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In a little over three years time, WWE's Empress of Tomorrow has become an icon within the modern era of the company.
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Known for her enigmatic and quirky personality - which ranges from vicious and destructive to playful and comedic - the current SmackDown Live Women's champion has an equally strong possession of charismatic charm and in-ring talent.
While she seems to truly understand the need for having entertaining entrances, flashy ring attire and a sense of personality, she can also unleash a flurry of martial arts-style strikes and catch wrestling submissions as soon as the bell rings.
Asuka's rare combination of talent is about as unlikely as her ascent in WWE. A 37-year old ex-graphic designer from Osaka, Japan, she was trained in the super-serious, often brutal dojos of her home country, where pro-wrestling is treated more like a fight sport than a sideshow.
Under the name Kana, she went through wars with other stars of joshi puroresu (Japanese women's wrestling) like Ayako Hamada, Meiko Satomura, Hikaru Shida, Arisa Nakajima, Syuri Kondo and her protégé Konami.
She also had intergender tangles with Tajiri, Minoru Suzuki and Masato Tanaka, as well as stints in North American indie promotions like CHIKARA and SHIMMER.
Finally, in 2015, she was seen in the front row at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn, and debuted at Full Sail shortly thereafter, under her new moniker.
Through her amazing 500-plus day NXT women's title run, undefeated streak and incredible match performances, she has taken her long-respected craft to the top of the big leagues and directly contributed to history as part of WWE's women's evolution.
These are the Top 10 WWE matches of Asuka.
#10 Asuka vs. Ember Moon (NXT Takeover: Orlando)
Having wrestled before in their independent days, Asuka and Ember Moon already had a bit of history which quickly became apparent behind the scenes.
Sitting next to each other on their first day at the Performance Center and posting pictures together on social media, the two evenly-matched friends were destined to co-head the post-Horsewomen NXT female division of 2017 and ultimately, face off against each other.
Though Moon wouldn't be shown on camera until a year after Asuka (she officially debuted at Takeover: Brooklyn II in Aug. 2016), she quickly built her own undefeated streak and the two women came finally came to blows over WrestleMania 33 weekend in Orlando.
From the jump, Moon's head scissors and stiff kicks impressed, but Asuka returned with her own set of kicks and countered Ember's attempt at a springboard crossbody by planting her with a German suplex off the middle rope.
Though Moon gave Asuka a serious fight for more than 10 minutes, the two capable athletes seemed to be holding back for something bigger down the line.
In the interim, Asuka would prevail by purposely pushing the referee into Moon and cleaning her clock with a head kick for the win.
#9 Asuka vs Becky Lynch (Royal Rumble 2019)
Facing off in a bit of a dream match in front of more than 40,000 fans, Asuka successfully defended her Smackdown women's title against "The Man" Becky Lynch at the 2019 Royal Rumble in Phoenix, Arizona.
Though the match never quite hit a high note in terms of false finishes or huge spots, the grappling between Asuka and Lynch was superb.
The catch wrestling reversals and chain sequences flowed well, making both women look like masters of their craft.
Asuka used her signature hip attack and stiff strikes, while Becky unleashed some kicks of her own as well as well as a super exploder suplex off the top rope just before the finish.
Becky's other exploder suplex, outside the ring, led the Empress to later return the favour with a twisting fisherman suplex off the apron onto the floor.
Still, this was primarily a wrestling match rather than a spotfest, and both women deserve credit for a job well done.
#8 Asuka vs. Mickie James (NXT Takeover: Toronto)
In late 2016, Asuka was the undefeated NXT women's champion who felt starved for competition.
Having deposed Bayley and gone without a single loss in over a year, she was gradually transitioning from a humble newbie to an overconfident incumbent. Enter: Mickie James.
The former multi-time women's champion was hot off a successful run on the independent scene and decided to make a formal challenge via a cellphone video promo on NXT TV.
In the video, James played up her veteran credentials and insisted that NXT's GM William Regal call the United Nations because there would soon be an "international incident" at Takeover: Toronto.
Returning to a WWE ring for the first time in six years, James put on a good performance, keeping pace with Asuka and executing a number of impressive technical sequences.
The highlight of the match took place when Asuka knocked James to the outside with a hip attack.
James eventually managed to nail sitting head scissors off the apron onto the floor, before Asuka answered back with a brutal German suplex onto the same floor, which James sold well.
In the end, James tried multiple submission counters but couldn't avoid Asuka's tentacles and quickly tapped to the Asuka Lock once fully applied.
#7 Bayley vs. Asuka (NXT Takeover: Dallas)
During the electric night that was Takeover: Dallas over WrestleMania 32 weekend, the beginning of Asuka's long reign as NXT women's champion began when she defeated Bayley in a high-quality title match.
Bayley was fierce in her attempt to retain her title, going blow for blow and submission for submission with the Empress until she had no fight left. The rope-assisted headscissor onto the outside floor and Bayley-to-Belly finisher nailed in the centre of the ring gave the impression that the scrappy hugger had the win on lock, but this was not the case.
Throwing counter after counter, dropkicks, armbars and elbow strikes at the champion, Asuka inevitably used her superior catch wrestling skills to eventually lock Bayley firmly in her grips, leaving her with nowhere to go.
Though the never-say-die Bayley refused to tap out, she nonetheless forfeited the match by losing consciousness, giving Asuka the win and the title.
#6 Charlotte vs. Asuka (WrestleMania 34)
In perhaps the best singles match of WrestleMania 34, Asuka and Charlotte put on a high-quality performance that saw the Queen put her Smackdown championship on the line against the Empress' two and a half year undefeated streak.
