May 6th 2023. San Juan, Puerto Rico. Coliseo De Puerto Rico. WWE Backlash 2023. The year so-far has been rough for Damage CTRL. Bayley's motives have been suspect. Dakota Kai & IYO SKY took notice. But instead of falling apart, the trio seem to have forged a stronger bond. The Ladies came to Backlash a unified force on a golden voyage. IYO sought to defeat Bianca Belair to win the RAW Women's Championship. On the May 12th 2023 SmackDown, Kai and Bayley have a chance to become WWE Women's Tag Team Champions. The Ladies would own SmackDown.

Damage CTRL have been in similar situations before. Sadly, not everyone came away with gold. However, even CJ eventually caught that train, right? Despite my doubts about Bayley, she may have come to her senses, firmly supporting IYO during the May 5th 2023 SmackDown. So, I decided to be optimistic that on the evening of May 12th 2023 those of us who support The Ladies would be toasting to all of Damage CTRL finally holding championship gold. Dakota and Bayley have their opportunity in a few days. Backlash was all about The Genius of the SKY.

IYO SKY went to war. Dakota Kai kicked open victories door for her. All Bayley had to do then was nothing...

To defeat The EST would be no easy task, however IYO would give a splendid effort trying. The crowd was solidly behind IYO. SKY took it to Belair, coming close to victory on many occasions. IYO worked Bianca's arm. Every time Bianca thought she had victory in the bag, IYO found a way to battle on. Just as it seemed Bianca might be on the cusp of putting IYO away, Dakota and Bayley ran down to hopefully advert that fate. Our Captain seemed to be trying to talk Bayley out of it, knowing IYO could do this herself. But Bayley didn't listen.

A sacrificial distraction from Kai led to SKY countering the KOD into a sunset flip pin for two. Bayley tried to interfere. Bianca tossed her to the ropes. As the referee admonished Bayley, SKY sent Bianca slumping across the middle rope knowing Dakota was ready to strike. The crowd popped as Dakota discreetly struck Bianca's wounded arm with an apron assisted gamengiri. Dakota rallied IYO on as she ascended to the top rope for Over the Moonsault. SKY would have crashed down on Bianca. A three count and your new RAW Women's Champion. But someone had to interfere in plain sight of the referee. Yeah, Bayley.

I want to believe it was best intentions at the wrong moment. But considering her concerning looks toward IYO since April 10th 2023 I do wonder. Dakota's attention was on cheering IYO, so she didn't see Bayley slyly yet haphazardly holding Bianca's braid. The referee putting a stop to Bayley gave Bianca a chance to evade SKY's moonsault. Bianca hit the KOD on IYO to retain the title. After the match, Dakota sat beside IYO on the floor, giving her a comforting squeeze on the arm and knee. Our Captain did no wrong to IYO. The loss IYO suffered here was all Bayley's doing. You could tell Bayley KNOWS.

Bayley and Dakota must now focus on the May 12th 2023 episode of SmackDown where they challenge Raquel Rodriguez & Liv Morgan for the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles. It's been some time since Bayley was a challenger in a traditional two versus two match for those titles on an episode of SmackDown. The date was September 4th 2020. Bayley and her friend Sasha Banks versus Shayna Baszler & Nia Jax. You know the rest. Hopefully, this time the outcome will be different for Bayley and her current tag team partner, more importantly friend Dakota Kai.