Why WWE Have Already Killed Asuka

And that's another thing. Asuka is a multi-time loser at this point, there are no records left to protect after literally giving years to preserve ones strong enough to build video packages around. She was anything but by-the-numbers, her gimmick required use of them to put over just how incredible she was. Her new role has reversed the mechanism - there is nothing from her post-WrestleMania run to pick at that could suggest a rebound is forthcoming.

Equally, the catastrophic collapse of her legacy has rendered her substantially less of a scalp for the likes of The IIconics, Naomi and Lana on an otherwise desolate blue brand. A feud with Becky Lynch would be a waste of the 'Irish Lass Kicker's time - she's got to get herself back on track in time to possibly boot Carmella from her leopard-print throne, and fans at this point would almost certainly stand with the ever-earnest Lynch over the normalised former NXT Champion.

All that's left is a heel turn, and as evidenced in matches either side of Asuka's Extreme Rules loss, there are few performance 'spaces' Asuka could potentially play within. She can either be a coward like Shinsuke Nakamura, Dolph Ziggler or Kevin Owens, or a total idiot - The B-Team, James Ellsworth or Kevin Owens. The third remaining heel trait - actually tough - is hard enough for monsters like Sanity or The Bludgeon Brothers to pull off, let alone a woman on a rather barren roster. Those arguing how well she did exactly the same thing as a babyface are the same optimists as earlier - she'd never ever be afforded the run her talent should reward her with as a villain. Now more than ever, it's just not the WWE way.

So what then? Well, nothing. This, this, is why WWE Have Already Killed Asuka. With the same repetition as that title appearing at the top of these pages, Asuka has been devenomized, normalised and nominalised. She was once an incandescent performer, but the lights that shone from her every move required an audience to reflect them. Crowds have grown weary and dulled towards her once-fascinating repertoire. Wins at the Survivor Series and The Royal Rumble erased a clunky start against Emma, Dana Brooke et al, but those were not calculated defeats she suffered. A boring win still left a foundation upon which to build. Losses, countless demeaning losses, have left her as vulnerable as just about any other WWE performer.

Being just another 'Superstar' has never been a heavier burden to carry, but in Asuka's case the weight of failure will follow her around with equal heft. Kana came to NXT presumably hoping to brush up on her English and adjust her working style to suit whatever remit WWE have set out for their talent. Asuka left the developmental brand the finished article. Months shy of her main roster first birthday, and she's already just plain finished.