Asuka

Real name: Kanako Urai
Height: 5’3
Weight: 137 lbs.
Date of birth: September 26, 1981
Born: Osaka, Japan
Pro debut: June 16, 2004
Trained by: AtoZ
Finishing move: Asuka Lock

Biography

– Prior to beginning her wrestling career, Urai worked as a graphic designer and video game journalist, which led to Microsoft sponsoring her ring-gear for a time
– In her debut match, Kana was defeated by Leo-na
– In March 2006, Kana announced her retirement due to chronic nephritis (inflammation of the kidneys)
– On September 22, 2007, Kana returned to action for Zero-One, losing to Nanae Takahashi
– In late 2007, Kana became a freelancer, though would refer to NEO as her home promotion
– On July 24, 2011, Kana defeated Misaki Ohata to win the Catch the WAVE League
– On September 8, 2011, Kana defeated Serena in the final of a tournament to become the first SMASH Diva Champion
– On October 1, 2011, Kana made her US debut, defeating Sara Del Rey for SHIMMER
– On October 30, 2011, Kana & Ayumi Kurihara defeated Ran YuYu & Toshie Uematsu to win the vacant WAVE Tag Team Titles
– On December 11, 2011, Kana & Kurihara defeated Mio Shirai & Misaki Ohata to retain the WAVE Tag Team Titles
– On January 19, 2012, Kana defeated Tomoka Nakagawa to regain the SMASH Diva Title
– On March 11, 2012, Kana won a 8-person Battle Royal to win the DDT Iron Man Heavymetal Title
– On April 8, 2012, Kana won a 6-person Battle Royal to retain the DDT Iron Man Heavymetal Title
– In August 2012, Kana, Mikey Whipwreck & Tajiri fought AKIRA, Starbuck & Syuri in a series of Barbed Wire Board Deathmatches
– On March 17, 2013, Kana entered the Regina Di WAVE Title tournamnent, but was defeated by Yumi Ohka in the final
– On April 6, 2013, Kana made her PPV debut, competing alongside LuFisto in a losing effort in a Four-Way Tag Team Match at SHIMMER 53
– On April 21, 2013, Kana & Mio Shirai defeated Misaki Ohata & Tsukasa Fujimoto to win the WAVE Tag Team Titles
– On July 7, 2013, Kana & Shirai defeated Sakura Hirota & Tsukasa Fujimoto to retain the WAVE Tag Team Titles
– On August 18, 2013, Kana defeated Arisa Nakajima to win the JWP Openweight Title
– On September 16, 2013, Kana defeated Manami Katsu to retain the JWP Openweight Title
– On October 14, 2013, Kana defeated Hanako Nakamori to retain the JWP Openweight Title
– On November 20, 2014, Kana & Arisa Nakajima defeated Lin Bairon & Syuri in the final of a tournament to become the first REINA Tag Team Champions
– On December 26, 2014, Kana defeated Syuri to win the REINA World Womens Title
– On January 11, 2015, Kana & Nakajima defeated Goya Kong & Muneca de Plata to retain the REINA Tag Team Titles
– On May 17, 2015, Kana defeated Hitana to retain the REINA Womens World Title
– Two weeks later, Kana defeated Reina Isis to retain the REINA Womens World Title
– On June 13, 2015, Kana defeated Yako Fujigasaki to retain the REINA Womens World Title
– Kana appeared on camera at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn, sitting in the front row alongside Ric Flair and Sgt Slaughter
– On August 27, 2015, it was confirmed that Kana had signed with WWE
– In September, Urai’s NXT ringname was unveiled as ‘Asuka’, an apparent homage to Lioness Asuka
– At Takeover: Respect, Asuka made her NXT in-ring debut, defeating Dana Brooke
– At Takeover: London, Asuka defeated Emma
– At Takeover: Dallas, Asuka defeated Bayley by knockout to win the NXT Womens Title
– At Takeover: The End, Asuka defeated Nia Jax to retain the NXT Womens Title
– At Takeover: Brooklyn II, Asuka defeated Bayley to retain the NXT Womens Title
– At Takeover: Toronto, Asuka defeated Mickie James to retain the NXT Womens Title
– At Takeover: San Antonio, Asuka defeated Peyton Royce, Billie Kay & Nikki Cross to retain the NXT Womens Title
– At Takeover: Orlando, Asuka defeated Ember Moon to retain the NXT Womens Title
– At Takeover: Chicago, Asuka defeated Nikki Cross & Ruby Riot in a Triple Threat Match to retain the NXT Womens Title
– On August 17, 2017, Asuka surpassed Rockin’ Robin’s 502 day title reign to become the longest reigning WWE Champion in the national era
– At Takeover: Brooklyn III, Asuka defeated Ember Moon to retain the NXT Womens Title
– At TLC ’17, Asuka made her main roster debut, defeating Emma
– At Survivor Series ’17, Team Raw (Asuka, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Nia Jax & Alicia Fox) defeated Team Smackdown (Becky Lynch, Tamina, Carmella, Natalya & Naomi) in an Elimination Match. Asuka was the sole survivor
– Asuka won the first ever Women’s Royal Rumble in January 2018
– At Elimination Chamber ’18, Asuka defeated Nia Jax
– At Fastlane ’18, Asuka announced that she was using her WrestleMania opportunity to challenge Charlotte Flair for the Smackdown Women’s Title
– Asuka teamed with The Miz to win the first season of WWE’s Mixed Match Challenge
– Asuka’s undefeated streak came to an end at WrestleMania 34, as she lost by submission to Charlotte
