"Until the real champion gets the title" - Surprising star could dethrone Asuka before Iyo Sky, remarks 52-year-old WWE veteran
Asuka vs. Iyo Sky for the WWE Women's Championship is a contest that fans have been salivating over ever since their brief interaction during The Grayson Waller Effect on the June 2 episode of SmackDown. This could have been part of the reason why the company pulled the trigger with Sky, who has also been putting on stellar performances of late.
While the aforementioned point was brought up by Denise Salcedo on a recent episode of Busted Open, Mark Henry feels that the current triangle storyline will likely culminate with The Empress dropping her title.
Mark Henry predicted the outcome of the rumored SummerSlam match between the three top stars. While Asuka is one of the best technicians in the company and has a wide array of fans backing her, the money is on a one-on-one feud between Belair and Flair:
"Bianca said it best: 'I was the longest tenured champion in the modern era, and it didn't take me to lose it 16 times,'" Henry said. "So, the battle of supremacy is between Charlotte and Bianca. That's where the money is. Everybody wants to see them. But how do you get there?" [32:06-32:44]
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The Hall of Famer even agreed during the conversation that the Japanese star wasn't booked to be the top star by WWE despite the fact that the company chose her to end Belair's historic title reign. While he would have loved to see Asuka vs. Iyo Sky, Henry does not believe the world champion's reign will last long:
"Asuka's an interim champion until the real champion gets the title. And that's sad. It ain't her fault. It is what it is." [32:46-33:01]
The Japanese sensation retained her title against both Flair and Belair on WWE SmackDown, albeit after interference from both stars.
34-year-old WWE Superstar on facing Asuka at WrestleMania 39
Asuka is one of the stars WWE had carefully built during her run in NXT. Even after being called up to the main roster, she continued her undefeated run, which ultimately ended at a staggering 914 days. At WrestleMania 34, Charlotte Flair forced The Empress to submit in singles competition.
During an interview with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, Bianca Belair expressed excitement in facing The Empress of Tomorrow:
"Definitely, when I saw Asuka won Elimination Chamber, I was super excited. 'Okay, this is good, this is great, we're going to go out there and have a banger match,'" Belair said. [H/T: Fightful]
Bianca Belair vs. Charlotte Flair would be an instant classic, IMO.
But, you got to go w/the triple threat for #SummerSlam - Belair vs. Flair vs. Asuka.
#SmackDown https://t.co/FlACumXo5X
While the EST retained her title over the former Kana on The Grandest Stage, the latter finally dethroned the longest-reigning women's champion of the modern era at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia.
Check out fan reactions to a potential match between The Empress of Tomorrow and Iyo Sky here.
If you use any quotes, please credit Busted Open and give a H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.