Asuka: The Most Decorated Woman Never Actually Pushed?

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

The curious WWE career of Asuka continues, becoming yet another double champion thanks to the returning Charlotte Flair and the Women’s Tag Team Championship (Asuka ni beruto!).

But let’s mark all the things off the list... She’s about to pass 300 total days as a singles women’s champion on the main roster from two RAW reigns and one SD reign (19th all time), she’s a two time tag champion (the longest reigning out of any in the short history of the new lineage as of tomorrow), she won the first women’s Royal Rumble, she’s won Money In The Bank... and that’s before you add her monster 510 day NXT title run.

So why does it not actually feel like she’s achieved all that, and she’s still seen as some hard-done-by victim of the system? Is it because of poor challenger booking? Is it because she’s yet to have a WrestleMania win? It’s just weird to have someone get so many accolades and for it to feel like she hasn’t had any.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

She will be inducted into the Hall of Fame for her accolades, and they will act like she was an amazingly booked champion when they do so

The reality is, every time she had a belt, she was booked into the ground and never taken seriously. Can't wait till she drops it to Charlotte, again, so I can hate this even further.

Good for Asuka racking up the accolades, but I honestly feel like she's one of the biggest indictments of WWE never making shit feel like it matters anymore.

[Captain Patren Fenderbaum-X]

That's really kind of it...Her accomplishments make her a big deal instead of the booking.

They don't wanna make her THEE woman and you can tell the distinct difference in such booking when ya look at how Asuka has been booked as champion compared to Becky.

They made sure you knew that Becky was above every other woman (even though her booking ended up being far more harmful than helpful) where as Asuka is champion yea but they don't treat her as the woman to beat instead she is just floating from angle to angle and the belt is just an accessory right now.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

That’s a push, dude.

All of those accomplishments you described, that is literally pushing her.

I’m sorry, man I love you, I’m not trying to be mean, but I’m having a rough time understanding this topic.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

Dec 20, 2020 22:53:47 GMT -5 Captain Patren Fenderbaum-X said:

That's really kind of it...Her accomplishments make her a big deal instead of the booking.

They don't wanna make her THEE woman and you can tell the distinct difference in such booking when ya look at how Asuka has been booked as champion compared to Becky.

They made sure you knew that Becky was above every other woman (even though her booking ended up being far more harmful than helpful) where as Asuka is champion yea but they don't treat her as the woman to beat instead she is just floating from angle to angle and the belt is just an accessory right now.

But she’s still been pushed. Her not being “the woman” (really, it’s The Ace) does not mean she hasn’t gotten a substantial push. She has.

And who exactly has been claiming Asuka is “a victim of a system”? She seems pretty well regarded as one of the company’s bigger stars now.

I don’t get this.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

Also, how in the heck does the stuff that Charlotte and Becky accomplished somehow diminish Asuka’s accolades? She seems to have been booked equally strong alongside them for the most part.

["Evil Brood" Jackson Vanik]

I mean, she's pushed more than most women in the company. But to me, she's at the equivalent of an Undertaker whenever he held the belt. He was credible as champion for sure but was never really the top act in the same way a Cena or a Rock or a Batista were. There is the Ronda/Becky tier where they are portrayed as top acts in the company and then there is a second tier. And this is natural when you have four singles world champions spread across two brands. I do wish she got more of a shot to be at that next tier but I don't think she'll get the chance anytime soon. She's found an entertaining twist on her character this year but it largely amounts to says normal things in a funny and ridiculous way which works and gets over, especially when combined with her fantastic in ring skills. But that's not a "carries the brand" kind of act. If she had more of a chance to be larger than life or get more of her human story across, she could do that. It's more on the company than her since she clearly has the talent to do so. So yeah, she is pushed harder than most but does leave you wondering if she could be even more than she is.

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Dec 21, 2020 0:24:37 GMT -5 Clash, Never a Meter Maid said:

That’s a push, dude.

All of those accomplishments you described, that is literally pushing her.

I’m sorry, man I love you, I’m not trying to be mean, but I’m having a rough time understanding this topic.

