10 best WWE feuds of 2017

#9 Asuka vs. Nikki Cross

100% smug.

Though it flew under the radar compared to another feud we'll soon get into, this was good for the second best women's feud of the year.

Nikki Cross first made her mark by attacking Asuka in the winter, which earned her a spot in a fatal 4-way at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio by the champion's own demand. Though she was unable to win the NXT Women's Championship that night, she had a strong showing and raised her profile further. A triple threat match at NXT TakeOver: Chicago had a similar result.

Things really began to get intense during a rematch under elimination rules a few weeks later. Ruby Riot was eliminated, leaving only Asuka and Nikki Cross.

In an ultra-rarity, Asuka failed to win the match, as Nikki Cross battled the champion so ferociously through the ringside area that the referee declared a no-contest. The brawl went backstage and both competitors fell through a table.

This set up a decisive encounter in late June. Nikki Cross took Asuka to her limit in the brutal first-ever Last Woman Standing match that the champion only barely won, putting an end to their feud.

Though she didn't win, this program elevated Nikki Cross in a major way, cementing her status as perhaps the most dangerous competitor in the NXT women's division, and it made Asuka look that much more unstoppable.