14 Ups & 14 Downs For WWE In 2018
6. Everybody's Ready For Asuka
Asuka losing to Charlotte at WrestleMania 34 came with all the usual bleating calls from WWE apologists to "let it play out" and "follow the story", but the 'Empress Of Tomorrow' still finds herself on the road to recovery rather than WrestleMania 35 after one of the biggest slumps in recent history.
Falling to 'The Queen' was one (extremely concerning) thing, but treading water on SmackDown Live's midcard was another too far. She succumbed to the sterile stupidity of James Ellsworth en route to a loss to Carmella, before a friendship with Naomi became a broadly racist 80s buddy cop movie.
Perception and aura have never been more important than in 2018 WWE. In spite of a Royal Rumble win, it was sadly the year Asuka had both ripped from her grasp.