Charlotte vs. Asuka, a dream match fans had anticipated for over a year, told the story of an enigmatic wrestler trying to emerge onto the territory of an established champion who was determined to cement her legacy by winning on the biggest stage. Who would be victorious in the end?
The match was very technically sound with impressive grappling and crisp move execution throughout.
Charlotte's top rope Spanish Fly was highlight reel-worthy, ditto for Asuka's triangle choke (which she countered from an attempted moonsault by Charlotte) and the brutal apron suplex that had them both spill onto the floor.
While many NXT fans thought Asuka's win and ascent to the top of the Smackdown women's roster was a fait accompli, it would be Charlotte who'd shockingly snatch the victory, creating collective gasps across the WWE Universe by forcing the undefeated Japanese sensation to tap out for the very first time in a WWE ring.
#5 Asuka vs Emma (NXT Takeover: London)
In her first major venue WWE match, Asuka failed to disappoint in a strong showing against the Australian smart alec Emma, who was accompanied to the ring by her BFF Dana Brooke.
With Asuka and Emma both possessing previous international wrestling experience, the two managed to mesh very well in the ring, stringing together a procession of crisp technical holds and counters that made the women of the main roster at the time look amateurish in comparison.
The hammerlock reversal sequence between both wrestlers was unique. Asuka's kicks and strikes were snug and her dropkicks were clean, but the armbar takedown she executed was just stellar above all else.
Emma earned points for channeling Tajiri in attempting a rope-assisted tarantula as well.
After a ref bump, a couple false finishes and an outside distraction from Brooke, Asuka predictably cleaned house, laying out Emma with a roundhouse spin kick for the 1-2-3.
#4 Asuka vs. Sasha Banks (Monday Night RAW Jan. 29, 2018)
Having won the first ever women's Royal Rumble just one night before, Asuka was challenged by Sasha Banks, who lasted far longer in the match and felt she rightfully deserved the spot that the Empress occupied, on the road to WrestleMania.
Although not on pay-per-view with a huge multi-week build-up, Asuka vs. Sasha Banks was a long-awaited dream match nonetheless, one that lived up to its potential so well that it continues to earn high praise.
Credit Asuka's sheer in-ring skill combined with Banks' tenacity and passion for wrestling as to why this match has gone down as one of Asuka's finest.
The technical prowess was impressive, the multiple spills to the outside (especially Banks' scary-looking suicide dive) were causes to gasp, and the many hip attacks, knee strikes and chain reversals gave the impression of a Stardom match rather than a WWE women's performance.
As easily expected, Asuka sealed the deal with a Bank Statement reversed into an Asuka Lock for the win.
#3 Asuka vs. Nikki Cross (Last Woman Standing Match, WWE NXT, Jun. 28, 2017)
Having feuded throughout the first half of 2017, Asuka and Nikki Cross' rivalry finally came to ahead mid-year on NXT's weekly show, which was rapidly improving at the time and beginning to air pay-per-view quality matches on a regular basis.
Cross, playing a psychotic heel who was obsessed with trying to beat her arch nemesis, went on a rampage, employing the use of multiple chairs in an attempt to end the reign of the undefeated champion.
Asuka, for her part, survived everything Cross threw at her and reciprocated with her own use of weaponry.
The champ even used a garbage can placed on Cross' head and repeatedly kicked it before laying out Cross with a missile dropkick from the top rope onto the metal can.
This entire match was beautiful in its brutality and showcased both wrestlers' strengths to the maximum degree.
Nikki Cross was vicious in powerbombing Asuka onto a stack of chairs on the outside. But Asuka showed she could be just as dangerous when she superplexed Cross off a ladder into the announce table, securing the win after Cross failed to get up for the 10 count.
#2 Asuka vs. Ember Moon (NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III)
Recognized along with Sasha Banks vs. Bayley at the first Takeover: Brooklyn as one of the greatest women's matches in NXT and WWE history, Asuka and Ember Moon's second match for the NXT women's title in 2017 stole the show as the match of the night at the jam-packed Barclay's Center.
Moon, who accused Asuka of "taking shortcuts" to defeating her in Orlando, was hellbent on ending Asuka's undefeated streak and claiming the championship that she felt was rightfully hers.
Asuka, now a full-blown heel with a condescending Hollywood-esque persona, felt she was out of Moon's league. Would Asuka finally be Eclipsed and lose for the first time?
The teases were heart-wrenching in the final minutes of the match. Back-to-back false finishes included Asuka kicking out of the Eclipse as well as a straight-to-the-face superkick, which made Moon visibly angry.
When Asuka played possum and locked Moon into an armbar, the War Goddess countered with a roll-up attempt and subsequently left her back exposed once Asuka kicked out.
Asuka quickly locked in the Asuka Lock, finally dashing Ember Moon's dream of ending the streak when she was forced to tap out moments later.
#1 Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch (Tables, Ladders & Chairs Match, TLC 2018)
While not her most technical performance, the TLC triple threat main event is significant for a number of reasons.
It's tied with the Ember Moon rematch as Asuka's highest rated match (according to the Wrestling Observer), it was Asuka's one and so far only pay-per-view main event, and in the end, it became her crowning moment as she closed the show as the new Smackdown women's champion.
The brutality between all three women was of high entertainment value. Asuka powerbombing Charlotte onto the edge of a table was well-received by the crowd, as was the Becky Lynch legdrop onto Flair over the announce table.
The use of chairs and ladders really helped sell the intensity of the match and solidified gender equity insofar as the company's full acknowledgement of the female roster's ability to take major bumps.
In the end, though she was assisted by Ronda Rousey shoving both her opponents off a ladder, Asuka nevertheless overcame the booking slump she had been in for months and won her first main roster championship.
The sense of joy on her face as she stood atop the ladder gave off a feeling of genuine happiness. Asuka achieved her greatest victory.
