Exclusive: Lyra Valkyria Dishes On Complicated Becky Lynch Relationship Ahead Of WWE Backlash

"She liked being the idol," Valkyria said of Becky Lynch. "Even as far back as NXT, she was very helpful and gave a lot of advice. And then when she came down to NXT later, she liked being the one that was in the higher position. And then I came up to the main roster and that advice and that warmth just disappeared. And then I started to do a lot of cool things and she took some time off. I defended this title more than she's been at work this past year.

"But look, Becky's great. She's talked herself into every opportunity she's ever had, no matter who that hurts. That's what she's always been good at. I don't think she likes that I'm now on the same platform and you saw on Monday that I'm not going to be stood on. I'm not here to be a super fan.

"I've learned I'm not here to be humble. I'm not here to be 'okay, yeah, whatever you think is best.' Like, I don't care. I've seen people try. I've seen how people get ahead and I'm not having it. So at Backlash, I'm going to prove that."

Even though Valkyria is focused and ready to prove herself against one of the best ever on Saturday night, it's complicated due to the fact that Lynch was the one to shatter glass ceilings like the WrestleMania event in WWE. While she's clearly on the outs with Lynch, Valkyria was able to look inward and give Lynch credit for all that she's accomplished in her career.

"She's the one that broke all the glass ceilings," Valkyria said. "Like an Irish girl that went and didn't just succeed, but she smashed the ceilings and did it all. So, I kind of had an idea of what she'd be like and it's been quite different. But, there's also a learning experience in that. Like, even the people you look up to most, they're not going to always be exactly as you expect them to be. So that in itself is a learning process.

"I also think that works for me, because I've always been the best with trial by fire, so having to stand up for myself and really put myself on the map, there's a learning experience in that as well."

On Saturday at WWE Backlash on Peacock, Valkyria not only faces Lynch in a match, but she will be defending her WWE Women's Intercontinental Championship in that match. Valkyria won a long tournament to become the first-ever champion and that accomplishment is something she's incredibly proud of.

"It's very, very, very cool," Valkyria said of being the first-ever Women's WWE Intercontinental Champion.

"Like you said, the Intercontinental Championship has such a prestigious workhorse title identity. So to be trusted and to carry the weight of being the first Intercontinental Women's Champion, it means an awful lot, and I just hope that I can do it justice with them every time I step in the ring. I really do try to do that."

Even when talking glowingly about winning the Women's IC championship for the first time, all roads still lead back to Lynch for Valkyria.

"If you go back as far as NXT, obviously, the goal then was the NXT Women's Championship. I wanted to be the first Irish NXT Women's Champion. That was my thing. And then when Becky came back to NXT, that got taken away, and I did feel like, that was going to be my first. You've already had so many firsts. Why did you come back? I thought at the time it was to help me, but now I saw Becky's real personality come through.

"But, she can't take away that (the Women's IC title belt, which she points to on her shoulder). This was my first, which is massive, and I feel like that was a big focal point of her return. So we'll see what happens now with Backlash. But, nothing can take away that I was the first ever Irish person to hold this title. She can't take that away."

Valkyria has been on the main WWE roster for almost a full year to the day. It's a journey that has been filled with twists, turns, and changes. While Valkyria said the main roster is different from NXT, she wouldn't trade anything because it's the full journey that matters to her.

"It's never going to be on straight," Valkyria said of her head as a WWE star on the main roster. "It's just always spinning.

"I can't say that I'm absolutely thrilled with everything I've done. Like, of course, who could imagine in my first year I'd have been in the Queen of the Ring finals in Saudi Arabia. That was my first PLE with Raw. The first Intercontinental Women's Champion. I've had some matches that I'm very, very proud of -- some very proud title defenses as well. So, I'm very, very proud, and it's hard to feel like anything has ever gone wrong in my life. Because look where I am. I'm very happy.

"As far as going forward, just naturally what we do, I'm never going to feel like, 'yeah, I've got it now. Yeah, I'm great.' There's always going to be something that I'm working on, or something I haven't done, and that's just the nature of of what this is like. The second you feel like you've got it figured out, the board changes, and you have to figure something else out. That's what I love about this."

WWE Backlash airs live on Peacock from St. Louis on May 10. Other announced matches for the show include John Cena vs. Randy Orton for the Undisputed WWE Championship and Gunther vs. Pat McAfee in a grudge match.