10 Best Gimmicks In WWE Right Now
3. Asuka
Asuka's aura is completely unique. Her often mawkishly playful demeanour and bugeisha-esque look belie her in-ring savagery, making her one of the most dangerous and unpredictable competitors in WWE history, regardless of gender.
'The Empress Of Tomorrow' is simultaneously magnetic and terrifying. She is Brock Lesnar's dominance, Shinsuke Nakamura's charisma, Hideo Itami's stiffness, and legendary shoot-style artist Minoru Suzuki's sociopathic malevolence, all tied up in a bow of dayglo outfits and unsettling smiles. The company have made her a megastar by letting her explore these traits without restriction, and they'd be wise to afford Asuka the same level of freedom when she eventually arrives on Raw.
WWE's Women's Revolution has seen the rise of many outstanding female wrestlers, but none are as three-dimensional as Asuka, who can go from docile to tyrannical in an instant. Her gimmick defies conventional alignments, and the fact that her English skills aren't strong enough to cut a well developed promo helps maintain her mystique as a woman of few words, but much violence.
The big fear is that WWE will botch Asuka's push on Raw, leading to the depressing dilution of the women's division's most valuable commodity. It wouldn't be the first time they've ruined an incredible gimmick, so here's hoping they don't tear down what they built in NXT.