The Kabuki Warriors stood tall at the end of the segment, signalling that this rivalry is not over just yet.

The quotes in this article have been edited for clarity

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IYO SKY believes her WWE pairing with Rhea Ripley works so well because of how different they are from each other.

Currently, SKY & Ripley are aligned as teammates. The two have been rivals in the past as well — and SKY feels they have great chemistry in either role. She admires how cool Ripley is as a performer and just as a person.

“I think Rhea Ripley and me is — we have chemistry, I think,” SKY said on a new episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet. “We are totally different person. Because she’s tall, she’s muscle, and she’s so cool.

“I’m not as cool as Rhea Ripley, for sure. She’s super cool. Even when I just having casual conversation to look at her, she’s so cool. Like, oh my God. Sometimes I feel, ‘Oh yeah, Rhea is so cool. Yeah.’ I feel like as a fan.”

SKY feels their in-ring styles also complement each other well with Ripley being stronger and SKY being a better high-flyer.

“Because she’s so nice and muscle. I’m running fast. I’m so small. But I can flip and she’s not so flipping person. Like so much opposite,” SKY said. “So that’s why I think we are making great chemistry.â€

SKY & Ripley teamed together for a tag team victory over Asuka & Kairi Sane at Crown Jewel: Perth last weekend. Ripley then got a singles win over Sane on Raw this Monday, but there was a post-match angle where Asuka and Sane stood tall after laying SKY and Ripley out.

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IYO SKY has become one of the most popular women in WWE today, all while conversing in a language that isn’t her native tongue. Appearing on Chris Van Vliet’s Insight podcast, SKY shared that even after years of working in WWE, conversing in English is still a struggle.

“Every single day I struggle to speak English… Promos make me so nervous, even only [a] short line, makes me so nervous. Even backstage promos, everything.”

SKY studied English at school in her native Japan, but those lessons only covered writing and grammar, not speaking. Upon joining WWE, SKY enrolled in an English Language course, though that did little to help.

“I went to English school once I get contract with WWE. But [the school was] only 30 minutes in a week or one hour a week or twice a week or something like that. So it didn’t so much help, better than nothing.”

SKY continues to develop her skills speaking English with every appearance for WWE. For the ‘Genius of the Sky,’ her desire is to properly convey WWE’s storylines to even its youngest audience members.

“We are on TV. Behind the screen, behind the camera, has a lot of children [watching.] So that’s why I’m always careful [to] speak proper English.”

SKY’s dedication to improving has been rewarded as the former Women’s & Women’s World Champion is one of WWE’s top women today. Her story shows the importance of perserverance and how SKY continues to strive to be her very best as a WWE Superstar.

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Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky beat Asuka and Kairi Sane in a tag team grudge match at WWE Crown Jewel in Ripley’s home country of Australia on Saturday.

Sky hit Sane with an Over The Moonsault to pick up the victory and get some revenge on her former friends in the process.

Shortly after returning from a lengthy injury absence this past summer, Asuka reunited with Sane to reform The Kabuki Warriors, and they began interacting with former Damage CTRL stablemate Sky as well.

However, at the same time, The Genius of the Sky had a blossoming friendship with Ripley, which developed out of the respect they gained for each other amid battles for the Women’s World Championship.

Asuka clearly started to become jealous of the relationship, leading her to warn the Australian to stay away from Sky on numerous occasions.

With tension building between them, Ripley and The Empress of Tomorrow ended up clashing in a singles match on the Sept. 22 episode of Raw.

After Ripley scored the victory, Asuka sprayed and blinded her with poison mist. The Empress and Sane then proceeded to launch a two-on-one attack against The Eradicator before Sky ran down to make the save.

Sky appealed to them to stop, and while Asuka initially hugged her, she subsequently betrayed her by hitting The Genius of the Sky with a spinning back fist.

One week later, Ripley tried to convince Sky to end her relationship with Asuka and Sane. Sky called them her family and left the ring, but The Kabuki Warriors then jumped the Aussie star.

Sky ran to the ring to put a stop to it, only for Asuka to mist her. The Empress and Sane then brutally attacked Iyo and Rhea, which led to Sky requesting a tag team match at Crown Jewel.

