10 Worst Endings To Awesome Wrestling Title Reigns

3. Asuka's Record Breaking Reign Succumbs To Injury

Sheamus Daniel Bryan 18 Seconds WrestleMania
WWE.com

Asuka's reign as NXT Women's Champion came to lamest end imaginable this week. WWE's strongest push ended with a broken collarbone suffered while wrestling Ember Moon at TakeOver: Brooklyn III, and at Thursday's TV tapings, 'The Empress Of Tomorrow' announced that she was relinquishing her belt, and heading to the main roster when she heals.

While this does mean she'll be hitting Raw or SmackDown as an undefeated wrestler, it also represents a huge missed opportunity. Asuka was the strongest booked performer in the entire company, and if WWE built the right person to eventually take her place, defeating her should've been a huge, career-defining moment for the beneficiary. Unfortunately, WWE completely failed to get Moon over to the required level, and they've forgone the chance to use defeating Asuka as a springboard for another wrestler's success.

Asuka hasn't tasted defeat since the day she walked into the company. She held the NXT Women's Title for 510 days, first taking the belt from Bayley at TakeOver: Dallas, then fighting off challenges from the likes of Nia Jax, Mickie James, and the aforementioned Ember. Her aura grew with her dominance, and while there's every chance she'll continue on a similar path on the main roster, this was a deflating way for her reign to conclude.

Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.