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Awesome Kong was inducted into the IMPACT Wrestling Hall of Fame this weekend at Bound For Glory 2021. She has had a legendary career spanning WWE, IMPACT Wrestling and AEW, as well as stints in Japan. Kong has to be considered among the most influential female wrestlers of the past two decades.
Awesome Kong also had a landmark rivalry with Gail Kim in IMPACT Wrestling that has to be considered among the greatest feuds in the history of the business. The two women put the Knockouts division on the map and headlined episodes of IMPACT on Spike TV at a time when Sting, Kurt Angle and AJ Styles were top stars. Although her stint in WWE was short, she still made a mark as Kharma as well.
With her official retirement and induction into the IMPACT Hall of Fame, the chance to see the remarkable star in the ring with the exceptional WWE women's division is all but gone.
With that in mind, it is fun to think about all the dream matches left on the table. In this article, let's take a look at the five dream matches for Awesome Kong against current WWE Superstars.
5) Nia Jax - WWE
Awesome Kong is the monster heel that other female competitors have been based on, including WWE Superstars. When thinking of the monster female heels in the company, Nia Jax has to be included high on the list. The Irrestable Force is powerful and has run roughshod over most of the roster since her debut in NXT.
Jax very rarely squares off with anyone who can match her size and power. However, Awesome Kong would do just that in a major way. Despite her size in comparison to most of the competitors she faced in her prime, Kong was an accomplished worker who made everything she did in the ring look like it was destroying her opposition, but she didn't have the history of Nia Jax.
Jax has been described by many fans as an unsafe worker during her stint in WWE, injuring the likes of Kairi Sane, Charlotte Flair, Bayley and, most notoriously, Becky Lynch. She has lacked the poise that Awesome Kong possesses. This dream match would be greatly beneficial to Nia and allow Kong to help her inside the squared circle. This would be a battle of two dominant superstars going head to head.
4) Charlotte Flair - WWE
Charlotte Flair has been surrounded by a lot of controversy as of late in WWE. Despite being the most decorated female superstar of all time, her status within the company doesn't seem like a foregone conclusion as it previously once had. She has caused issues with Becky Lynch and her booking, as well as a recent incident with Nia Jax in the ring.
Although all of that can be factored in, there is no denying that Charlotte is one of the top stars in WWE today and would make an ideal opponent for Awesome Kong. Flair has the size and athleticism needed to bring a lot of movement and interesting exchanges against Kong. Charlotte offers something totally different than any other superstar could do in the ring with the IMPACT Hall of Famer.
3) Io Shirai - WWE
Io Shirai has already been a force to be reckoned with in WWE. Coming to the promotion in 2018, she immediately skyrocketed to the top of the NXT women's division. Shirai defeated Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair to win the NXT Women's Championship and held the title for 304 days. Now one half of the NXT Women's Tag Team Champions, there may be no stopping the Genius of the Sky.
Io Shirai is such a versatile competitor - an exceptional high flyer, good technical grappler and submission worker. This type of opponent with Awesome Kong would be perfect. Her size is an excellent base for everything that Shirai can do. This makes her such a compelling challenger for Kong in WWE or NXT.
2) Asuka - WWE
Asuka has been regarded as one of the most dominant female superstars in WWE of the past decade. Despite her relatively small stature, the Empress of Tomorrow came in with a great deal of potential after her outstanding career in Japan. The hype was unreal even before her debut on NXT.
Over her first two years in the promotion, Asuka went undefeated with the longest streak of the modern era. She was the longest reigning NXT Women's Champion of all time with a 510-day reign and was called up to the WWE main roster without ever losing the gold.
Asuka has gone on to win the first Women's Royal Rumble Match, Money In The Bank Ladder Match, Raw Women's Championship, SmackDown Women's Championship and WWE Women's Tag Team Championships. Her accolades are vast and stand up to any other woman in wrestling history, including Awesome Kong.
Kong has experience in Japan much like Asuka and they both possess very hard hitting styles that would mesh well with one another. They are both known for their stiff strikes and would have a battle reminiscent of the NJPW's strong style.
This is the type of contest that would be so unique in WWE especially and would offer something many of their fans would have never seen before from the women.
1) Sasha Banks - WWE
Sasha Banks has etched her legacy as one of the best women to ever grace the WWE ring. Not only does Banks have many achievements, including the Raw, SmackDown and NXT Women's Championships, but she has a catalog of incredible matches against a who's who of great superstars.
Sasha's superb encounters with Bayley speak for themselves. Their NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn classic is still widely regarded as the greatest women's match in WWE history. Their Hell In A Cell 2020 battle was innovative and made many fans think it was even better than their NXT clashes. Banks has also had showstealers with Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Asuka and Ronda Rousey.
In the ring, Sasha has realistic offense for a woman of her stature and is an amazing seller as well. Her style and skills remind some of Gail Kim, who just so happens to be Awesome Kong's greatest rival. Sasha and Kong could gel very well inside the squared circle together. It wouldn't look out of place as the main event of a WWE pay-per-view.
Sasha Banks and Awesome Kong have become transcendent and have inspired many fans. Sasha was the first African American woman to headline WrestleMania along with Bianca Belair this year, while Kong was the first African American woman to top the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Women's 150. That's why Sasha Banks is the biggest dream match for Awesome Kong out of the current WWE Superstars.
