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After starting 2018 by winning the inaugural women's Royal Rumble match and going through one of the worst phases in her WWE career, Asuka finally ended 2018 on a high note as she defeated Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair in a Triple Threat Tables Ladders and Chairs Match at TLC to capture the SmackDown Women's Championship.
This is Asuka's first stint with the title as she has previously challenged Charlotte Flair and Carmella for the said title on multiple occasions but failed.
Her loss to Charlotte at WrestleMania 34, which ended her undefeated streak, put the Empress on a downward spiral where a lost a plethora of tag team and singles matches. Asuka's win at TLC is a clear indication that the company has big plans for her going into WrestleMania 35.
With Becky Lynch in all probability locking horns with Ronda Rousey at The Grandest Stage, the Empress has only a handful of credible opponents left. She has already faced almost the entire SmackDown women's roster and given how the blue brand's women's division is, none of the superstars barring Lynch and Charlotte seems like credible opponents for the Empress.
Here are five potential opponents for Asuka at WrestleMania 35:
#5 Charlotte Flair
We are starting off the list with perhaps the most obvious choice of the lot. The Queen and The Empress had clashed at WrestleMania 34 where Charlotte broke Asuka's undefeated streak.
The slump that Asuka went through after her loss to Charlotte saw her being relegated to pre-show matches or being absent from TV for weeks.
Asuka finally managed to get over the Queen at TLC when she won the SmackDown Women's Championship in a TLC Match, which also had Becky Lynch.
Another reason why we have put Charlotte in this list is due to the fact that we want to see Becky Lynch face Ronda Rousey in a one-on-one match at WrestleMania 35.
While we have totally loved Flair's recent transformation, we believe that Lynch deserves it more than she does. Asuka and Flair are currently tied at 1-1 in singles matches and the prospect of the two locking horns once again on The Grandest Stage is very exciting.
There isn't much to say about Asuka and Charlotte's in-ring acumen as we believe that the duo are two of the best female athletes on the main roster.
Their match at WrestleMania 34 was one of the best matches in WrestleMania history and we believe that the duo would create magic once again if they clash at WrestleMania 35.
#4 Nikki Cross
The twisted sister of Sanity is the most recent NXT call-up to the main roster. Although Cross had made a one-off appearance during an episode of SmackDown facing off against Becky Lynch, this one seems like a permanent call-up.
Cross has been one of the most exciting stars on NXT for quite some time now and her involvement in the Aleister Black-Johnny Gargano storyline was a stroke of genius. Cross, on her part, played the role of a messenger to perfection.
But despite being one of the well-rounded female performers on the yellow brand, Cross never won the NXT Women's Championship.
She has a couple of Championship matches where she came up short despite putting on an inspiring performance. Cross is going to debut on the main roster very soon and could very well be an entrant on the Women's Royal Rumble.
Cross has a unique personality which makes her stand out from the rest of the female Superstars on the main roster. Given the wafer-thin female roster on both brands, it will be quite a task for the WWE to find a new and fresh opponent for Asuka heading into WrestleMania 35.
Nikki Cross and Asuka had a riveting rivalry in NXT. Their chaotic Last Women Standing Match for the NXT Women's Championship is one of the best matches in NXT history. The duo has palpable chemistry and are the polar opposite of one another and have the ability to steal the show on any given night.
#3 Bayley
2018 hasn't been a good year for Bayley. The former RAW Women's Champion has been used properly throughout 2018. Bayley is an exceptional performer and it is really sad to see her being buried every week after week.
The hugger hasn't done anything substantial or noteworthy in the past one and a half year and her feud with Sasha Banks which began at the start of 2018 also fizzled out quickly and the duo formed a tag team.
Bayley has been one of the many NXT call-ups whose main roster has failed to meet expectations. Bayley was one of the most popular female stars in NXT but her popularity has taken a serious hit ever since she debuted on the main roster.
Fans have stopped caring about the Hugger as the company has made no effort to present her as a legitimate competitor in women's division. She has been an enhancement talent for the majority of her main roster run and a future run with a top title seems like a distant dream.
Bayley and Asuka had an excellent feud in NXT. Asuka defeated Bayley to win the NXT Women's Championship at NXT Takeover: Dallas. But, a lot has changed over the past three years.
Asuka isn't as invincible as used to be and while Bayley hasn't been at the top of her game for the past few months, a move to the blue brand to challenge Asuka could work wonders for the Hugger.
Asuka has faced almost every other female superstar on the blue brand and Bayley hasn't been in the title picture for quite some time now. If done properly, this will prove to be a huge money-spinner for the WWE.
#2 Sasha Banks
Much like her ' Boss N Hug Connection' cohort Bayley, The Boss has had very rough 2018. She has been sparsely used on TV and pay-per-views and her feud with Bayley didn't exactly set the world on fire at the start of 2018.
She was the longest survivor in the inaugural Women's Royal Rumble match and made it to the final two of the first-ever Women's Elimination Chamber Match. But, those were the only two noteworthy things that Banks did throughout 2018.
Banks have been in the back burner for the rest of the year, having five-minutes matches on TV, where he ends up losing most of the time.
It is ridiculous to even that Banks was a top star in the company a few years ago, having some of the best matches in the history of Women's wrestling and headlining multiple pay-per-views.
Her fall from Grace has been quite astonishing to say at least and unless they are planning on crowning her and Bayley as the inaugural Women's Tag Team Champions, Banks shouldn't definitely switch to the blue brand.
Banks is one of the best female performers in the company and has already proved that she can go toe-to-toe with the best that the company has to offer. And they don't get any bigger and better than Asuka.
The Empress and The Boss haven't had a lengthy feud, which makes this feud fresh and exciting. After all that she has been through over the past one and half years, Banks deserves the opportunity to shine at the Grandest Stage.
#1 Ember Moon
One of the most underutilized talent on the main roster has been the former NXT Women's Champion, Ember Moon. Moon debuted on the main roster following WrestleMania 34, where many believed that the Texas-native will be given an immediate push and she will become the RAW Women's Champion in a matter of months.
In fact, Moon started on a high note by defeating former Champion Alexa Bliss in her debut match on RAW. But, things haven't looked up for the War Goddess ever since. Moon was put in a series of matches against the members of The Riot Squad, which did absolutely nothing to propel her career.
She was then put in a mini-feud with Nia Jax where she would end up getting squashed by Jax and her henchwoman Tamina every other week. Moon hasn't had a proper feud on the main roster as of this writing.
Moon is the athletic female superstar on the red brand and she deserves better. While it seems unlikely that she will be getting a shot at the red brand's women's title anytime soon, she could instead move to SmackDown to rekindle her rivalry with her arch-nemesis, Asuka.
Asuka and Ember had a series of matches in NXT for the NXT Women's Championship. In fact, Asuka was the first women to defeat Moon in NXT when the duo clashed at NXT Takeover: Orlando in April 2017.
Ember would once again lose to the Empress at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III. Moon would become the Champion only after Asuka relinquished the title to move into the main roster. Asuka and Moon have a long and storied history with the Empress getting the better off the Shenom, every single time.
Moon has been patiently waiting for her opportunity and she is the best opponent for Asuka at WrestleMania 35. Given how highly competitive and gripping their previous matches have been, Asuka and Moon would once again put on a match, that will be one for the ages.
