Asuka Returns to Monday Night Raw and Wins Her First WWE Match in 408 Days

Asuka makes a storybook comeback to Monday Night Raw and qualifies for the Queen of the Ring semi finals.

Asuka Returns to Monday Night Raw and Wins Her First WWE Match in 408 Days

Asuka (via WWE)

This week’s Raw saw the much-anticipated return of former Women’s Champion Asuka. The Empress of Tomorrow stepped back into the ring to compete in the Queen of the Ring tournament, taking on Stephanie Vaquer, Ivy Nile, and Raquel Rodriguez. Even after being out of action for over 408 days, Asuka didn’t miss a beat—she picked up a big win and made it clear she’s back in a big way.

Asuka was in full control throughout the match, dominating her opponents both in and out of the ring. Despite it being her first match in over a year, she showed no signs of ring rust. The former Women’s Champion even pulled off a few high-flying moves with ease. In the final moments, Asuka hit the Empress Impact on Raquel Rodriguez to seal an impressive win in her big return.

The 43-year-old veteran even got a little help from Rhea Ripley during the match. Before this comeback, Asuka’s last appearance in WWE was at Backlash in France on May 4, 2024. She had teamed up with Kairi Sane that night to take on Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill in a match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles.

After the match, Cathy Kelley caught up with Asuka for a quick interview, asking what’s next for her in WWE. Asuka didn’t waste any time—she said she’s better than ever and ready for real competition. She wrapped it up with her signature line, “No one is ready for Asuka,” making it loud and clear that she is back to take over Raw.

Asuka is set to face Alexa Bliss on SmackDown this week

With her latest win, Asuka has punched her ticket to the semi-finals of the Queen of the Ring tournament. The stakes are huge, as whoever wins the whole thing gets a shot at a Women’s World Title at SummerSlam this August. Next up, Asuka will go head-to-head with Alexa Bliss on SmackDown, and it is shaping up to be a must-see match.

Alexa Bliss and Asuka
Alexa Bliss and Asuka (via WWE)

The Five Feet of Fury earned her spot in the semi-finals by taking down Charlotte Flair, Candice LeRae, and Alba Fyre last week on SmackDown. Now, Bliss is set to face Asuka in what is already one of the most talked-about matchups of the tournament. These two have a long history in WWE, and their upcoming showdown is sure to reignite that classic rivalry.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the bracket, Jade Cargill is set to take on Roxanne Perez in the other Queen of the Ring semi-final. With so much talent and a SummerSlam title shot on the line, things are definitely heating up. After her dominant return, Asuka’s looking like a strong favorite to go all the way and grab that championship opportunity in August.

WWE has reportedly ended Asuka’s faction The Damage CTRL

Asuka was a member of the Damage CTRL faction before suffering an injury in May of last year. Although WWE continued the group’s presence for a while, it was soon derailed by unfortunate injuries to both Kairi Sane and Dakota Kai. Following that, WWE shifted focus to IYO SKY’s rise to prominence, with no further signs of Damage CTRL appearing on Raw.

Asuka with The Damage CTRL
Asuka with The Damage CTRL (via WWE)

However, according to Fightful Select, WWE currently has no plans to reunite Damage CTRL on Monday Night Raw. The report further states that the faction has been quietly removed from the company’s internal roster list, indicating that WWE has officially disbanded the group for the time being.

Moreover, the report suggests that this could be one of the reasons behind WWE releasing Dakota Kai from the roster back in May. With Damage CTRL now disbanded, the company appears to be focusing on pushing SKY, Sane, and Asuka as singles competitors on Raw—something reflected in their recent booking on the show.

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