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On the 2019 Royal Rumble PPV event that took place on January 27th, we witnessed Asuka defend her Smackdown Women's Championship against Becky Lynch in a one on one match where The Empress gained the victory. This was a very big moment as Asuka had defeated the most popular women in the WWE today.
Asuka's championship reign began at TLC 2018 on December 18th as she had faced Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair in a triple threat TLC match, as Ronda Rousey had interfered to knock Lynch and Flair off a ladder, allowing for Asuka to win the title for the very first time in her career.
We are only one month into Asuka's title reign, but there isn't a clear idea on which superstar in the Smackdown Women's division has what it takes to conquer Asuka. Here are 5 potential superstars that could possibly face Asuka for the Smackdown Women's Championship at WrestleMania 35.
#5 Mandy Rose
With 'God's Greatest Creation' at #5, she definitely is the weakest female superstar in the list. It's clear that Rose's in-ring abilities aren't up to the standards of the likes of Asuka, but she has still been featured heavily on SmackDown as she has been engaged in a rivalry with Naomi, as Rose has attempted to ruin her life and marriage.
Rose is an example of someone who the WWE Universe isn't a fan of, but Vince McMahon definitely is support of her due to her looks. We have seen many examples of WWE push female superstars that weren't fully developed on NXT such as Carmella, Nia Jax and Alexa Bliss to winning championship gold.
This is why Rose may be next in line to face Asuka for the Smackdown Women's Championship, but that doesn't change the fact that she isn't a credible opponent for Asuka. If it came to having Asuka and Rose in the ring, Rose would simply have to get destroyed because she isn't a match to The Empress.
If Rose was ever to win the title, she would have to be a sneaky character who uses cheap tactics to win, such as using Sonya Deville as a distraction. However, we have seen Rose get the better of Naomi multiple times which suggests that the WWE have big plans for her. An opportunity against Asuka at WrestleMania 35 to gain the title would be a huge way to elevate Rose in the WWE.
#4 Lacey Evans
There is no denying that The Lady is still very new to the main roster scene, as it was announced on December 17th 2018 that Lacey Evans would be one of the many NXT Superstars to be called up to the main roster.
We also saw Evans make her main roster debut at Royal Rumble 2019 in the women's Rumble match as she entered at #1, but she also lasted 29 minutes and 21 seconds in the ring. Evans was also allowed the chance to cut a promo before the match itself, where she shined bright as a heel.
Evans came across as very unlikable despite having a female empowerment character, but it was good that the fans were reacting to her with boos. The WWE is clearly very high on Lacey Evans, and she seems like a great character for them to invest time into to evolve her into a serious threat.
She is also a former US marine which makes her a legitimate person in real life as well. She's tough, and that shows in her character. Even though Evans hasn't been assigned to a brand yet, Smackdown would definitely be a great place for her.
Evans is constantly always improving every time she steps foot into the ring as well, so the idea of Evans hanging in the ring with someone as vicious as Asuka shouldn't be disputed.
#3 Nikki Cross
The WWE Universe witnessed Nikki Cross's first main roster appearance on the November, 6th 2018 episode of Smackdown where she answered Becky Lynch's SmackDown Women's Championship open challenge in a losing effort.
Despite that loss, Cross was also announced as one of the superstars that would debut on either Raw or SmackDown Live in the near future, and it's evident that SmackDown would be the best destination for her due to Sanity being on the same roster too.
We have also seen Cross wrestle on an episode of Raw as well as the women's Royal Rumble 2019 match. Despite the fact that she didn't win those matches, she showcased her character enough for the fans to remember who she is. The psychotic Scottish female would be a great option to take the championship away from Asuka.
Cross and Asuka also have a heated rivalry which goes back to the NXT days. We saw many ruthless matches between the two females, including a Last Man Standing Match for the NXT Women's Championship, back when Asuka was undefeated. Both women were full of aggression and intensity as their skills matched each other's talents.
Both women have proven that they are capable of putting on a great match together, and it shouldn't be a surprise if we see that on the main roster. Cross has never beaten Asuka before, which could create a decent storyline for SmackDown.
With Cross needing victories to establish her character, having her be the one to face the SmackDown Women's Championship from Asuka at WrestleMania 35 would be a credible choice.
#2 Becky Lynch
As stated earlier on this article, Becky Lynch had lost the Smackdown Women's Championship to Asuka at TLC 2018 in a TLC Match which also featured Charlotte Flair. At the following PPV in Royal Rumble 2019, we saw Lynch fail to regain the title that she lost in a match against Asuka.
However, The Man redeemed herself later on in the night when she entered the Royal Rumble match, replacing an injured Lana before winning the entire match itself. It was a huge moment that was well deserved, due to the fact that Lynch has established herself as the most over female in the company today.
With Becky having the option to choose to face for the Raw Women's Championship or the Smackdown Women's Championship at WrestleMania 35, either title would be great for Becky to challenge and win. Another potential match against Asuka in the future could see Becky attempting to redeem herself again so that she can finally defeat The Empress.
Asuka and Becky put on a fantastic bout at the Royal Rumble PPV as both women got the opportunity to showcase their abilities. Becky didn't look weak with the loss at all, as the match made her look like the credible threat that she currently is. A rematch in the future for Becky to regain the title from Asuka at 'Mania 35 would be a good way to go.
#1 Charlotte Flair
Finally, at #1 on the list, we have none other than Charlotte Flair. Charlotte is currently the most decorated female in the WWE due to her success on the main roster. She has held 7 women's championships so far which makes her one of the most established superstars on Smackdown Live.
We have recently seen Charlotte embroiled in a rivalry with Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey, but that doesn't change the fact that Charlotte would be the perfect superstar to face Asuka in a rematch from WrestleMania 34.
At WrestleMania 34, we saw Charlotte defend the Smackdown Women's Championship against Asuka in a marquee match. Asuka was undefeated at the time, and she was super-hot due to the fact that she had won the first ever women's Royal Rumble match at Royal Rumble 2018.
Charlotte went onto beat Asuka to break her undefeated streak, and it was a moment that shocked many fans in the arena that night. However, Asuka has regained her momentum as the current champion. Becky Lynch vs. Ronda Rousey is the potential main event for Wrestlemania, so seeing Asuka attempt to avenge her first ever loss to Charlotte would be great to see.
Most importantly, the rivalry between Charlotte and Asuka needs to be taken to the next level. The build-up to their first match was based on respect, whereas the build-up to the TLC triple threat match at TLC 2018 was full of more intensity, with Becky Lynch added to the mix.
We could even see Charlotte turn heel, which wouldn't be so bad as she is definitely the most effective when competing as a heel. Take Survivor Series 2018 for example, when we saw Charlotte batter Ronda Rousey with a kendo stick. This makes a potential match between Charlotte and Asuka at WrestleMania the best possible option on this list.
Do you agree with any of these choices? If not, who do you think should face Asuka for the SmackDown Women's Championship at Wrestlemania 35? Share your opinion on the comment section below!
