Is Bianca Belair ready for Asuka?
With victory inside the Elimination Chamber, a revitalised Asuka booked herself a shot at the EST and the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 39.
The crowd was on fire for the opening match of the night, with special ovations being reserved for Natalya, Asuka, and Raquel Rodriguez.
It was Natalya and Liv Morgan who got the action underway, as Morgan attempted to repeat her ironwoman performance from the Royal Rumble. Unsurprisingly, the brawl quickly spilled to the outside with Natalya showing her vicious streak, launching her rival into one of the pods to the delight of the crowd.
Next in was Raquel Rodriguez who wasted little time in asserting her dominance. Despite this, it was Natalya who was again standing tall when Nikki Cross made her way into the madness. Cross, who has become increasingly unhinged in recent weeks was right at home inside the cage taking the fight to anyone she could get her hands on. This led to her hitting a huge Crossbody from the top of Carmella’s pod.
The fifth woman into the match was Carmella who quickly tried to pin just about everyone who had been laid out by Cross. In an act of self-preservation, Carmella then locked herself back into her own pod, only to have to escape as Rodriguez smashed Cross through the side.
Rodriguez then quickly capitalised to pin the Scottish star and eliminate her. With Cross gone, Liv Morgan hit a death-defying Sunset Powerbomb from the top of a pod onto Rodriguez who somehow kicked out of a pin from Carmella.
Straight into the action was the final entrant Asuka who began by chasing Carmella around the chamber. Unfortunately for Carmella, the Empress of Tomorrow eventually caught her.
The next woman eliminated was Liv Morgan who fell to a pair of submissions from Natalya and Asuka, passing out before she could submit. She was quickly followed out of the match by Natalya who was opportunistically eliminated by Carmella.
As the match hurtled towards a conclusion, Asuka and Carmella worked together to dispatch Rodriguez.
However, despite much taunting from Carmella, Asuka was simply not going to be denied. Roared on by the capacity crowd, the Japanese star claimed the win with the Asuka Lock.
What a display of teamwork between @WWEAsuka & @CarmellaWWE at #WWEChamber! 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/CKvRG4Q7Eg
— WWE (@WWE) February 19, 2023
Asuka Books WrestleMania Showdown With Bianca Belair
Rhea Ripley won the women’s Royal Rumble match from number one and quickly chose her WrestleMania match. The Judgment Day star explained on Raw that she had unfinished business with Charlotte Flair, so she was gunning for the SmackDown Women’s Title.
This left Bianca Belair without a match, that is until now. Belair won the Raw Women’s Title back at WrestleMania 38 where she overcame Becky Lynch. However, could WrestleMania 39 mark the end of the EST’s run of dominance?