What’s the story?
As per an official announcement by the WWE, Nikki Cross is set to face off against NXT Women’s Champion Asuka in a Last Woman Standing match. The match will be for Asuka’s title and will take place on the 28th June 2017 edition of NXT. This will be the first ever last woman standing match in WWE history
In case you didn’t know...
Nikki Cross, who is a member of NXT’s SAnitY stable, has been embroiled in a feud with the record-breaking NXT Women’s Champion Asuka since the 11th January 2017 episode of NXT, where she had attacked Asuka after initially saving her from a beatdown at the hands of Peyton Royce and Billie Kay.
Royce, Kay, Asuka and Nikki Cross subsequently faced off against each other at the NXT TakeOver: San Antonio event in a Fatal-4-way match for the NXT Women’s Championship, which Asuka had won.
Cross and Asuka faced off in a Triple Threat match for the NXT Women’s Championship yet again at NXT TakeOver: Chicago on 20th May 2017, with Ruby Riot being the other competitor. Asuka had defended her title yet again by pinning both Ruby Riot and Nikki Cross at the same time.
Ruby Riot, Asuka and Nikki Cross subsequently faced each other yet again in a three-way Elimination match on the June 14th episode of NXT.
After Riot had been eliminated by Cross, the match ended in a no-contest as Asuka and Cross fought each other outside of the ring through the arena, which had left both of them laid out after they crashed through a table.
The heart of the matter
WWE have made an official announcement confirming that NXT Women’s Champion Asuka will be defending her title in a one-on-one Last Woman Standing match against Nikki Cross at the 28th June 2017 edition of NXT, which will be taped on 23rd June at Full Sail University, Florida.
The announcement has called the match a logical next step in the rivalry between Asuka and Cross and has referenced their 14th June brawl as the reason for it being booked.
Also read: WWE News: Goldberg congratulates Asuka on surpassing his undefeated streak
As per the stipulation of the Last Woman Standing match, the loser will be the woman who cannot beat the 10-count after being knocked down. It is unclear as of this moment whether the match will be held under Extreme Rules or not, it is an unlikely addition to the match as of this time, however.
What’s next?
The 28th June 2017 edition of NXT will be taped on 23rd June 2017 at the Full Sail University, Florida and will mark 453 days since Asuka won the NXT Women’s Championship. The Last Woman Standing match could potentially be the main event of the evening.
Author’s take
Asuka and Nikki Cross are both incredible performers. The Last Woman Standing match, in my memory, has never been done in the WWE before and these two competitors are certainly the perfect fit to have a go at it. A title change is not expected at a taped event, but it will be a great sight regardless.
Regardless of who wins, I’m just glad that NXT has been consistently dishing out such a high standard of women’s wrestling, and I can’t wait to watch this match unfold.
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