Every Asuka NXT TakeOver Match - Ranked From Worst To Best
Learning How To Fight
NXT TakeOver events seem to exist from within an impenetrable wall of quality. Ostensibly immune from McMahon meddling, the supershows from the developmental brand are uniformly fantastic, with poor matches merely exceptions that prove the rule.
Even when the weekly television product suffers, the TakeOver events continue to shine. Held the night before SummerSlam, TakeOver: Brooklyn 3 may end up as the whole organisation's finest supercard of the year having presented a barrage of diverse and dynamic clashes showcasing the best and brightest the brand had to offer.
It was the group's first visit to the Barclays Centre in 2015 where Asuka stood awkwardly next to Ric Flair and Sgt Slaughter for the clichéd 'in attendance' tight crowd shot ahead of a Bayley/Sasha Banks clash that redefined expectations for women's wrestling.
Though presumably quite nerve-wracking to watch two contemporaries assemble one of the finest matches in company history shortly before she made her debut, the former Kana brought a pedigree few in her field had amassed. Her impact was immediate and swift, with her rapid ascent to NXT's summit coming right as the division experienced its first major exodus.
Subsequently required to carry the lofty expectations set by Banks and Bayley as well as Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Natalya and others, Asuka had the most difficult challenge of all, with the most diverse palette of opponents. Taking each contest in her stride, the 'Empress Of Tomorrow' futuristically fought her way to immortality.
10. Vs Nia Jax (The End, June 8th 2016)
Whilst not the most ideal first high profile defence of her NXT Women's Title, Asuka's one and only Full Sail TakeOver appearance as champion did afford her a fresh challenge in the form of the limited Nia Jax.
Bayley had established a high watermark with her sensational effort against the division's new monster at December's London supercard, and whilst the 'Empress Of Tomorrow' couldn't quite reach those heights, fans saw a resilience and determination unlike anything she'd had to exhibit since debuting the prior summer.
Jax had injured 'The Hugger' en route to her title shot, and exerted her dominance with frightening power offence at the expense of a technical approach.
Surviving Nia's relentless attacks in the early portion of the match, Asuka turned the corner by resorting to lightning quick strikes, building on a missile dropkick with some wicked fists and her trademark hip attack.
With a banshee-like wail, she weakened the monster with arm-bars and an Asuka Lock attempt, before finally toppling Nia with some of the hardest kicks ever witnessed in NXT. 'Keep chopping, and chopping' noted commentator Tom Phillips at the dramatic conclusion, eloquently observing how the buzzsaw-like boots had finally felled the mighty oak tree.