'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What's the story?
Asuka & Kairi Sane faced Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville during the pre-recorded May 14 episode of WWE SmackDown Live in London, England.
Before the match took place, Paige announced during a promo that her clients have been given a new tag team name.
In case you didn't know…
Paige established herself as one of the most popular authority figures in recent years during her eight-month run as the SmackDown Live General Manager in 2018.
Upon her return to WWE television in April 2019, the former Divas champion revealed that she is now the manager of new women’s tag team Asuka & Kairi Sane.
Since then, the Japanese duo have remained undefeated together on SmackDown Live, winning an eight-woman tag match on April 16 before easily picking up a victory over Jaylee & Queen Aminata on April 30.
Throughout their first month as a tag team, the former NXT Women’s champions have been involved in a rivalry with Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville, who were previously aligned with Paige in 2017-2018.
The two teams went head-to-head during the London taping of SmackDown Live, with Women’s Tag Team champions Billie Kay & Peyton Royce on commentary.
The heart of the matter
Speaking to the crowd before the SmackDown Live tag match, Paige announced that Asuka & Kairi Sane will now be known as The Kabuki Warriors.
To the Japanese audience, Kabuki is a form of traditional drama in Asuka & Sane’s homeland which is known for its elaborate costumes, music and miming. However, to wrestling fans, the name Kabuki is more commonly associated with legendary wrestler The Great Kabuki.
What's next?
Given the questionable name changes in WWE of late, especially The Viking Raiders (aka War Raiders and The Viking Experience), it has not taken long for fans on social media to joke that Asuka & Kairi Sane’s new name will not be around for long.
In all seriousness, the Japanese duo are two of the most talented women on the roster, so expect them to be in the running to win the Women’s Tag Team titles in the near future.
