5 things we learned about WWE Superstar Asuka during WrestleMania 34 weekend

Asuka has become one of WWE’s most popular Superstars since joining the main roster in October 2017, yet fans still don’t know much about the woman behind the “Empress of Tomorrow” character.

Thankfully for the WWE Universe, Asuka, real name Kanako Urai, has given an insight into her life outside of the squared circle in several interviews over the last week.

In this article, we take a look at five things we learned about the former NXT Women’s champion during WrestleMania 34 weekend.

#5 Her hero is The Great Muta

Speaking before the 2018 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, Asuka said she would induct The Great Muta into the Hall of Fame if she could choose anybody.

“The Empress of Tomorrow” said she became a wrestler because of the former WCW and NJPW star, who debuted in 1984 and still occasionally competes today, and she would even consider adding his famous Asian Mist to her moveset if she finds an opponent she cannot defeat one day.

After her 914-day winning streak came to an end against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 34, perhaps we’ll see the mist sooner than expected!

#4 She’s great at video games, but not WWE 2K18!

Asuka lost to The Miz in a WWE 2K18 tournament

It’s well-known by Asuka fans that “The Empress of Tomorrow” enjoys playing video games, so you would’ve thought she would put up a good fight in the WWE 2K18 tournament between eight of WWE’s top gamers.

However, taking on The Miz (playing as Big Show ‘00) in the first round of the competition, Asuka (playing as Earthquake) led 1-0 with 31 seconds to go in a 5-minute ironman match but she somehow managed to lose 2-1.

You can check out the rest of the tournament on the Up Up Down Down YouTube channel.

#3 Her teacher didn’t want her to wrestle

Asuka held the NXT Women's title for 523 days

You only have to search for some of Asuka's matches in Japan to see how tough the record-breaking former NXT Women’s champion really is.

However, the physical world of wrestling isn’t suited for everybody, so it’s no wonder that the Japanese Superstar’s school teacher tried to discourage her from becoming a wrestler.

Speaking in her WrestleMania Diary series on WWE’s YouTube channel, Asuka wasn’t entirely sure why her former teacher didn’t want her to wrestle but said it was probably because of the dangers involved in competing in the wrestling business.

#2 She was reportedly banned from using the armbar

Ronda Rousey's signature move is also the armbar

Eagle-eyed viewers may have noticed that Asuka didn’t use her go-to armbar move during her WrestleMania 34 match against Charlotte Flair.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer, the former NXT Women's champion was told to use the armbar more frequently a few months ago when Ronda Rousey signed with WWE, with a future match between the two women in mind.

However, Meltzer said she was banned from using the move in New Orleans, presumably because WWE’s decision to have Asuka lose to Charlotte meant that a streak vs. streak match against Rousey would no longer be possible.

#1 She used to learn submission moves with Drew Gulak

Drew Gulak competed on the same Chikara cards as Asuka

Before he was everyone’s favourite bad guy on 205 Live, Drew Gulak wrestled all around the world, including for Philadelphia-based promotion Chikara, where he was on a couple of cards with Asuka in 2011.

During a video on WWE’s YouTube channel during WrestleMania weekend, the two former independent stars reminisced about the time Asuka and NXT trainer Sara Amato headlined a Chikara event in a ring which had no bottom rope.

They even showed off some of the submission moves that they taught each other in Chikara, where Asuka was known as “Kana” and Gulak was initially known as “Soldier Ant”.