Earlier this week, we reported that dominant NXT Women’s Champion Asuka had suffered a broken collarbone during her NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III match with Ember Moon and could miss up to 6-8 weeks of NXT TV. Now, despite Triple H saying NXT “couldn’t afford to lose her,” it looks like she won’t be wrestling on NXT television again.
At Thursday night’s NXT tapings at Full Sail, commissioner William Regal announced that he’d “begun negotiations” to send Asuka to either Raw or Smackdown, and the locker room emptied out to watch her vacate the NXT Women’s Championship. JJ Williams of the Wrestling Observer shared the following photos on Twitter:
https://twitter.com/jjwilliamswon/status/900901397289422848
Here are a few more shots of the event, which you’ll presumably be seeing on an upcoming episode of NXT.
The whole roster is on the ramp & everyone is applauding Asuka. Here comes Ember Moon. They hug. Here comes Triple H. He gives her roses. pic.twitter.com/mOyCixd1yM
— Sir Owen Disney (@SirOwenDisney) August 25, 2017
The #NXTUniverse cheers for @WWEAsuka moments after relinquishing the #NXTWomensTitle to GM @RealKingRegal. #ThankYouAsuka #WeAreNXT pic.twitter.com/2CjDsDKQXU
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) August 25, 2017
Asuka first won the NXT Women’s Championship way back on April 1, 2016, when she defeated Bayley at NXT TakeOver: Dallas. She’s been undefeated since her NXT debut, and until today — or a week or two from now, technically — boasted a championship reign of over 500 days. By vacating the title to move up to Raw or Smackdown, she joins the first NXT Women’s Champion, Paige, on the list of main roster call-ups who were forced to vacate the title.
Let’s hope the main roster knows what to do with her. Maybe we’ll see her pop up on Smackdown, with the Mae Young tournament finals scheduled for after the September 12 in Las Vegas? Don’t mess this up, Road Dogg.
