Asuka Loses at WrestleMania 34: Why it Had to Happen

Charlotte Flair retained her SmackDown Women’s Championship when she defeated Asuka in a hard fought match at WrestleMania 34. The match was heavily anticipated by the WWE faithful, who couldn’t wait to see the champ take on the streak.

What better woman to finally defeat Asuka than Charlotte Flair? Charlotte has been the centerpiece of the WWE women’s division from the moment she came to the main roster. The company had big plans for her and designed those plans to suit her strengths.

WWE knew the kind of performer Charlotte was. WWE also knows how to book a talent in that position. If she’s going to be on top, then she must defeat every challenger put in front of her. Asuka is a one-of-a-kind talent but Charlotte Flair is still the woman to beat. No one is going to get past her on the first try.

Charlotte Flair and Asuka fight tooth-and-nail for the SmackDown Women's Title: WrestleMania 34

But Flair’s win seemed to take the crowd by surprise. The company did a tremendous amount of work building Asuka’s undefeated record and it ultimately defined her as a performer. So when she debuted on the main roster and continued to dominate, fans expected her to keep going.

But therein lays the problem with going undefeated. Asuka is a charismatic talent and is one of the most captivating Superstars in WWE. She’s impossible to ignore when she’s on camera and fans supported her as she rose to the top.

However there is no drama with a star that doesn’t lose. Asuka’s identity was indeed wrapped up in her record and that was the only story that she really had. Yes she is dominant and yes she is confident. But winning had become so routine for her that no one really believed she was ever going to lose.

Asuka cannot be an effective babyface if there’s no potential for her to fail. Fans connect with their favorites through supporting them as they go through hard times. A sympathetic tone develops and the eventual climb back up the ladder is made that much more important.

Asuka has the fans’ respect. But now she will have their love. Fans will see how she handles this loss to Charlotte and whether or not she can recover. Will she allow this moment to negatively impact her? Or will she come back more determined than ever?

Charlotte Flair's family hardships didn't derail her against Asuka: Exclusive, April 8, 2018

Only by fighting from behind can Asuka truly build a rapport with the WWE faithful. They will support her more than ever before and eventually; she will become the women’s champion. Asuka has all the tools to succeed on a very high level and she will do just that.

Tom Clark can regularly be seen on Wrestling Rumors. His podcast, Tom Clark’s Main Event, is available on iTunes, Google Play, iHeart Radio, Amazon Android, Windows Phone and online at boinkstudios.com