WWE Extreme Rules 2018: 10 Things We Learned
5. The Allure of Asuka Is Gone
Of all the things that Extreme Rules got wrong, Asuka's treatment is right up there at the top. The once-undefeated Empress of Tomorrow once again battled Carmella for the SmackDown Women's Championship, with James Ellsowrth suspended above in a shark cage. After Ellsworth tried to escape, he ended up hanging in the middle of the ring and Asuka bafflingly focused on him instead of the match. This allowed Carmella to shove her into the cage and secure a second victory over her opponent.
When she arrived in WWE, Asuka was undoubtedly the most alluring presence in recent memory. She debuted on Raw with an intact undefeated streak from her NXT days. As a result, she was both feared and respected, and she lived up to all the hype when she won the first ever women's Royal Rumble match. While her loss to Charlotte at WrestleMania was a worthy ending to her streak, this entire program with Carmella has been an absolute waste.
The most feared woman in WWE history was subjected to a storyline involving a comedy act like Ellsworth (who is rarely funny at the best of times) and came out of it looking stupid. Losing to Carmella once was a stretch, but at least the damage was repairable. This second loss was beyond ridiculous. Asuka was wasted on this storyline and now, the allure and mystery surrounding her character is dead.