25 Most Important Wrestlers In NXT History
9. Asuka
A star in her native Japan, the former Kana arrived in NXT in 2015 with plenty of fanfare. Her first feud was with the team of Emma and Dana Brooke, both of whom she handily defeated at successive TakeOvers.
Asuka was portrayed as a dominant, unstoppable force, so it was hardly surprising that she was quickly placed into the Women's Championship picture. She captured the title at TakeOver: Dallas, continuing her undefeated streak and starting another streak of dominance in the process.
Asuka's title reign rolled on and on, as she vanquished challengers like Nia Jax, Ember Moon, Ruby Riott, Mickie James, and Nikki Cross. After 510 days with the gold, Asuka was forced to relinquish her championship after breaking her collar bone. In her entire NXT career, she was never pinned or submitted. Not even once.
WWE's portrayal of Asuka was a masterclass in how to make a champion and their championship look good. She elevated the women's championship to a whole new level, to the point where it was seen as a bigger prize than the men's title.
In an era of hotshot title reigns and fifty-fifty booking, Asuka's time in NXT serves as a reminder that there is still a place for lengthy title runs in this day and age.