Original Plans For Asuka's SmackDown Live Women's Championship Match At WWE WrestleMania 35 Reportedly Revealed
The Empress of Tomorrow lost her title to Charlotte Flair on Tuesday...
During this week's WWE SmackDown Live, Charlotte Flair was handed a match for Asuka's women's championship out of nowhere and shocked the world by winning it.
At the time of writing, there doesn't appear to be any plans for Asuka at WrestleMania. Although, the former NXT Women's Champion's road to WrestleMania did look very different before Tuesday's SD Live.
According to this week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Asuka was set to face Mandy Rose in a singles match with her title on the line on the Grandest Stage Of Them All. Asuka has already defeated Mandy, of course, at Fastlane on March 10.
The primary reason for cancelling the Fatal 4-Way number one contender's match (also involving Carmella, Naomi and Sonya Deville) that Mandy would have presumably won to earn the title shot was due to the mammoth length of the WrestleMania card. Vince reportedly needed to get rid of a match so decided it was to be the SmackDown Women's Championship bout.
Earlier this week, Dave Meltzer also reported Vince McMahon had a change of heart in terms of the SmackDown Live Women's Championship in the hours before Tuesday's blue brand show went on the air.
Vince was said to be worried that nobody cared about a singles match between Asuka and any of the four women in the Fatal 4-Way, so decided to put the title on Charlotte instead.
At the time of writing, there doesn't appear to be any plans for Asuka at WrestleMania. Although, the former NXT Women's Champion's road to WrestleMania did look very different before Tuesday's SD Live.
According to this week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Asuka was set to face Mandy Rose in a singles match with her title on the line on the Grandest Stage Of Them All. Asuka has already defeated Mandy, of course, at Fastlane on March 10.
The primary reason for cancelling the Fatal 4-Way number one contender's match (also involving Carmella, Naomi and Sonya Deville) that Mandy would have presumably won to earn the title shot was due to the mammoth length of the WrestleMania card. Vince reportedly needed to get rid of a match so decided it was to be the SmackDown Women's Championship bout.
Earlier this week, Dave Meltzer also reported Vince McMahon had a change of heart in terms of the SmackDown Live Women's Championship in the hours before Tuesday's blue brand show went on the air.
Vince was said to be worried that nobody cared about a singles match between Asuka and any of the four women in the Fatal 4-Way, so decided to put the title on Charlotte instead.
Written by Ross Tweddell
Written and video journalist for Cultaholic Wrestling | twitter: @rossonrasslin | instagram: @rossonrasslin