Every Asuka NXT TakeOver Match - Ranked From Worst To Best
9. Vs Nikki Cross, Petyon Royce & Billie Kay (San Antonio, January 28th 2017)
Lacking significant opposition in a division she was rapidly clearing out, Asuka challenged the three best of the rest at January's San Antonio TakeOver event instead of a traditional singles clash.
SAnitY's Nikki Cross was the most credible threat of the three, having initially saved Asuka from a two-on-one beating by Peyton Royce and Billie Kay only to snap on her immediately afterwards as a signal of intent.
The 'Iconic' duo had built up steady steam in the latter half of 2016 as the desolate division finally began its rebuilding process with the 'Empress Of Tomorrow' on top, but the match lacked an inherent logic when the three challengers turned on one another.
The contest had something of a meta quality. Most fans were mindful of Asuka's infallibility, and simply couldn't accept her challengers as noble successors, even if they converted the fatal four-way into a three-on-one handicap match. The traditionally verbose and erudite Corey Graves summed it up as she sashayed to the ring, refreshingly commenting that, 'being honest, I think Asuka's gonna run through everybody in about a minute.'
Whilst it took her a touch longer, she still polished off her foes with with relative ease, particularly after Royce and Kay suplexed Cross through a table. Only then did they focus on Asuka, but the Champion dodged disaster to annihilate both with a double german suplex and her standard array of killer headkicks.