Many a wrestling writer has said the same thing I did when Asuka decided that Charlotte Flair would be her opponent at WrestleMania 34. What took WWE so long to promote this match?
I love the idea of the “Empress of Tomorrow” facing the “Queen” of professional wrestling in a match that could be one of the best to come along in 2018. This has the makings of something better than Flair and Sasha Banks. It could be on par with Trish Stratus and Lita. It has as much intrigue as any match on the men’s side of the company. And for once, it would seem the women of WWE are receiving the same kind of push as their male counterparts.
When WWE pushed its “women’s revolution” two years ago, it’s direction was fractured. It took Flair and Banks to bring everything full circle, to headline Hell in a Cell and to main event Monday Night Raw. Now, with talent being as good as it has ever been on both Raw and SmackDown Live rosters, the match to end all matches is possible.
WWE did the right thing in booking these two superstars. It opens the door for Nia Jax to finally break through and challenge Alexa Bliss for the Raw Women’s Title. It means Bayley and Banks will tussle in New Orleans because of their fractured relationship and the fact neither is a title contender right now. It also means WWE can continue to book these women in “first time” matches at pay-per-view events.
In perfect scenario, both Asuka and Jax walk out of New Orleans with titles around their waist. I cannot see Bliss winning, as this match has flashbacks to when Batista and Triple H collided over the World Title. Asuka beating Flair would be the popular sentiment, but at some point, the winning streak must come to an end. Does WWE do the unthinkable and book Asuka to lose at the “Show of Shows?”
Asuka has been built as the best thing to come out of the women’s division since Flair, Banks, Becky Lynch and Bayley all jumped on the scene. And with these four women, and Naomi, Absolution, and the Riott Squad owning the ring on both television programming WWE has made the women’s division a major part of programming.
I suspect Asuka wins the SmackDown Womens’ Title and moves over to Tuesday nights and changes the landscape a bit. It’s not unheard of to think she may turn heel at some point and feud with Lynch or Naomi. But for now, two favorites are coming together to give fans one heck of a dream match. Let’s hope the in-ring performance can live up to the hype of this being a match made in wrestling heaven.