Asuka Finally Returning To WWE, Creative Plans Pitched After 9-Month Absence (WWE News)
Asuka's WWE return looks to be on the horizon.
Having been out of action for nearly nine months, the return to action of WWE's Asuka seems to be on the horizon.
The Empress of Tomorrow last wrestled back in May of last year, where she and Kairi Sane lost the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles to Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill at WWE Backlash. Asuka underwent knee surgery shortly after that match, and the hard-hitting veteran has since documented her recovery on her YouTube channel.
Now, as per Fightful Select, creative plans have been discussed for Asuka's return to the ring. One idea pitched for this return was a "potential tag team match option", but Fightful notes how that suggestion was ultimately shot down. The outlet also adds that there are no specifics known right now on when Asuka will be back between the ropes, nor if she's been training at the WWE Performance Center lately.
Finally, this Fightful report clarifies that the outlet is not claiming Asuka will make an appearance at the Royal Rumble this weekend, but simply that creative has been discussed for the former Kana - which would indicate that her in-ring return is not all that far away.
From Kana To Asuka
As alluded to, Asuka is nowadays a 21-year veteran of the squared circle, making her debut in 2004 and taking on the Kana moniker. Over the next decade, Kana would earn a reputation as one of the fiercest women in the game, competing for the likes of AtoZ, Pro Wrestling WAVE, SMASH, JWP, REINA, doing occasional shots for the likes of SHIMMER, Ice Ribbon, DDT, and even working a handful of All Japan Women dates early in her career, not to mention running her own Kana Pro shows.
It would be in late 2015 that Kana signed with WWE, making her first on-screen appearance at the inaugural NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn event and immediately switching Kana to Asuka. By the following April, Asuka was the NXT Women's Champion, putting Bayley to sleep to win that prize at TakeOver: Dallas during the weekend of WrestleMania 32. Asuka would hold that title for a mammoth 510 days before being forced to vacate it due to injury ahead of making the move to the main roster in September 2017.
In the years since that initial move to WWE Raw in 2017, Asuka has become one of the most successful women in WWE history, currently standing as a four-time Women's Champion, a four-time Women's Tag Team Champion, the 2018 Women's Royal Rumble winner, and also the 2020 Women's Money in the Bank winner.
Prior to that injury back in May, Asuka was a part of the Damage CTRL stable alongside Iyo Sky, Kairi Sane, and Dakota Kai. It remains to be seen whether, as and when she does return to TV, Asuka is once again a part of Damage CTRL or whether creative plans may take the hugely talented star in a different direction.