Kabuki Warriors

The Kabuki Warriors are a Japanese professional wrestling tag team that comprises of Asuka (Kanako Urai) and Kairi Sane (Kaori Hosako). The tag team is managed by two-time Divas Champion and the inaugural NXT Women's Champion Saraya Jade-Bevis, better known by her in-ring name, Paige.

1. Kabuki Warriors History
2. Kabuki Warriors Origin
3. WWE Backlash
4. Individual Accomplishments

Kabuki Warriors History

Asuka maintained her reign at the top of the Smackdown women’s division before losing her title to Charlotte Flair on March 26th, just prior to the WrestleMania 35, where both the women’s titles were merged and won by Becky Lynch. Prior to her success in Smackdown, Asuka was rampant the development brand NXT, where she is a former NXT Women's Champion (with her reign of 510 days being the longest in that title's history). Following her move to the main roster, Asuka also became the inaugural winner of the women's Royal Rumble match in January 2018.

Kairi Sane on the other hand, just made her main roster debut with the formation of the Kabuki Warriors. A star on the rise, she won the inaugural Mae Young Classic tournament and, just under a year later, the NXT Women's Championship. Only having made her wrestling debut in 2012, Kairi has made quite a name for herself in the Japan wrestling scene with numerous titles to her name and looks to achieve the same with WWE.

Kabuki Warriors Origin

On April 16, 2019, during the 2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up, the newly debuting Sane was introduced by Paige to the SmackDown brand where she formed a tag team with Asuka called the Kabuki Warriors. Paige, who will be managing the team, announced that they have their eyes set on the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship, sending out a warning to The IIconics. The Kabuki Warriors picked up a victory in their very first matchup as they defeated Paige’s old Absolution teammates Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville.

It was originally rumored that Kairi and Io Shirai would be promoted up from NXT together, where they were together part of the tag team known as the Sky Pirates. However, the team ended up being Asuka and Sane with Paige as their manager.

WWE Backlash

The tag team suffered a backlash on Twitter over their name “Kabuki Warriors”, which failed to impress the fans. It was assumed that the name honored The Great Kabuki of NWA/JCP fame combining with the theatrical elements of both Asuka & Kairi’s gimmicks, which drew further remarks of casual racism on the part of WWE.

Individual Accomplishments

Asuka

WWE

1. NXT Women's Championship (1 time)
2. WWE SmackDown Women's Championship (1 time)
3. Mixed Match Challenge (Season 1) – with The Miz
4. Women's Royal Rumble (2018)
5. NXT Year-End Award (3 times)
6. Female Competitor of the Year (2016, 2017)
7. Overall Competitor of the Year (2017)

Kairi Sane

WWE

1. NXT Women's Championship (1 time)
2. NXT Year-End Award (2 times)
3. Female Competitor of the Year (2018)
4. Overall Competitor of the Year (2018)
5. Mae Young Classic (2017)