We have a brand new Smackdown Women’s Champion and her name is Asuka. Last Sunday at TLC, Asuka followed through on her promise to transition from the “Empress Of Tomorrow” to the “Champion Of Today”. The former NXT Women’s Champion is reportedly liked very well backstage, but management does have a select issue with Asuka. Multiple sources including Brad Shepard report that while most really like her, Vince isn’t a huge fan. Part of the reason for this is because Asuka doesn’t produce high merchandise sale numbers.
“Certain people in WWE love Asuka. Now here’s the key: Vince doesn’t but everyone else does apparently. Hence her booking in NXT with the Goldberg streak and then winning the first Women’s Royal Rumble. Asuka, she doesn’t sell a dime in merchandise.”- Ringside News
Whether or not Asuka increases her merchandise numbers now that she is champion remains to be seen yet, but most of WWE management seems fond of her nonetheless for her strong in-ring ability.
AJ Styles recently sat down with WrestleZone where he was asked about wearing a protective cup in the ring after what happened during his feud with Nakamura. During the feud, Styles must have taken a dozen or more shots below the belt and many fans suggested via social media that Styles wear a protective cup in the ring. This is what the former Champ had to say about it:
“Well you know, even when I played baseball when I was younger I didn’t like wearing a cup because it got in the way of getting up and you know, it was just in the way. If I wore it now and I did a splash and missed, how would that feel? It would hurt. You know there are things that can happen in a match where this whole cup thing can actually hurt me. Just saying and I know I don’t need to be having any more kids anyway.”
With Aj’s response, fans now have a valid reason for Styles not wearing a cup. Hopefully in the future, he can steer clear of the infamous below the belt shot.
