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Charly Caruso interviews Charlotte prior to her match with Asuka. Caruso asks about the Asuka fight the night before and feels Charlotte's behavior isn't "captain-like." Charlotte says she was the best woman to be the captain (but doesn't say she's "captain-like") & suggested Asuka is jealous of Charlotte breaking Asuka's streak and ruining Asuka's aura.
A short recap of what happened at Survivor Series plays before the match. Charlotte points out to Asuka before the match that her mist dyed her hair and she can't get it out.
Kairi goes after Charlotte during the first part of the match to Asuka's advantage. Charlotte scares Kairi up to the concourse leaving Asuka alone.
Kairi later returns after a commercial break. She stops Charlotte from attempting a Figure Four/Figure Eight on Asuka. Charlotte this time catches Kairi and throws her into the ring post before she can run into the audience. As Charlotte enters the ring Kairi distracts the referee, allowing Asuka to pin and mist Charlotte.
Mar 10, 2024
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During the match Charlotte targets Asuka's knee, hampering Asuka's ability to fight. Despite the targeting, Asuka is able to execute some moves--a drop kick off the turnbuckle here, an octopus stretch there. Kairi starts interfering in the match; she prevents Charlotte from doing something off the turnbuckle with Asuka. She later costs Asuka the match after Charlotte puts Asuka in the Figure Four/Figure Eight leg lock; Kairi breaks it up with an InSane Elbow.
Mar 18, 2024
Charlotte walks to the ring as a recap of Charlotte vs. Asuka from the week before plays. The Kabuki Warriors are interviewed before the match. Asuka speaks mostly in Japanese as Kairi laughs throughout. They then claim they both will beat Charlotte before leaving gorilla position.
Before the match Kairi hits Charlotte with her wagasa and Asuka attacks Charlotte with her fists. The match starts. The Kabuki Warriors quick tag to control Charlotte and keep her in their corner. Charlotte’s able to get some momentum, but the Kabuki Warriors are able to break out or kick out of pins. The Kabuki Warriors win after Kairi makes a stealth tag before Charlotte puts Asuka in a Figure Four (with the intention of putting her in a Figure Eight). Kairi hits Charlotte with an InSane Elbow.
Charlotte is interviewed after the match saying she doesn’t regret wrestling the Kabuki Warriors.
Mar 11, 2024
Charlotte is later interviewed. She's asked about her upcoming match with Asuka as well as her loss at NXT Takeover: In Your House. She claims she didn't lose as she wasn't pinned or submit. She says she elevated the NXT Women's Championship. She also claims Asuka is trying to "steal her moment." Asuka dances in with the Raw Women's Title. "Do you ever take anything seriously?" Charlotte asks. "Yes. Yes, I do," Asuka says before slapping her.
During their match, commentary suggests that Charlotte is downplaying her loss to Io Shirai at TakeOver: In Your House. Bayley and Sasha Banks come back out, this time to sit on commentary. During the break Charlotte sends Asuka flying over the announce desk. Both fight on the outside before entering the ring. The IIconics watch the match behind the plexiglass barricades around the ring. They attack Bayley and Sasha Banks. All are ejected before the last commercial break.
Commentary wonders how much Asuka can handle before her match with Nia Jax at Backlash as Charlotte struggles to take out Asuka. Asuka is able to kick out of a Charlotte spear and places Charlotte into a submission. Nia comes out and interferes, allowing Charlotte to spear and pin Asuka. Nia Samoan Drops Asuka.
Apr 5, 2024
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Writers questioned Asuka's poison mist gimmick after it appeared in WWE at Hell in a Cell. A writer from Wrestleview called the gimmick "stereotypical." The Ringer blamed the mist gimmick on...Paul Heyman. But here is a video from a WrestleMania weekend where Asuka talks about her admiration for The Great Muta and her desire to do a poison mist gimmick in WWE about a year and a half before she started doing it.
Mar 2, 2024
IIconics (champions) vs. Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville vs. Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross vs. Kabuki Warriors.
* Mandy Rose rolls up Billie Kay for a pin, eliminating the IIconics.
* Asuka submits Rose with the Asuka Lock, eliminating Rose and Deville.
* Nikki pushes Kairi off the turnbuckle, leaving her susceptible to a punch (forearm?) by Bliss as Paige watches. Bliss hits Twisted Bliss, win titles.
Feb 28, 2024
Since all of this is not on YouTube.
On this episode of SmackDown the Tokyo tour dates are recapped, complete with footage of the Kabuki Warriors winning against the IIconics in Tokyo.
A backstage segment (linked here) follows where Paige and the Kabuki Warriors confront the IIconics for the title shot they were promised. The IIconics delay the title match. The segment ends with face manager Paige slapping Billie Kay.
Feb 27, 2024