10 Ups & 7 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Feb 19)
1. Asuka Loses
Supplemental Up: Asuka is back on TV. Excellent!
Massive Down: Asuka lost to Mandy f*cking Rose. Not-so-excellent!
So it turns out that Royal Rumble 2019 was a false dawn. Making Becky Lynch submit wasn't the next major step in Asuka's rebuilding process, but a red herring, as it's now clear WWE have no interest whatsoever in presenting 'The Empress Of Tomorrow' as the dominant force of old, or, in fact, any kind of force at all.
She lost to Mandy Rose via bullsh*t finish last night, with Rose feigning injury, Asuka shoving the referee, and Mandy scoring a surprise roll-up. Far from keeping anyone protected, the conclusion made 'The Empress' look like a geek. This was exactly the kind of nonsense that shredded her mystique and credibility during last year's Carmella/James Ellsworth feud, and that looks set to continue, as it's clear WWE have no concrete plans for her at WrestleMania 35.
Asuka will absolutely overcome Rose at Fastlane (or wherever they face), but surely WWE could've come up with a way to book that match that didn't make their SmackDown Women's Champion look so weak and powerless? Contrast with the Daniel Bryan/Kofi Kingston situation. It's night and day.