The WWE Backlash premium live event emanated from Tampa, Florida on Saturday night and the show featured some big matches. For months now Iyo Sky and Asuka have been involved in a heated feud, and Iyo picked up a decisive win over Asuka at Backlash.
After the match Iyo Sky bowed to Asuka and Asuka got emotional as she embraced Iyo. Asuka was in tears as she left the arena and many fans were left to wonder if The Empress of Tomorrow was saying goodbye.
While talking about Asuka’s status on Wrestling Observe Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that he was told she is now semi-retired following Backlash, although it’s not clear whether or not she will continue to wrestle.
“So, the story I heard is that she is semi-retired. I haven’t really gotten an exact meaning of what semi-retired means, but I guess people were wishing her goodbye and stuff like that backstage. I don’t know if that means she’s going to go to Japan and still wrestle, I don’t know if that mean’s going to still do stuff here and there, but I was told she’s semi-retired.”
Asuka first signed with WWE in 2015 and quickly became the top star in the women’s division in NXT. She was undefeated for 914 days and managed to win the first ever women’s Royal Rumble. She went on to challenge Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 34, and her undefeated streak came to an end when Charlotte picked up the win on the Grandest Stage of Them All.
In addition to her historic women’s Royal Rumble win, throughout her run with the company Asuka managed to become a one time NXT Women’s Champion, four time Women’s Champion on the main roster, a five time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion, and she also won the women’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
Stay tuned for updates.