Why Bully Ray Was Confused By WWE Raw Opening Segment

One week after mourning a betrayal at the hands of her former Damage CTRL stablemates, IYO SKY appeared in tears once again in the opening segment of "WWE Raw" alongside Rhea Ripley. While evidently hurt by the actions of Kairi Sane and Asuka, SKY admitted to Ripley that she still considered them family and harbored love for them. In the eyes of WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray, that feeling is an understandable one for SKY, as she spent many years working with Asuka and Sane in Japan prior to joining WWE. The manner in which she conveyed it, however, had him scratching his head.

"I was very confused by the opening of Monday Night Raw, and despite the fact that I do like the story the ladies are telling, some of the execution to me is questionable," Ray said on "Busted Open Radio." "The video that IYO had released right after what happened last week, I loved. She was so emotional. She was crying. She was dejected."

"... I can understand that you feel bad about it, but it's been a week later and you still look like you're crying?" Ray continued. "I can appreciate you picking up where you left off. I could get that. I get that and I admire it and appreciate it, but it looked like they told her in Gorilla, 'IYO, you've been crying for a week. You have to pull it together, girl. Your music is about to hit,' and she just was able to pull it together and walk out there. It was over the top when she started to talk."

According to Ray, SKY's emotional display was similar to that of an old Italian woman approaching a casket at a funeral, only in this case, it was SKY's long-standing relationship with Sane and Asuka that died. Fortunately, SKY later pushed through the tears and set the stage for a tag team match pitting herself and Ripley against Sane and Asuka at WWE Crown Jewel.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.