WWE Evolution: 8 Things We Learned

7. Asuka Is Seriously Struggling

Ivory Asuka
WWE.com

On the other side of the wall stands the first ever all-female Royal Rumble winner, and she's struggling big time to climb it.

Asuka's Rumble win was only around nine months ago, but it feels like a lifetime has passed since she was being treated by creative as the top women's star in WWE. In late-October, things couldn't be much worse for the Japanese star, and she was even outperformed by some of her fellow countrywomen at Evolution.

Both Kairi Sane and Io Shirai had featured singles matches on the card. Meanwhile, Asuka was stuck in the (admittedly fun) Battle Royal and eliminated right before the closing stretch. That had to hurt. Asuka wasn't given the dignity of coming close to winning what was considered one of the card's most throwaway matches.

This is an almighty fall for someone so talented. WWE have a job on their hands to rebuild Asuka before WrestleMania season kicks off, because, right now, she's further away from that marquee clash with Ronda Rousey or a rematch against 'Mania 34 conquerer Charlotte Flair than ever.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.