Asuka receives fans' wrath ahead of WrestleMania 39 match: How did she deal with it?
Asuka is one of the most popular WWE Superstars on the roster. Between her in-ring fury and enjoyable personality, it's no wonder that fans have been drawn to the Empress of Tomorrow since her debut with the company in 2015.
Unfortunately, some of the fanbase can get hostile, something Asuka has apparently been dealing with heading into WrestleMania 39 Night Two.
WWE's second-ever Women's Grand Slam Champion shared a tweet earlier today contemplating whether the harassment she's been facing as of late comes from Bianca Belair's fans or if it's simply pure hatred.
🧨
Are the people who are being aggressive towards me fans of Bianca? Or do they just hate me?
Either way, it's dangerous 💣 🧨💥
The tweet came at the end of several others by the 41-year-old WWE Superstar where she stated that she was on a blocking spree. Fans have come to the support of Asuka, claiming that the horrible responses she's received stem from either Bianca Belair stans or, unfortunately, racist fans.
When asked by one of her followers who was bothering her, she claimed there were many.
@nubg0d There are many 🫠
Multiple reports over the past few years have attributed the rise in racism and violence against the Asian American community to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Asuka reinvented herself before earning a WWE RAW Women's Championship match at WrestleMania 39
In January, Asuka returned from a short hiatus in time for the Royal Rumble. She shocked the WWE Universe with an appearance similar to her old Kana character. Though she didn't win the match, she had a strong showing and finished third before being eliminated by eventual winner Rhea Ripley.
At Elimination Chamber, she battled Carmella, Liv Morgan, Natalya, Nikki Cross, and Raquel Rodriguez for an opportunity to face WWE RAW Women's Champion Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 39. After securing three eliminations, she became the only woman to win the Royal Rumble, Money in the Bank, and Elimination Chamber (fourth overall).
The build-up to this highly anticipated title bout has been less than stellar, with many fans questioning WWE creative's ability to explore a story between two of the most exciting wrestlers on the roster. Thankfully, Bianca Belair and Asuka both bring enough energy, charisma, and in-ring talent to carry the story.
The two have strong competition to follow, as Rhea Ripley and Charlotte Flair delivered a match-of-the-year contender on WrestleMania 39 Night One. Still, there's a good possibility the ladies will steal both nights on the Grandest Stage of Them All.