Post#1804 » by LLJ » Fri Mar 23, 2018 10:02 pm
I don't know about the long term WWE plans for Nakamura (I feel like their plans for him are more short term and they don't quiiiite believe in him), but I do get the feeling they have Asuka set up for bigger things for the next 1-2 years, or at least until Ronda is ready to take the ball. I think they will keep trying to get her better with english and trot her out on the mic every once in a while to get her practice. It will be bad for a while, or maybe it will never get good, but they are hoping she gets better. For now they probably just want her to get her lines out even if her delivery is all over the place.
Should she have a mouthpiece? Yes, it would make things easier. They risk her losing her audience if they have her english promo too often. But Vince doesn't like managers. He's in cost cutting mode these days. He doesn't feel they are worth the money for what they do. So he will live with the bad promos.
Why is she getting this push? If you look at all the things that make a superstar, she fits nearly every category except for english ability
1. She's got a unique look
2. She's physically charismatic
3. She's skilled, reliable, and experienced in the ring, not to mention she has a unique and high-speed wrestling style
4. She's got a strong work ethic, never phones in a match
5. She has proven to be physically durable throughout her career
6. She is physically attractive enough to market
And lastly, the WWE has been looking for someone to be the current face of the women's division for a while now, but girls either lacked an "it" factor or weren't willing to take on that role. Alexa and Charlotte are currently the champs but they lack several things that perhaps make them strong enough candidates (Alexa can talk but is VERY suspect in the ring and Charlotte is someone who feels like she's just rehashing her father's gimmick less charismatically). I always felt like they should have built around Sasha, who has nearly everything you'd want, but Sasha for some reason doesn't seem to have Vince's complete trust and has at times hinted at her reluctance about being thrust with the responsibility of being put in such an immense role. There are no other really good candidates. Bayley and Becky are the other two very good wrestlers they have on the main roster but the WWE feels maybe they lack a certain star power (you can agree or disagree with that notion). Much of the women's division is still very green right now and aren't really ready to work big matches.
And going from insiders I've heard, Asuka is looked at with some awe by WWE officials and other female wrestlers backstage. She's apparently got this authority, credibility, and presence and few things seem to really faze her. She can take criticism, boos, people making fun of her english, her nip slips being broadcast and captured by online trolls, and it all seems to roll off her back. So she seems to be the only one really willing to reach for that proverbial "brass ring."
So with all that in mind, maybe they feel going with the foreigner is their best option since Asuka doesn't seem as fazed by the weight of expectations as most women are and she has *enough* of what they like. Honestly, her rise is the most interesting push the WWE has done in a long time because she's such an atypical choice for them to have to carry an entire division. Yet on many levels she does make sense.