– Asuka remained a member of the Smackdown roster following WrestleMania
– At TLC ’18, Asuka defeated Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair in a TLC Match to win the Smackdown Womens Title
– At Royal Rumble ’19, Asuka defeated Lynch to retain the Smackdown Womens Title
– At Fastlane ’19, Asuka defeated Mandy Rose to retain the Smackdown Womens Title
– Following WrestleMania 35, Asuka formed The Kabuki Warriors alongside Kairi Sane
– At Hell In A Cell ’19, The Kabuki Warriors defeated Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross to win the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles
– On October 30, 2019, The Kabuki Warriors defeated Dakota Kai & Tegan Nox to retain the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles
– On November 8, The Kabuki Warriors defeated Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair to retain the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles
– At Starrcade ’19, The Kabuki Warriors defeated Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross, Sasha Banks & Bayley and Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair to retain the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles
– At TLC ’19, The Kabuki Warriors defeated Becky Lynch & Charlotte Flair in a TLC Match to retain the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles
– Asuka won the 2020 Money In The Bank Match, earning herself the Raw Womens Title from incumbent champion Becky Lynch, who surrendered the belt due to her pregnancy
– At Backlash 2020, Asuka fought Nia Jax to a double countout to retain the Raw Womens Title
– The next night on Raw, Asuka defeated Jax to retain the Raw Womens Title
– On June 17, Asuka defeated Charlotte Flair to retain the Raw Womens Title
– At Extreme Rules ’20, Asuka fought Sasha Banks to a no-contest to retain the Raw Womens Title
– At Summerslam ’20, Asuka defeated Sasha Banks to regain the Raw Womens Title that she had lost around a month earlier, but failed in her bid to win Bayley’s Smackdown Womens Title
– On August 24, Asuka defeated Banks in a Lumberjack Match to retain the Raw Womens Title
– On September 14, Asuka defeated Mickie James to retain the Raw Womens Title
– At Clash of Champions ’20, Asuka defeated Zelina Vega to retain the Raw Womens Title, but again failed in her bid to win Bayley’s Smackdown Womens Title, defeating the champion by DQ
– On September 28, Asuka again defeated Vega to retain the Raw Womens Title
– On October 19, Asuka defeated Lana to retain the Raw Womens Title
– On November 23, Asuka defeated Lana by DQ to retain the Raw Womens Title
– At TLC ’20, Asuka & Charlotte Flair defeated Nia Jax & Shayna Baszler to win the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles
– On December 22, Asuka & Flair defeated Carmella & Bayley and Sasha Banks & Bianca Belair to retain the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles
– On January 25, 2021, Asuka fought Alexa Bliss to a no-contest to retain the Raw Womens Title
– Asuka would suffer an injury at Money In The Bank 2021, ruling her out of action for close to a year
– Asuka returned to Raw on the April 25, 2022 episode
– On the October 31, 2022 Raw, Asuka & Alexa Bliss defeated Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai & IYO SKY) to win the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles, but would lose them back a week later at Crown Jewel
– At Survivor Series 2022, Asuka, Bliss, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair & Mia Yim defeated Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, IYO SKY & Bayley), Nikki Cross & Rhea Ripley in a War Games Match
– Asuka returned to action after a short layoff at the 2023 Royal Rumble, re-debuting using her old Kana face paint
– Asuka won the Women’s Chamber Match at Elimination Chamber 2023
– At Night Of Champions 2023, Asuka defeated Bianca Belair to win the Raw Womens Title
– On the June 30 Smackdown, Asuka fought Charlotte Flair to a no-contest to retain the renamed WWE Womens Title
– In November 2023, Asuka joined Bayley’s Damage CTRL stable
– On the January 26, 2024 Smackdown, The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) defeated Kayden Carter & Katana Chance to win the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles
– On the February 5 Raw, The Kabuki Warriors defeated Kayden Carter & Katana Chance to retain the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles
– On the Elimination Chamber 2024 pre-show, The Kabuki Warriors defeated Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell to retain the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles
– At NXT Roadblock 2024, The Kabuki Warriors defeated Tatum Paxley & Lyra Valkyria to retain the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles
– On the March 11 Raw, The Kabuki Warriors defeated Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark to retain the WWE Womens Tag Team Titles
– All four members of Damage CTRL were moved to the Raw brand in the 2024 Draft