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Legendary Japanese performer and formidable mat wizard, Asuka, makes her main roster debut this weekend at WWE TLC.
The former NXT Champion comes in with incredible hype, and rightfully so, given her repertoire the world over.
"The Empress of Tomorrow" has been touted by many as the next Women’s Champion on the WWE’s Monday night flagship show, and irrespective of the red brand’s reigning champ, Alexa Bliss being quite dominant in her own right, Asuka comes in guns blazing to dethrone the Goddess of WWE.
Nevertheless, no one is unconquerable and Asuka is indeed human. Today we look at the biggest threats on RAW who can give the unyielding Empress a run for her money.
#3 Sasha Banks
"The Legit Boss" has held the RAW Women’s Championship not once, but four times. Sasha Banks has been relegated to the mid-card as of late, but remains one of the key players in the Women’s Division nonetheless.
Banks faces Alicia Fox at TLC this weekend, and with Asuka competing opposite Emma on the same card, a potential face-off between "The Empress" and "The Boss" may be on the cards at the event. Add to that the fact that Sasha is reportedly turning heel in the weeks to come, the WWE seems to have big things in store for the four-time champ.
Banks is excellent on the mic, and highly technical in the wrestling department as well, making her the complete package. Although fans may expect Asuka to rip through everyone in the red brand’s Women’s Division, against Sasha, the Japanese Superstar is guaranteed to face her stiffest challenge thus far in the WWE.
#2 Alexa Bliss
The reigning RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss defends her strap against longtime rival Mickie James at TLC. Given her immaculate track record in high profile matches, it’d be folly to bet against the "Goddess of WWE" against anyone…including Asuka!
Bliss has held both the RAW and SmackDown Women’s titles twice, and presently continues her second reign with the former.
Additionally, "Five Feet of Fury" has been called by many as one of Vince McMahon’s favourite female wrestlers. With the WWE boss’s blessings, she is indeed one of the most impregnable, bulletproof Superstars in pro-wrestling today.
Furthermore, male or female, Bliss is unrivalled on the microphone. Although her wrestling skills have been derided by a few fans and experts, the charisma she oozes and impetuous promos she cuts make it unlikely for WWE to have her simply lay down against Asuka.
Mark my words -- when Asuka vs Bliss goes down -- and believe me, it will -- win or lose, the "Goddess of WWE" will most definitely push the Empress farther than anyone has ever done.
#1 The Huggable One or the Anti-Diva? Pick your poison
Before every Paige hater on the internet gets out the pitchforks and bays for my head, I’d like to point out the Anti-Diva’s accomplishments. Right from the NXT Women’s Championship to her capturing the Divas title twice, the Englishwoman has done it all.
However, what stands out more than her championship belts is the fact that the now 25-year-old athlete has been competing in the sport from the age of 13!
She has worked tirelessly on the British circuit, and irrespective of her personal problems -- courtesy a slew of unspeakable acts perpetrated by cyber criminals -- the young Superstar has bravely recovered from her injury issues as well as the aforementioned hiccups; hitting the gym with a vengeance.
That brings me to "The Huggable One", Bayley, who is set to turn heel very soon, and be inserted into the Women’s Championship scene subsequently. Much like Paige, Bayley is yet another young prospect whose career has unfortunately slowed down owing to nagging injuries and poor booking.
However, both women are excellent wrestlers and should either one of them take on Asuka, they can and will hold their own against the "Empress of Tomorrow".
Granted that Bayley may be a tad more technical than her British contemporary on the mat, however, when it comes to hyping a fight, no one does it better than Paige. Besides, given the fact that the WWE higher-ups have always treated the British wrestling savant as a top star, Asuka will undoubtedly have her hands full should she go one on one with the Anti-Diva.
In case you still think that Asuka will run roughshod on the RAW roster, think again. The red brand’s Women’s Division is a shark tank and unrelenting when it comes to competition.
Whether or not they best the Empress remains to be seen, but the Japanese legend isn’t going to have an easy out against any of these feisty women.
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