I’m just putting the question out there because of people saying none of that stuff actually counts unless *dot dot dot*. In my own opinion it counts.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

Dec 21, 2020 0:43:12 GMT -5 EoE: Well There's Your Problem said:

Dec 21, 2020 0:24:37 GMT -5 Clash, Never a Meter Maid said:

That’s a push, dude.

All of those accomplishments you described, that is literally pushing her.

I’m sorry, man I love you, I’m not trying to be mean, but I’m having a rough time understanding this topic.

I’m just putting the question out there because of people saying none of that stuff actually counts unless *dot dot dot*. In my own opinion it counts.

But it’s not a question worth giving credibility. Any schmuck can look at her and tell this wrestler is presented as a big star.

[mistery]

I think Asuka should be given more of a spotlight, to be honest. Yes she is the champion, but creative can never seem to figure out how to actually put the focus on her. She always feels like she's playing second fiddle to whoever she's in the ring with at the moment. She's never actually the center of attention.

It's a pretty damning indictment of WWE creative that they have someone as talented and charismatic as Asuka, but can't find a way to push her as the centerpiece of the division. She doesn't feel like THE star right now, despite being the champion. She was overshadowed for several months by a god awful Lana/Nia/Shayna angle that amounted to...Charlotte returning. And now Charlotte is being presented as the biggest woman in the division again, while Asuka feels like a prop in WWE's latest attempt to get Charlotte over as a babyface (spoiler: it won't work, and it will completely backfire if they try to turn Asuka heel).

I think it's pretty notable that she has mentioned in an interview or two that she would prefer to finish up her career in NXT opposed to the main roster. She didn't really elaborate why, but I don't think it's hard to figure out. It's because while she has all of these accolades on the main roster, she just doesn't feel like a big deal compared to Charlotte, Becky, Sasha, or Bayley. And that is entirely on creative.

[Dub H]

Yeh she is never actually pushed .She wibs accolades but it is alnost always to make Charlotte look good right after.

Or 20% it ia Becky,but at least Becky out her over clean once.

She always feels like third fiddle even as a champ.

She should by all means be the focus of the womans roster and the fact she isnt even isnt the main issue,she never gets anything of substance,she wins random matches then puts A 4 horsewoman over and is forgotten

[sarkerpolseng]

Asuka is my pick for "Best Superstar" of 2020.

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Getting accolades is a push tho

As someone said already, she is Taker like. Ole reliable who doesn't need all the focus on her to do her job right but you can count on her in a pinch 

[Dub H]

Dec 21, 2020 3:10:16 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

Getting accolades is a push tho

As someone said already, she is Taker like. Ole reliable who doesn't need all the focus on her to do her job right but you can count on her in a pinch 

Taker got whole phases of his career where he was a big focus of big storylines.

Saying she is Take is making excuses on why she never gets anything

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Dec 21, 2020 5:31:23 GMT -5 Dub H said:

Dec 21, 2020 3:10:16 GMT -5 Captain Stud Muffin (BLM) said:

Getting accolades is a push tho

As someone said already, she is Taker like. Ole reliable who doesn't need all the focus on her to do her job right but you can count on her in a pinch 

Taker got whole phases of his career where he was a big focus of big storylines.

Saying she is Take is making excuses on why she never gets anything

And so did Asuka since her NXT run counts as an accolade

Her first year on the main roster was about her being undefeated. Since then, she hasn't had THE focus but she's been pushed. As much as I say, her first SD title run was more about Becky then Asuka, she is still the last one to get an ultra clean victory over The Man with a tap out.  Saying she never gets anything is hyperbole 

The only other woman who matched her accolades is Bayley and Charlotte. And Bayley was never the focus either until over the last year. It took for her to have the title for over a year and dominate a division that it actually hurt her. 

[Captain Stud Muffin (BLM)]

Dec 21, 2020 0:32:02 GMT -5 Clash, Never a Meter Maid said:

Also, how in the heck does the stuff that Charlotte and Becky accomplished somehow diminish Asuka’s accolades? She seems to have been booked equally strong alongside them for the most part.

