- WWE NXT Women's Champion Asuka was back with WWE's main roster this weekend, working the SmackDown live events. She teamed with Becky Lynch and Tamina Snuka to defeat Natalya, Carmella and SmackDown Women's Champion Alexa Bliss. There's been a lot of speculation on Asuka's call-up to the main roster but Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that she is scheduled to be in NXT for a while. Asuka will defend her title against Ember Moon at "Takeover: Orlando" this weekend.
She's essentially been filling Naomi's slot on the SD live evnts since Naomi got hurt. I can see why they would want to keep Asuka in NXT for a while longer. Probably in the hopes that they can build at least one of the women up to her level before calling her up. Or it could just be red herring, so who knows?
I only hope that she puts over some people if she stays in NXT longer, this undefeated schtick has grown stale. Kairi, Ember, Nikki and the aussies could use wins against her to gain some credibility
*Sigh* thats why i hate that NXT has become a brand that tours and shit, Triple H keeps all these amazing talents in developmental way longer than they should be just so he can sell tickets to his developmental show. Even though the main roster desperately needs more tag teams, desperately needs more women, but he can't let them go yet cause he needs to get someone of equal starpower to take their place.
If this was still FCW they'd just give the belt to NIkki Cross or Peyton Royce and send Asuka off, but because NXT has gotten so big and Trips thinks of it as his own brand he's building he holds these talents back to make his show better.
- WWE NXT Women's Champion Asuka was back with WWE's main roster this weekend, working the SmackDown live events. She teamed with Becky Lynch and Tamina Snuka to defeat Natalya, Carmella and SmackDown Women's Champion Alexa Bliss. There's been a lot of speculation on Asuka's call-up to the main roster but Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that she is scheduled to be in NXT for a while. Asuka will defend her title against Ember Moon at "Takeover: Orlando" this weekend.
It's a shame something this obvious had to be "reported" in the first place. People actually thought she was gonna make her Wrestlemania debut or debut the night after on either brand.
If NXT wasn't the popular name that it is today, no one would give a fuck about Asuka or even the likes of Bayley and Sasha in the past.
1) She vacates the title, and the women's tournament is for the NXT women's title.
2) The winner of the women's tournament challenges Asuka at Brooklyn 3 and wins the title.
I'm leaning towards the latter atm. Might be Io vs Asuka.
1) She vacates the title, and the women's tournament is for the NXT women's title. 2) The winner of the women's tournament challenges Asuka at Brooklyn 3 and wins the title.
I'm leaning towards the latter atm. Might be Io vs Asuka.
Good, that way she can have great matches with new talent like Kimber Lee, Kairi Hojo, Nixon Newell and hopefully Io Shirai. All top class talent who can take the division to heights it has never seen before wrestling quality wise.
Not to mention the Nikki Cross match that still has not happened.
NXT is where she can be protected. She needs to be shielded from live TV until she is better at promos. you can't rely on body language and there aren't any decent "managers" in WWE, that aren't already working with someone(Ellering) or at this stage are only effective when they have a personal connection to the talent they are managing(Heyman). Maybe with Kimber Lee and Heidi Lovelace(Ruby Riot is a bad name. She's awesome though) and other incoming talent they can build someone up.
She's 35 yrs old. If this is true, I think it's same to assume she was signed with the idea she'd never work the main roster. Her lack of English could be a pretty big issue on the MR, but she'd make a badass Heyman "Girl".
I've been thinking in the back of my head that the reason she was working a lot of main roster shows is maybe she was moving up after Mania.
But for the most part, I never really figured she was going up yet. NXT can only afford to lose so much talent. Though if NXT are going to get women like Io Shirai and Kairi Hojo soon along several others with the big women's tournament coming up, maybe after that she moves up in the summer.
I see her staying at least until Takeover Brooklyn III.
There is a women's tournament coming up and they will likely sign quite a few of them to NXT. I feel like they want to fill out both rosters on Smackdown and Raw.
It feels like they will bring new male talent to NXT as well.
They don't need to worry about finding a replacement for Asuka. Ember, while still lacking a character, is steadily being accepted as the next top girl. Nikki Cross is just as capable too if they'd drop that shitty gimmick. Kairi Hojo is an even better babyface than Bayley and could easily surpass her popularity if creative plays their cards right.
They don't have anybody to replace Nakamura when he goes to the main roster, nevermind the womens division. Asuka has to stick around to have some sort of draw for the summer.
Hopefully this means Ember won't be winning the first match. I'd kind of like to see Asuka win match 1, Ember win match 2 to become champ, and then Asuka lose in the rematch. It wouldn't be hard to book the matches in such a way that it makes both look good, although NXT booking lately has been a little shaky.
Hmm, i wish they'd do some more like cross brand invasions. I know NXT is a developmental thing but its still WWE.. when they have to keep the talent stuck there because they don't have enough to fill the gaps its just a little predictable and stale.
I'd like to see them switch it up a bit. If they're keeping Asuka in NXT then start up a rivalry with one of the main roster since theres no one her level or left for her to beat in NXT.
i dunno, tbh i think i'm still mourning the buzz of the www/wwe/ecw invasion era when i first started watching ha.
When she signed it was reported that there was no plan for her to go to the main roster.. I really don't see it changing. Peyton, Billie, Liv and Mandy will be on the main roster before Asuka is.
I would love it if she vacated the title, but this is main roster. So Asuka will vacate the title, be the undefeated champion, go to Raw or Smackdown and get defeated in her first match because Vince don't like Wrasslin.
Io or Hojo taking the belt off Asuka are more realistic choices then even Athena and Storm.
Vince definitely loves stereotypes but that has extended to white wrestlers too so I don't think it's out of racism. He's just really unoriginal and has a childish sense of humour.
They need to keep Asuka in NXT until someone believable comes along and gets built. That hasn't happened yet.
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