Dear WWE Creative, Will There Be #JusticeForAsuka?

Dear WWE Creative,

With a mere 12 days until Wrestlemania this past week, you made an explosive change to a storyline during SmackDown LIVE. Kofimania ran wild, and The New Day’s gauntlet match win was an excellent way to close the show. With Kofi and his two besties that just helped ensure his spot to the WWE title match at Wrestlemania, the entire babyface roster came to cheer on celebrations.

It was a feel-good moment; very “ra-ra Kofimana”, which lessened the blow to what happened earlier in the night.

The entire WWE Universe was shocked when not only was Charlotte Flair booked for a title match against SmackDown LIVE women’s champion Asuka, but defeated The Empress via submission to the Figure Eight Leg-Lock. To say it was unexpected was an understatement, and the Internet blew up after Charlotte Flair was crowned the new SD LIVE Women’s champ; a historic 8-time women’s champion.

So many questions flying everywhere:

• Does this mean the WWE is planning to unify the women’s titles?
• Will both championships be on the line at Wrestlemania?
• Why was Asuka robbed of an opportunity on the Grandest Stage of Them All?
• Why were the other SmackDown LIVE ladies (in Carmella, Sonya DeVille, Mandy Rose, and Naomi) sacrificed a WM moment as well?

According to Dave Meltzer from Wrestling Observer Radio, the decision around Flair winning the SD LIVE title was very last minute, and this was done for a variety reasons, some of which include the long WM card and how WWE officials are looking to scale down the show. With the SD LIVE Women’s title on Flair, who happens to also be in the main event, there’s no need for a match dedicated to this title. Besides, was there really a WM-worthy competitor for Asuka at this point?

The fatal four-way that had been set between Naomi, Mandy Rose, Sonya DeVille, and Carmella, was scrapped, the Flair-Asuka bout was inserted, and the rest is history. To boot, Meltzer is also now reporting that the main event could be a “winner takes all”, which could mean one woman would be walking out of Wrestlemania holding two titles, which would create a bigger impact for the close of the show.

But what about #JusticeForAsuka, and the other four women on SD LIVE? Are we sacrificing an entire brand’s female division so one woman, who is already making history by main eventing ‘Mania in the first-ever women’s match to close the show? Has Vince McMahon and other WWE officials lost their ever-loving minds? Are they going too over the top with this Ronda Rousey, Becky Lynch, and Charlotte Flair bout? Or was Charlotte simply “given” the SD LIVE Women’s Championship to help build her up walking into this match, as many never really wanted to see her in there in the first place?

Here’s my thoughts. First and foremost, as much as I feel that Asuka deserved a better championship run, and a spot at Wrestlemania, it is what it is. She’s had more of a push during time at NXT, smashed Goldberg’s undefeated streaks, and that NXT Women’s Championship run was legendary; not to mention the fact that she was also the winner of the first-ever Royal Rumble. If Becky Lynch was on last year’s preshow and she can make it to the main event of Wrestlemania this year, then guess what folks? Asuka will be okay. It’s part of the business; it’s a cycle in wrestling. As for the other four women, only one would have potentially made it to the Grandest Stage of Them All, so I don’t feel too bad for any of them. Naomi had a huge WM match two years ago in her hometown of Orlando where she scored the SD LIVE women’s title; Carmella enjoyed a nice championship reign last year, as well as being crowned the first-ever Miss Money in the Bank; and Rose and DeVille are still fairly new and will have their time to shine if they work hard enough.

At the end of the day, everything that unfolded from that women’s match this past Tuesday got the WWE Universe talking, tweeting, ranting, and so on. While many may not agree about the decisions made, the truth is, it’s a storyline, a plot twist; just as many may not agree that Tara and Enid got axed on the Walking Dead this week, there are those that think Asuka was robbed and that Flair doesn’t deserve the title. Having said that, title switches on television programs – especially when they aren’t expected – add a surprise element; they add excitement; controversy too; they make things interesting. Flair’s win certainly did that and so much more, as it also added questions around the main event. While there is speculation that it may now be a “winner takes all”, until the WWE announces officially announces it, we will all be wondering where this all goes; which isn’t a bad thing.

Lastly, in terms of those fans that question if an entire SD LIVE division was sacrificed in order to further elevate three women, my response is this: for years, decades – perhaps longer – female talents have been sacrificing themselves to elevate other superstars. In fact, in many ways, the men have done this too. It’s the business, the name of the game. As a superstar, you sometimes have to sacrifice television, a pay-per-view, and maybe a Wrestlemania, to elevate another; because when the wave comes around your way, and it will, there will be others doing the same for you.

Signed,

Me.