Major Update About Asuka’s WWE Future After Losing At ‘WrestleMania 34’
At WrestleMania 34, Asuka’s undefeated streak was broken after she tapped out to Charlotte Flair’s Figure Eight. Her first loss was shocking because all the rumors were saying Asuka’s streak wouldn’t end until her match with Ronda Rousey next year at WrestleMania 35. After not appearing on Raw or SmackDown Live this week, the WWE Universe is curious what’s next for The Empress of Tomorrow after losing her streak.
According to a report from Sportskeeda, Asuka could be moving to SmackDown Live during the “Superstar Shakeup” next week. She’s being advertised for WWE live events with the blue brand in June. That doesn’t guarantee anything because she was being advertised for Raw events before this weekend. However, those advertisements came out before WrestleMania and it’s obvious that some big creative plans have changed.
Carmella cashed in Money in the Bank last night to capture the SmackDown Women’s Title from Charlotte after she was laid out by Peyton Royce and Billie Kay. On paper, it makes sense for Charlotte to start a feud with The Iconics, which leaves the door open for Asuka to challenge Carmella for the championship if she’s moved next week. Asuka could still win the SmackDown Women’s Title even after losing at WrestleMania.
In two and a half years, The Empress of Tomorrow has lost exactly one match. It should not be difficult for her to bounce back fast, especially if she is booked strongly. All too often, WWE officials make the mistake of booking a formerly undefeated wrestler to lose much more after their first big loss. Suddenly, it becomes too easy for other wrestlers to beat them, which takes away a lot of momentum because they have lost the unstoppable aura. The best thing for Asuka is to win a huge match and a title reign could be a career saver.
It’s difficult to predict what the SmackDown roster will look like after next week’s “Superstar Shakeup,” but the expectation is Asuka will be pushed heavily regardless of her brand. She took a huge hit on Sunday with her first loss. However, it would’ve been a challenge to keep her momentum going for another full year, and it could’ve been bad for the entire division. Now, The Empress of Tomorrow has the chance to perform with a lot less pressure and utilize her first loss to develop as a character on WWE programming going forward.
