Yes, you read that right.
Asuka, who already has a match against Sasha Banks for the RAW Women’s Title at SummerSlam, will now be facing Bayley at the same event for the SmackDown Women’s Title. The Empress of Tomorrow won a Triple Brand Battle Royal that placed her directly into this position.
The Battle Royal took place on SmackDown just moments ago and it involved a total of 14-women. The participants were as follows:
- Shotzi Blackheart – NXT
- Tegan Nox – NXT
- Lacey Evans – SmackDown
- Naomi – SmackDown
- Dana Brooke – SmackDown
- Tamina – SmackDown
- Nikki Cross – SmackDown
- Bianca Belair -RAW
- The IIconics (Peyton Royce & Billie Kay) – RAW
- Asuka – RAW
- Shayna Baszler – RAW
- Liv Morgan – RAW
- Ruby Riott – RAW
Prior to the start of the match, Bayley and Sasha Banks were in the ring and wanted to continue their dominance by doing a little ring announcing. Bayley started the list announcing the Battle Royal participants. She first started with The IIconics, followed by Tegan Nox, Shotzi Blackheart, and Lacey Evans.
As the SmackDown Women’s Champion goes to read the next name, she claims something has to be wrong with the list. She says this because the next entrant is Asuka who rushes towards to ring and attacks The Golden Role Models. After this happens the rest of the Battle Royal participants rush to the ring.
A Mickie James-less Battle Royal gets underway and all of the women start the brawl. The first to be eliminated was Ruby Riott, who is knocked off the ring apron by Billie Kay. Tegan Nox would then help Liv Morgan (who is on the ring apron) to eliminate Kay and then Blackheart would throw Peyton Royce over the top rope. Morgan would then lose her opportunity as the eliminated IIconics pulled her down from the apron. As both Riott Squad 2.0 and The IIconics are now eliminated, both teams throw punches on one another to continue their current feud.
Next, we have both Nikki Cross and Dana Brooke who do not go over the top rope. Cross catches Brooke in the apron and after this, we don’t see Brooke for a while. On the opposite side of the ring, Bianca Belair is in danger but she holds on and gets back in the ring.
Moments later, Cross would then go back and forth with Tamina, before Tamina ultimately eliminating her from getting yet another rematch for the blue belt. Belair and then Tamina face-off and commentary says they would love to see Belair against Bayley one-on-one. So would we, SO WOULD WE!
Belair is able to manhandle Tamina and lifts her up into a Glam Slam and dumps her over the top rope. Tamina hits hard on the outside. The feud between Naomi and Lacey Evans continues as Evans delivers a Woman’s Right. This causes the elimination and continues the disrespect for Naomi. Evans couldn’t celebrate long as she wipes her forward because Blackheart throws her over the top rope over the apron before delivering a kick that eliminates the Sassy Southern Belle.
We then see a scene that we have before and that is Shayna Baszler locking in the Kirifuda Clutch on Blackheart over the ropes as she is dangling to try to stay in it. An already eliminated Evans would then pulled down Blackheart subsequently eliminating her.
The final four would get down to Belair, Nox, Asuka, and Baszler. Nox avoids being the victim of another Glam Slam by Belair and ends up sending her flying over the top rope. As we are now down to three, Nox is trying to hold her own with two former champions Asuka & Baszler. She would start clearing house but it wasn’t enough as Baszler trips getting her over the top rope.
Dana Brooke would then appear from under the ring and pull down Nox eliminating her. Brooke was never eliminated early on with the fight between her and Cross. After getting back in the ring, she was put in the Kirifuda Clutch by Baszler, much like Blackheart was moments ago on the ring apron. She is able to break the hold and hang up The Queen of Spades on the top rope. Brooke is unable to capitalize and get back in the ring as Asuka hit a hip attack between the rope eliminating her.
We are now down to two – Baszler and Asuka. Certainly they are giving this to Baszler right? Think again. The Golden Role Models who are at ringside decide to get involved to try and get Asuka eliminated. Asuka, on the ring apron, would take out both Bayley and Sasha Banks knocking them down to the ringside floor.
Baszler delivers a big kick to Asuka and she falls off the apron but lands on Bayley and Banks and isn’t eliminated. Asuka on the apron and Baszler in the ring start trading blows. The Kirifuda Clutch attempt happens. Asuka is able to avoid this and get Baszler over the top rope as she comes crashing down on the floor.
This marks Asuka as the winner and she will have two title opportunities at the biggest event of the summer at SummerSlam on Aug. 23.
Bayley and Banks being double champions could be no more after this upcoming event. Asuka could very well become one as a result.
What do you think of this outcome? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!!
