WWE Fastlane 2018: 10 Things WWE Got Right

4. Asuka's Appearance

Charlotte Asuka
WWE

No offence to Ruby Riott, but she's hardly in the same bracket as someone like Asuka when it comes to challenging for the SmackDown Women's Title.

After Charlotte went over Riott strongly, it was smart to plot out her next obstacle right there and then. Mid-celebration, Asuka interrupted Flair, channelled the spirit of Ronda Rousey by pointing at the WrestleMania sign, and left nobody in any doubt about what will happen in New Orleans.

Asuka vs. Flair has a marquee quality to it. It's the kind of match fans who salivated over the Japanese star's run in NXT dreamed about when she moved to the main roster, and it gives SmackDown a high-profile female feud to rival Rousey's headline-snatching ways over on Raw.

The loudest words went unspoken, and on this occasion the usual sign-pointing deal was forgivable. Besides, fans in Columbus went wild, instantly treating the notion of a match between the pair as massive.

Advertisement
Contributor

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.