Although Asuka and Sane had the advantage in terms of experience as a team, Ripley and Sky rose to the occasion at Crown Jewel, and The Eradicator scored a big victory in front of her home fans.

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WWE brought an Aussie-style celebration to the Crown Jewel kickoff show—and it ended with a shoey party fans didnâ€t see coming.

Grayson Waller kicked things off by hitting the stage in Perth, Australia with cans of beer in hand, and it didnâ€t take long to see where this was going. Waller and fellow Australian Rhea Ripley were clearly ready for a shoey, and the crowd knew it too.

But the celebration didnâ€t stop there. Waller pulled out a third can and turned to IYO SKY, asking if she wanted to join them. The Genius of the Sky didnâ€t hesitate, stepping up and joining the impromptu beer-soaked moment to the crowdâ€s delight.

Then came the curveball. Waller pulled out one more can and asked the crowd who should join next. The fans chanted for Michael Cole. Waller asked him directly, and Cole replied with a grin that heâ€d never turn down a beer.

Rhea, IYO, and Waller all did their shoeys like pros, pouring the beer into their shoes and chugging it. Cole opted to skip the footwear and just drank straight from the can—but the crowd still popped huge for the whole segment, closing the kickoff show on a high note.

The celebration wasnâ€t just entertaining—it was a perfect example of WWEâ€s connection with international crowds. With Ripley and Waller proudly repping their home country and IYO SKY and Michael Cole joining in, the moment captured exactly what WWE does best: creating unforgettable memories, even before the first bell rings.

What did you think of the shoey moment at Crown Jewel? Should WWE do more regional celebrations like this? Let us know in the comments and drop your take on who shouldâ€ve joined next.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.

What did you think of the shoey moment at Crown Jewel? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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For years, Asuka, Iyo Sky, and Kairi Sane have been best friends both in and out of the ring. They had a lot of shared experience wrestling in Japan, being highly scouted before coming to wrestle for WWE.

Asuka and Sane have been a tag team called The Kabuki Warriors for several years now. They joined Sky alongside Bayley and Dakota Kai when Damage CTRL was an active faction.

After Bayley got kicked out and Kai got released, they decided to stick together. However, their friendship completely imploded due to Skyâ€s association with Rhea Ripley.

A few weeks ago on Monday Night Raw, Asuka turned on Sky due to her Ripley connection with Sane stuck in the middle. To get viewers caught up on the story, the WWE YouTube channel uploaded another WWE Playlist video about how things got to where they are. This video goes into detail about how things got so bad between seemingly inseparable friends.

This video chronicles how Sky and The Kabuki Warriors went from friends to enemies. The interesting thing about this story is that Asuka is the one whoâ€s angry, Sky wants to forgive Asuka, Ripley wants Sky to walk away from both of them, and Sane is stuck in the middle. Itâ€s not as simple as just Asuka and Sky hating each other. Sane and Ripley are very important to the story as well.

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The story is woven throughout multiple matches and backstage segments. There have been consequential things happening in matches with Nikki Bella, Stephanie Vaquer, and others. Asuka and Sky havenâ€t had a one-on-one match yet or even a confrontation. The whole buildup has happened as the three have wrestled other women.

The matches are served as a way to drive the story forward, which is smart. Once they actually wrestle each other, the payoff is going to be well earned.

Overall, this was a great video showing how a great friendship crumbled in a short amount of time. In wrestling, there are always sudden turns and betrayals between friends. This type of video produced by WWE is a great way to show fans what happened in a straightforward way so they can fully understand the story.

Each week, Sky and Ripley got closer and closer with each other. That put an immense strain onto the friendship between Asuka and Sky. When Sky ran out to stop Asuka and Sane from beating down Ripley, Asuka finally snapped on her former friend. She had enough of someone she trusted for years helping someone whoâ€s been a rival.

Itâ€ll be interesting to see where Sane goes with all of this, as she is clearly stuck between obeying Asuka and helping Sky. With the go-home Raw and Crown Jewel coming up next week, the story between them and Ripley will certainly embark on its next compelling chapter.

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