WWE: 5 Quintessential Asuka Matches
By Warren Hayes
Credit: WWE.com
4. Asuka vs. Emma, NXT Takeover London
Let’s just get this out of the way: Emma is being fed to Asuka at TLC. Asuka will be going over in grand style. There is no conceivably sane booking logic where she does not win. It’s in the bag, it’s safe money, it’s a lock – no, it’s the lockiest lock of all the match locks at the pay-per-view.
In the current context of the Raw women’s division, Asuka vs. Emma at TLC will essentially be a glorified squash. Asuka needs to arrive strong to carry her NXT mystique over into the main roster, and Emma’s current booking makes her as much of a threat as a chicken bacon ranch pizza does to North Korea.
But head back Takeover London only a short two years ago, and I wouldn’t even dare provide such a one-sided, cut-and-dry analysis of a match between these two ladies.
This match took place early in Asuka’s NXT career when she was being pushed as a fast-rising star, while Emma was already established as one of WWE’s best women’s wrestlers. Flanked by Dana Brooke, Emma was to give Asuka her most difficult challenge in NXT yet. It’s a great match with an absolutely amazing final third. The legend of Asuka would take flight here.