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WWE Raw Says Goodbye to Asuka – and SmackDown Says Hello

By Harmony Cox

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Asuka’s move from WWE Raw to SmackDown has her colleagues saying hello and goodbye- and has us curious about what’s in store for the Empress of Tomorrow.

 Asuka is gearing up for her in-ring debut on SmackDown, and her rivals on Raw have been saying their goodbyes. Asuka’s move to a new brand means their rivalries are over, at least for now. Nia Jax had some of her best in-ring work this year with Asuka, and while she’s moved on to a new storyline, it looks like she’s still going to miss fighting with the Empress:

https://twitter.com/REIGNSNIA/status/987722915666907136?s=19

Bayley’s rivalry with Asuka stretches back to NXT, where Asuka defeated Bayley and secured the NXT Women’s Championship, sparking her astonishing 532-day reign with the title. Bayley and Asuka remained friendly foes as both joined the red brand, and the story of Bayley slowly earning Asuka’s respect has been a compelling subplot for the women’s division. Now that Asuka’s moving to SmackDown, Bayley is getting nostalgic:

Good news, Bayley: Asuka is going to miss you too! Until your next match, anyway.

(Could the day they meet again be Backlash? A Bayley/Sasha Banks match up is more likely, but you never know…)

On the SmackDown side of things, Becky Lynch could not be more excited about her new tag partner. The two narrowly missed having the opportunity to work together on NXT and Raw, so it will be interesting to see how they gel in the ring. Of course, strategy is going to be key:

Becky’s style might take a little while for Asuka to get used to.

And of course, everybody’s curious about how Asuka and Charlotte will continue their rivalry now that Asuka is on the blue brand. Charlotte beat Asuka’s streak at WrestleMania, but lost her title just a few days later thanks to Carmella’s successful Money in the Bank cash-in (and an assist  from the IIconics). With no title hanging between them, it’s unclear if they’ll be friends or rivals moving forward. For now, it looks like Charlotte is happy to have Asuka on the roster:

But if Bayley wants her rematch with Asuka, she might have to get in line.

https://twitter.com/MsCharlotteWWE/status/986727466998919169?s=19

Next: WWE Raw Review, Highlights, Grades, and Analysis

Asuka and Charlotte’s story may have moved to a new venue, but it doesn’t look like it’s over yet. Is SmackDown ready for Asuka? Is Asuka ready for SmackDown? Stay tuned.