Every Asuka NXT TakeOver Match - Ranked From Worst To Best

Learning How To Fight

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WWE.com

NXT TakeOver events seem to exist from within an impenetrable wall of quality. Ostensibly immune from McMahon meddling, the supershows from the developmental brand are uniformly fantastic, with poor matches merely exceptions that prove the rule.

Even when the weekly television product suffers, the TakeOver events continue to shine. Held the night before SummerSlam, TakeOver: Brooklyn 3 may end up as the whole organisation's finest supercard of the year having presented a barrage of diverse and dynamic clashes showcasing the best and brightest the brand had to offer.

It was the group's first visit to the Barclays Centre in 2015 where Asuka stood awkwardly next to Ric Flair and Sgt Slaughter for the clichéd 'in attendance' tight crowd shot ahead of a Bayley/Sasha Banks clash that redefined expectations for women's wrestling.

Though presumably quite nerve-wracking to watch two contemporaries assemble one of the finest matches in company history shortly before she made her debut, the former Kana brought a pedigree few in her field had amassed. Her impact was immediate and swift, with her rapid ascent to NXT's summit coming right as the division experienced its first major exodus.

Subsequently required to carry the lofty expectations set by Banks and Bayley as well as Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Natalya and others, Asuka had the most difficult challenge of all, with the most diverse palette of opponents. Taking each contest in her stride, the 'Empress Of Tomorrow' futuristically fought her way to immortality.

10. Vs Nia Jax (The End, June 8th 2016)

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WWE.com

Whilst not the most ideal first high profile defence of her NXT Women's Title, Asuka's one and only Full Sail TakeOver appearance as champion did afford her a fresh challenge in the form of the limited Nia Jax.

Bayley had established a high watermark with her sensational effort against the division's new monster at December's London supercard, and whilst the 'Empress Of Tomorrow' couldn't quite reach those heights, fans saw a resilience and determination unlike anything she'd had to exhibit since debuting the prior summer.

Jax had injured 'The Hugger' en route to her title shot, and exerted her dominance with frightening power offence at the expense of a technical approach.

Surviving Nia's relentless attacks in the early portion of the match, Asuka turned the corner by resorting to lightning quick strikes, building on a missile dropkick with some wicked fists and her trademark hip attack.

With a banshee-like wail, she weakened the monster with arm-bars and an Asuka Lock attempt, before finally toppling Nia with some of the hardest kicks ever witnessed in NXT. 'Keep chopping, and chopping' noted commentator Tom Phillips at the dramatic conclusion, eloquently observing how the buzzsaw-like boots had finally felled the mighty oak tree.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett