10 Small Success Stories That Saved WWE No Mercy 2017

9. Announcing Asuka

Nia Jax Sasha Banks Alexa Bliss
WWE.com

A mix of disappointment and trepidation gripped fans of the 'Empress Of Tomorrow' and NXT in general when the latest call-up's main roster arrival was announced just days after her Full Sail exit with limited fanfare and a mysterious vignette, after tacit promises of a bidding war between the brands.

However, this now appears part of a bigger campaign to ensure anticipation reaches a justified peak before she steps onto her biggest North American stage yet at October's Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view.

Brought up in the pre-show, trailered on the pay-per-view, then alluded to via an arrogant Alexa Bliss speech during Raw Talk, Asuka looks rightfully set to become the division's key performer before even walking the aisle on Monday Nights, exactly as she should be.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation over 7 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 30 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz", Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 50,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, 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. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett