Two of the WWE women’s division’s biggest staples are Charlotte Flair and Asuka. The two technical performers are some of WWE’s most gifted performers.
Both Charlotte and Asuka are no strangers to each other, having fought multiple wars against and alongside each other.
In fact, one of their greatest battles was at WrestleMania 34, a match that may just be the best one of the night.
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The NXT Chapters
Born into wrestling royalty, Ashley Fliehr, aka Charlotte, was often seen in the crowd during her father’s matches. As time went on, she quickly began to hone her skills, and in 2013, Charlotte debuted in NXT.
Once a wrestling reality show, NXT transformed into WWE’s developmental brand, and Charlotte became one of the brand’s torchbearers.
Alongside a wave of newcomers, Charlotte created the four horsewomen, including Sasha Banks (Mercedes Mone), Bayley, and Becky Lynch.
Within countless battles and an NXTwomen’s championship reign, Charlotte solidified herself as one of WWE’s rising stars.
Her biggest impact arrived on July 13th, 2015, as she debuted on RAW alongside Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks to kickstart the ‘Women’s Revolution.’
Slowly transforming into the ‘Queen’ of WWE, Charlotte became a mighty villainess and the first WWE Women’sChampion of the new era.
Unlike Flair, Asuka had a more international journey in her early career. Born in Japan, Kanako Urai took the name Kana and debuted in the all-female promotion known as AtoZ.
For years, Kana bounced from promotion to promotion, such as JWPJoshi Puroresu, NEO Japan Ladies Pro-Wrestling, and Pro Wrestling Wave.
In 2015, Kana became an international sensation and was seen in the crowd of WWE’s NXTTakeover: Brooklyn. Signing with the global juggernaut, Kana was now known as Asuka, and she debuted dominantly on October 7th, 2015.
She defeated Dana Brooke in NXTTakeover: Respect. Asuka’s entire run in NXT was unstoppably dominant, as she quickly defeated Bayley for the women’s championship and gained a near 500-day undefeated streak.
After an injury to her collarbone, Asuka relinquished her championship, and in 2017, Asuka arrived on Monday Night RAW.
Charlotte Flair and Asuka | Collision
Finally, in 2018, both women were set to cross paths for the first time. On January 25th, 2018, Asuka won the first-ever women’s Royal Rumble from the number 25 spot.
At this same time, Charlotte Flair, no longer a heel, was the WWE Smackdown Women’sChampion. Seeking a new challenge for her still undefeated streak, Asuka challenged Charlotte to a match on April 8th, 2018, Wrestlemania 34.
The huge fight was set, one that pitted Charlotte’s championship reign against Asuka’s undefeated streak. At WrestleMania, Charlotte Flair defeated Asuka and broke her streak. She forced Asuka to tap out to the Figure 8 Leglock.
After the hard-hitting brawl, Asuka congratulated her foe, and the two embraced, becoming allies out of respect.
However, nearing the end of 2018, Charlotte and Asuka’s friendship began to crumble. After being unable to defeat RAW Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey at Survivor Series, Charlotte snapped and viciously attacked her with a kendo stick.
Entangled in a brutal feud with Becky Lynch, Charlotte managed to secure a SmackDown Women’s Championship match at TLC, one that Asuka also managed to join.
On December 16th, 2018, at the TLC pay-per-view, Asuka, Becky, and Charlotte faced off in a triple-threat tables, ladders, and chairs match for the SmackdownWomen’s championship.
Asuka emerged as the new champion after an unlikely assist from Ronda Rousey.
The Warriors
Come 2019; both women were completely different from their pasts. Alongside Kairi Sane and her new manager, Paige, a now villainous Asuka, founded the team known as the Kabuki Warriors.
The vicious strikers captured the WWE Women’s Tag Team championships and solidified themselves as the women’s division’s biggest threat.
Elsewhere on RAW, Charlotte Flair also remained a heel, managing to secure a spot as the captain of RAW’s women’s team for Survivor Series.
Unable to coexist, Asuka struck down Charlotte by spitting green mist into her face. Alongside RAW women’s champion Becky Lynch, Charlotte sought vengeance against the Kabuki Warriors.
The uneasy alliance feuded against the Warriors. After an unsuccessful attempt at Starrcade, Becky and Charlotte challenged Asuka and Kairi to a tag team championship match at the 2019 TLC pay-per-view, in a tables, ladders, and chairs match.
The match was brutal, but the Kabuki Warriors managed to retain their titles and defeat Becky and Charlotte.
Charlotte Flair and Asuka | A New Alliance
On December 20th, 2020, RAW Women’s champion Asuka was in dire need of a tag team partner. She was set to battle the women’s tag team champions Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler at the TLC pay-per-view.
Completing a trifecta of big moments at the TLC pay-per-view, Asuka revealed her tag team partner to be none other than Charlotte. The duo captured the tag team championships but lost it at the next pay-per-view, the Royal Rumble, to Jax and Baszler.
Frustrated but still respectful, Charlotte sought a match against her ally and current champion.
On the March 18th, 2021, episode of Monday Night Raw, Charlotte revealed her intentions to challenge Asuka for her women’s championship at WrestleMania, much to the chagrin of Peyton Royce, Dana Brooke, Mandy Rose, and other women on the show.
Asuka and Charlotte having a WrestleMania match was never set in stone, but recently on Twitter, Charlotte revealed that she is currently dealing with covid-19.
These recent events could lead to another battle, not at the grandest stage of them all, but somewhere down the line. Only time will tell if the future holds another chapter in their intertwined history.
