10 Original WrestleMania 34 Plans WWE Had To Change

7. Alexa Bliss Vs. Asuka

asuka alexa bliss
WWE.com

Somewhere along the line, WWE decided that Asuka would be best-served challenging Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Title rather than gunning for Alexa Bliss and the Raw belt. This despite being a Raw star.

It'd be easy to think that this was the plan all along, but analysing how Asuka was booked after winning the Royal Rumble in January makes it clear WWE pivoted. Until she interrupted Flair at Fastlane, PWInsider noted that it was set in stone she'd challenge (and beat) Alexa at WrestleMania because she was feuding with Bliss sympathiser Nia Jax.

The whole bullying angle between Bliss, Mickie James and Jax has a last-minute, thrown-together feel to it too. That, combined with the fact she was interacting mainly with Bliss, suggests Asuka was supposed to tangle with Alexa in New Orleans, not suddenly elect to face SmackDown's lead female instead.

Maybe WWE felt Bliss vs. Asuka wasn't grand enough, or perhaps they realised Charlotte had nothing to do on the biggest night of the year.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.