WWE NXT TakeOver The End: 5 Near-Guarantees & 5 Possible Surprises
2. Near-Guarantee: Asuka Will Cement Herself As The New Female Face Of NXT
Although TakeOver: The End is very Bálor-Joe centric, this event is Asuka's time to shine. In her first title defence since winning the NXT Women's Championship from Bayley at TakeOver: Dallas, Asuka will confirm herself as the new face of NXT's Women's division.
Reading between the lines, Bayley is close to being out the Performance Centre door and sent on the road with the main roster; her loss to Asuka's opponent at The End, Nia Jax, is the greatest indicator yet. Bayley's kayfabe injury in that match with Jax allows her time to sit on the sidelines while the women's division adapts to a hugless existence.
While we are highly likely to see a rematch between Asuka and Bayley down the line, The End is all about cementing the new champion: The Empress of Tomorrow. Babymetal, an insanely popular metal band fronted by three young Japanese women, have even had their fight track "Karate" selected as one of the show's theme songs. Seriously, there's no way Asuka doesn't win this.
Unlike when Bayley defeated Jax at TakeOver: London, expect Asuka to attain a more decisive result after a hard-fought contest. By the time it's all over, there will be no doubt that Asuka is the top woman in NXT.