The Complete A-Z Of Wrestling In 2017

26. A - Asuka

Afforded the best possible exit from NXT, 'The Empress Of Tomorrow' surrendered her title but held on to her incredible undefeated streak following arguably her finest ever match for the developmental brand at August's NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 3.

Defeating Ember Moon in a scintillating battle, Asuka bid the league adieu having cleaned out the remainder of her competition earlier in the year. Victories in multi-women matches at TakeOver events in San Antonio and Chicago confirmed as much, as the continuation of her 523-day reign only enhanced her killer aura and razor-sharp skills.

With a record still unblemished on the main roster since debuting at October's Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view, cautious optimism abounds around Asuka's chances of maintaining her incredible momentum. Victory in the the first ever Women's Royal Rumble in January would cement fan confidence further.

Authored by Michael Hamflett

Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation for nearly 10 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 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 65,000,000 total downloads. Within the podcasting space, he also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House! and Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has provided in-person coverage of some of the biggest pay-per-views and Premium Live Events in wrestling history, including WrestleMania, Survivor Series, All In & Double Or Nothing in destinations such as New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, 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.

Posted On: 29th Dec 2017

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