What's Really Wrong with Asuka's Championship Reign?

Despite going down as the most dominant superstar in NXT history and one of the most impressive and standout champions in recent memory, Asuka’s current reign as Smackdown LIVE Women’s Champion has been disappointing to say the least. While there was great excitement upon her victory at the TLC PPV along with perfectly timed booking and great opportunities awaiting her the WWE has failed in building an exciting championship run and picture for Asuka heading into Wrestlemania but what exactly has made her title reign so weak?

Overshadowed

One of the biggest problems Asuka has faced since becoming Smackdown LIVE women’s champion is being overshadowed by the RAW Women’s Championship picture. With Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, and Ronda Rousey involved in the biggest angle heading into Wrestlemania thirty-five its been near impossible for any female talent to come close to what these women are delivering and the Smackdown LIVE Women’s championship has gotten lost also. The WWE have put so much time and energy into the up and coming Mania triple threat for the RAW Women’s title that the blue brand’s women’s division and title have gotten completely lost in the shuffle and the lack of effort put in by the WWE is evident. The lack of attention on Asuka and heavy focus on Rousey’s Mania title defence have massively harmed the Smackdown Women’s championship picture and its title holder.

Minimal Appearances

While it’s clear Asuka has been overshadowed by the RAW women’s championship picture there is also no denying that the lack of appearances from the Smackdown Live women’s champion has majorly problematic.  Regardless of how much time and effort the WWE want to put into the RAW women’s title scene, there is no excuse for how little we have seen of Asuka since her victory at TLC. The WWE has a two-hour slot for Smackdown LIVE every week along with PPV’s in-between Wrestlemania which means they have had plenty of opportunities and time to book Asuka regularly and strongly and they have failed to do so. It was possible for the WWE to make Ronda’s title match at Mania the key focus while also representing the Smackdown women’s championship and building a strong picture there also.

Lack of Competition

It’s been evident from day one that Monday nights have the larger women’s division. For quite some time now the blue brand and its women’s division has struggled due to a lack of numbers which has resulted in weaker storyline’s, repetitive matches, and a lack of competition for the champion. The simple fact is Asuka has at this point already begun to run out of fresh opponents. We have seen the former NXT star defend her title against Mandy Rose but over the last years collisions against the likes of Sonya Deville, Carmella and Naomi mean Asuka is lacking original and exciting rivalries heading into the grandest stage of them all. Now, things could and hopefully will turn around for Asuka and her title reign after the Superstar Shake up next month but at this current stage the champ is struggling to find new competition that will draw in fans and pick up a big reaction.

Not Enough Ring- Time

Similarly, to what we just touched on, the lack of in-ring time has been a huge issue for Asuka and her title reign so far. Despite the lack of competition, the WWE could have kept fans talking about the Empress of Tomorrow by booking stronger and keeping her working long matches. Putting her in the ring for twenty minutes with either Naomi or Sonya Deville, for example, would have gotten fans talking far more and added more to her reign. What Asuka has always needed is the chance to show what she is capable of in the ring and her run as champion could have shed a light on the talent the other women on the roster possesses also. Asuka could very easily bring out the best in anyone she’s a ring with and the WWE haven’t grabbed hold of that huge opportunity they had.

No Character Development

When a superstar becomes champion it's key, we see that superstar go from strength to strength and begin to evolve. Take Becky Lynch as a prime example! Now, of course, we didn’t need to see a complete character change but what we did need that we haven’t got is an evolution of Asuka’s character. Whether it be exploring her darker side, creating a more intense version of Asuka or looking back at what made the Empress of tomorrow so standout during her time in NXT. The WWE needed to explore something new with Asuka for a long time now and becoming champion should have been the time the WWE turned up her character work a hundred times more.

Missed Opportunities

Since her victory last December and becoming the new Smackdown LIVE Women’s champion the WWE have most certainly missed out on opportunities especially in the build-up to Wrestlemania. The lack of focus on Asuka over the past few months has left the champ barely even being mentioned and as we sit only weeks away from the biggest show of the year, she has no opponent but that doesn’t mean there were no opportunities awaiting her. Whether it had been Nikki Cross whom the champion has history with and would have enabled Asuka to have shown a new side to her character or an angle that saw her defend her title against a legend such as Lita or Trish Stratus (wish stratus chasing after either title reign) there were plenty of chances and storyline’s for the WWE to turn things around and create two major Women’s championship matches for Wrestlemania thirty-five.

Now, I personally don’t believe we will be seeing Asuka’s championship reign come to an end anytime soon but the poor build to her Wrestlemania title defence and what we have seen from her since becoming champion has been more than disappointing and I truly hope the WWE can turn things around very soon!

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