To go back to my OP examples of the past

When talking Braun, he was clearly better then everyone except only two men which were Reigns and Brock. The same applies for Asuka. In context, the only women who stand above her is Becky and Charlotte. Even Sasha and Bayley don't stand up to Asuka on even ground cause if they have a match Asuka is the pick to win or if she somehow took an L, it wouldn't be definitive 

Nothing Charlotte and Becky has done has diminished Asuka in the slightest. She's the Taker/Mankind to their Rock and Austin. Very important player but not THE important player

[King Devitt: Scrum Guzzler]

There's a difference between getting a push via accolades, and getting a push via getting the spotlight.

We saw what she could do in NXT, and yes she should have dropped the belt to Ember before moving up, but we saw her as a world beater.

We've not seen that same Asuka on the main roster.
Yes she's booked well, but often times not COMPETENTLY.

And the same could be said for Becky and Charlotte (much of the reason they're so maligned) but they're still given enough of the spotlight to weather the storm.

Asuka went from feeling special to feeling ordinary (ala the "Vince McMahon NXT Special") and that's the point. And why the topic has more than enough legs to stand on.

If you see it one way that's fine, but no reason for people to get crappy about it. It's a valid discussion based on a very fair question given the booking.

HHH knew how to present her.
Vince (of course) does not.

Giving her titles does not make her feel important. She was, and could still be, the centerpiece of the division.
I mean c'mon BECKY AND CHARLOTTE were BOTH gone, and they still didn't go all in on Asuka being the dominant badass we all know she can be.
We KNOW what Asuka can do.
She could easily have carried the division.

She hasn't come close to that swag or aura since being called up b/c Vince won't let her.

As said, this is a very fair discussion to be had.

It's like saying Coke and Diet Coke taste the same b/c they're both pushed as equally good soda's (hint: they're not)
We've seen Asuka.
And we've seen Diet Asuka.

One of those was better.

[HMARK Center]

I imagine that part of the problem is looking at the kayfabe accolades she, or a lot of other wrestlers for that matter, has racked up and then asking "Ok, what did these titles and big match wins accomplish for her or her opponent(s)?"

When I read about main roster Asuka title reigns and whatnot, the feeling many put across seems to be that her runs with the belts don't really inform her character and that it doesn't feel like they're using her to really elevate the talent around her, which is something she seems pretty capable of doing, whereas her NXT run came across as "she's SO badass that just hanging with her in a feud/title match makes her opponent feel more credible moving forward", or at least felt more character-driven, that kind of thing.

Basically it feels a bit like a version of the old Sheamus/Miz syndrome, albeit not quite so bad as it got with those guys: wrestlers who pile up all kinds of amazing sounding kayfabe accomplishments, but don't feel like they move forward as characters, don't feel like they're fully elevated or that their opponents are benefitting from them being champion, etc. There's a feeling that it's not the wrestlers' faults this is happening, but it's more of a reason to be frustrated at a booking style that says "Look, we gave so-and-so a title, that should make you all happy, right?" without enough thought being given to why so-and-so was given the belt or what the endgame of that wrestler holding that title will be, which usually has the effect of making that wrestler feel too obviously like a placeholder.

Now, I'm sure some of this feeling likely stems from a lot of fans not liking the way Charlotte's been pushed over the years, or even some who ended up not being fans of the way Becky got pushed once she reached the mountaintop; they may just feel "No, Asuka's my favorite, and I hate the feeling that she's just keeping the belt warm for the others", and it could cloud some perceptions and make otherwise innocuous booking decisions feel more harmful to them. But I do think it's fair for some to feel like WWE has a history of pushing wrestlers with accomplishments and belts, but not really pushing them with any sense of purpose or direction in the process, and it's possible that's shaping the reaction to Asuka's main roster run that many are having.

[Clash, Never a Meter Maid]

Nah. No, I’m really sorry, I just can’t with this one. I don’t care how people feel about Charlotte, Asuka has gotten one of the biggest pushes any woman’s ever gotten in WWE history.

You’re all free to feel that way, it’s not a big deal. But I can’t see how this is a fair topic.

[Deleted]

I don't think winning titles represents a push because the general public is never going to give a damn how many titles you've won unless you're like, Ric Flair. What matters is how you narratively move the show forward. People remember segments, feuds and the intangible 'feeling' of being a big deal more than they do individual big matches.

Shawn Michaels didn't win that many belts in his 2000s run but he was unmistakably a top pushed talent on the show.