Asuka wins Triple Brand Battle Royal, The empress of Tomorrow will face both Sasha Banks and Bayley for their women’s championships at SummerSlam.
WWE fans have complained for some time now that Asuka hasn’t looked as dominant as she did during her run in the WWE. The empress of tomorrow is constantly on TV but has hardly looked top tier. Her currently storyline however, is out to change the narrative.
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The Longest reigning NXT women’s Champion had a fairly forgettable first run with the RAW Women’s championship. She was handed the title by the departing Becky Lynch and failed to look strong in her defences before eventually dropping the title to Sasha Banks.
Her run coincided with Kairi Sane’s departure from the WWE. The silver lining in Sane leaving the promotion and Asuka’s disappointing reign is that it set up a perfect comeback story.
Bayley injured her friend to the point of retirement (in Kayfabe) while Banks took advantage of Asuka’s concern for her friend to steal the RAW women’s Championship. Both the Golden Role Models had to be taught a lesson in order for them to get their comeuppance.
Asuka had already booked a match against Banks on this week’s episode of RAW and she made sure that she would get a chance at Bayley’s title as well after emerging as a surprise entrant in the Triple Brand Battle Royal and winning it.
WAIT A MINUTE!!!@WWEAsuka is in the Triple Brand Battle Royal!
Who will go to #SummerSlam to challenge @itsBayleyWWE? We find out NEXT on #SmackDown! pic.twitter.com/eUPB1ryAiQ
— WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2020
Asuka wins Triple Brand Battle Royal, will face Sasha Banks and Bayley at SummerSlam
The Triple Brand Battle Royal has been one that fans have been looking forward to since the announcement last week. Other than Asuka, the match featured The IIconics’ Billie Kay and Peyton Royce, NXT’s Shotzi Blackheart and Tegan Nox, Lacey Evans, Naomi, Liv Morgan, Ruby Riott, Shayna Baszler, Bianca Belair, Nikki Cross, Dana Brooke and Tamina Snuka.
Like most Battle Royals, this was an exciting affair but the in ring quality, with so many bodies, was always expected to be average. Eliminations happened very quickly and the trope of eliminated wrestlers eliminates someone else was overused in this match.
Baszler and Asuka were the last in the ring. It seemed that the former UFC star had won when she sent her out of the ring with a nasty kick. However, Asuka landed on the fallen bodies of Banks and Bayley.
.@WWEAsuka is still in it!#SmackDown #WomensBattleRoyal pic.twitter.com/BvqqTQ1JCv
— WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2020
She then reversed a Karifuda Clutch by pulling Baszler over the top rope to win the match and title shot.
.@WWEAsuka has done it!! The #EmpressOfTomorrow will challenge BOTH @itsBayleyWWE AND @SashaBanksWWE at #SummerSlam! #SmackDown #WomensBattleRoyal pic.twitter.com/FgXj3Y2OmG
— WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2020
WWE’s obsession with double champions
One of the biggest complaints since the announcement of the triple brand battle royal was that the WWE had left it too late. This would result in a rushed storyline for whoever would face Bayley at SummerSlam. With Asuka’s victory, that problem is solved.
However, something has to be said about WWE’s obsession with double champions. Since Lynch’s victory against Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey at last year’s Wrestlemania, it seems that the WWE does not think one title on one person is enough anymore.
Is #Asuka2Belts in @SashaBanksWWE and @itsBayleyWWE‘s near future at #SummerSlam?#SmackDown @WWEAsuka pic.twitter.com/vmDKmSOXI3
— WWE (@WWE) August 15, 2020
Both Banks and Bayley are currently double champions. They have the tag titles in addition to their women’ s title and the stage looks set for Asuka to emulate three of the 4 horsewomen at SummerSlam. Whether this is a good idea or not is debatable. However, watching three of the best wrestlers duke it out on a platform as big as SummerSlam is more than a good enough reason to give it a chance.
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