WWE SmackDown Grades: The New Day Launches KofiMania Into Orbit

3. Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka

History will be made at WrestleMania 35 in under two weeks when the Raw Women’s Championship will be on the line in the main event, the first time ever that women will main event the show of shows.  Just because this match is for the Raw Women’s Championship doesn’t mean another title can’t be included, apparently.

Charlotte Flair will be vying to become the Raw Women’s Champion when she takes part in a Triple Threat Match alongside champion Ronda Rousey and fellow challenger Becky Lynch, but many have questioned her right to be in this match in the first place.  Lynch has said Charlotte is a third-wheel that gets opportunities she doesn’t deserve, and wouldn’t you know, that theory was put to the test last night.

It was scheduled to be Charlotte vs. Asuka, the SmackDown Women’s Champion, in a WrestleMania 34 rematch.  However, nobody expected to hear that Asuka’s title was on the line only seconds before the match officially began.  This was a big wrinkle in a match that was tremendous from start to finish.  The match felt on-par with their battle at WrestleMania last year with great action, drama, and near falls.

However, The Queen ruled at the end of the day when she made Asuka tap out to the Figure-Eight to shockingly win the SmackDown Women’s Championship.  This is a bad move for Asuka’s benefit, there’s no denying it.  It basically says that title is meaningless heading into WrestleMania where it will be nothing more than a prop in a bigger title match.  Things should get back on track after WrestleMania, but this is highly questionable.

Questionable results aside, this was a great match that could have been on any pay-per-view card throughout the year.

Final Grade: A