At WWE TLC , The Empress of Tomorrow will make her debut for the Raw brand against Emma. The latter won a Fatal-Five Way Match on Raw this week to become Asuka’s opponent for her debut bout. There have been more opportunities for Emma to have a more prominent role on WWE programming recently, but her upcoming match against Asuka will be about introducing the WWE Universe to Raw’s newest superstar.
Creative plans can always change, but the expectation is Asuka and Emma’s rivalry will not last beyond the WWE TLC PPV next Sunday. Their match will most likely be a squash match with Asuka showing supreme dominance to generate the biggest buzz coming out of the event. However, WWE officials already have big plans for The Empress of Tomorrow on Raw afterward, and her first major feud will be with Sasha Banks.
There was some speculation that Sasha Banks would be the one to face Asuka at WWE TLC, but the powers that be decided their dynamic was a better idea for a full rivalry on Raw rather than a simple one-off match to establish Asuka. Emma also has experience with Asuka, since the two worked together in NXT. The Boss vs. The Empress of Tomorrow is expected to be a more competitive feud that could potentially last for months.
After ending her historic NXT Women’s Title reign at 523 days undefeated, Asuka is expected to continue her dominance on Raw for the foreseeable future. It’s highly unlikely that Sasha Banks will get a win over The Empress of Tomorrow, but their feud could definitely help establish Asuka as the next big thing in the women’s division. Afterward, the expectation is she’d be ready to challenge for the Raw Women’s Title.
The rivalry is also a big opportunity for WWE officials to pull the trigger on Sasha’s long-awaited heel turn before WrestleMania season. Fans were under the impression that she would make the turn to start a new rivalry with Bayley, but The Boss standing toe-to-toe with Asuka for the rest of the year, and a heel turn, will give Sasha Banks a ton of momentum heading into the first Women’s Royal Rumble match next year. After WWE TLC , Asuka will begin feuding with The Boss, and it should be a feud that benefits both women in a big way.
[Featured Image by WWE]