Even though Asuka has yet to appear on WWE‘s main roster, the company may be clearing the runway to capitalize on her big arrival. As of right now, all signs point to WWE re-prioritizing the entire RAW Women’s Division in the name of Asuka.
Apparently, WWE has already picked out Asuka’s first opponent. According to Cageside Seats, Asuka will be paired with Emma for her first feud. In order to make their program more impactful, WWE plans on building up Emma. This means that she will likely not be pinned at the No Mercy Fatal 4-Way.
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With that said, the only other option is Sasha Banks. It’s already surfaced that WWE is preserving an Alexa Bliss and Nia Jax rivalry that should finish up the rest of 2017. While it is certainly possible Jax pins Bliss at No Mercy, count on Bliss retaining by pinning The Boss.
While Sasha Banks losing a PPV match isn’t exactly detrimental, it marks the continuation of a worrisome narrative. Even though Banks is a 4-time RAW Women’s Champion, all of her turns lack significance as she’s never successfully defended the title.
Banks addressed this conundrum on the Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast. Roberts asked if her short Championship reigns affected her confidence. She admitted that they did:
“I don’t know if it was something with me or they just want to keep on flipping flopping, I don’t know!” she said.
With WWE committing to Bliss, Jax, Asuka, and temporarily Emma, Banks finds herself at the back of the line. Unfortunately, she’s bound to stay there for a while. As talented and popular that bank is, WWE seems like they are eager to use Asuka at the top of RAW. Rumors already have them keeping her impeccable NXT record in tact.
However, even though Banks will be out of the title picture for the rest of the year, it does seem like she’ll be able to have a big part to play with the 4 Horsewomen. All indicators point to a WWE vs. MMA Survivor Series Match featuring Banks, Charlotte, Becky Lycnh and Baley fighting Ronda Rousey, Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke, and Marina Shafir. While this isn’t a long run with a championship, a cross-cultural showdown will prove to be significant for all involved.
Right now, Banks is caught in the Bray Wyatt Effect. Like Wyatt, Banks is popular with the fans, respected by her peers, and represents a future priority in WWE. Yet despite all of this promise, the company, for whatever reason, is not ready to run with either Superstar.
Banks will have her time at WWE’s top. In fact, she could go down as the greatest women’s wrestlers of all time, but she’s going to have to be patient for the next 6 months or so.
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