Asuka completed her first successful pay-per-view title defense as Raw Women’s Champion on Sunday at Backlash against Nia Jax, though it wasn’t in the way many fans had hoped. Throughout the match the champ wore down the powerhouse Jax with submission holds, including the sleeper hold, the octopus and the guillotine. Then late in the match she managed to pull Jax over the top rope and locked in an armbar on the floor below. Jax escaped, and the two continued to fight as the referee called for the bell.
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Because of the champion’s advantage, Asuka retained the Raw Women’s Champion despite the double count-out.
A parting gift for @NiaJaxWWE…#WWERaw @WWEAsuka pic.twitter.com/UzS1azu8No
— WWE (@WWE) June 15, 2020
The Empress originally won the Women’s Money in the Bank briefcase at WWE Headquarters last month, only to learn the following night that a secret stipulation had been added to the bout. Becky Lynch revealed that, due to the fact that she was pregnant with her first child, the winner of the Women’s ladder match would be crowned the new Raw Women’s Champion, giving Asuka the last title she needed to become the second female Grand Slam Champion in WWE history.
Though WWE didn’t mention it in the build to the match, Jax has still never been able to pin Asuka on television.
In Singles Matches, @WWEAsuka is a perfect 5-0 against @NiaJaxWWE. This includes 2 #WWENXT matches, 2 #WWERaw matches, and one previous PPV match.
The only time Nia Jax pinned Asuka was in the final fall of the 2018 Survivor Series Raw vs. #SmackDown 5-on-5 Match. #WWEBacklash
— WWE Stats & Info (@WWEStats) June 14, 2020
Lynch confirmed her due date was set for December, and that she plans on getting back to working full-time afterwards.
“Bringing it closer to home, I’ll talk about the mothers in my own line of work: WWE superstars Asuka, Mickie James and Lacey Evans. They’ve all proven that you can do both,” Lynch told ESPN.
“That’s something that I’ve always preached and wanted women to have that equality,” she added. “And of course, to be on the level with the male performers and be on the same level in terms of pay, in terms of treatment. But also, this kind of goes hand in hand where a guy can go and have a kid and doesn’t have to miss a beat in his career. Unfortunately, we do. But that’s also a fortunate thing because we get to experience things that they never will, but also it just doesn’t mean that it’s got to be the end for a career in any line. And I think a lot of people have proved that, and I hope to join them.”
