10 Wild Outside Bets To Win The 2022 WWE Royal Rumble

3. Asuka

Asuka WWE
WWE

What's the most effective way of getting over in WWE?

Why, not being in WWE, of course!

Seriously where the f*ck is Asuka?

"Creative has nothing for you" doesn't really wash when creative has absolutely f*ck all in general. The women's division is a disaster at present. The top star is woefully miscast; the other top star is in decline and is only selectively motivated; they've already given up on Xia Li; they've already given up on Shotzi; every other woman who has appeared on SmackDown recently not named Naomi was fired before they could even give up on them.

Asuka is right there, in mothballs, doing less than nothing - and she's more talented than the lot.

Like virtually everybody else in recent times, Asuka has endured a chaotic, stop/start run - but she has survived as a quasi-asset because she's simply so talented, charismatic and believable. She is effectively immune to sh*tty booking. She can always be reheated.

WWE might yet reheat her at the Royal Rumble, since WWE can always just pretend that the events of WrestleMania 34 were always leading up to a rematch with Charlotte Flair four years later.

The other women have been booked so horrendously that they barely even qualify for a facetious list, so...

Probability: 80%

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick (Creative Writing BA Hons) is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over a decade of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential UK institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!