WWE superstar Asuka spoke to Sports Illustrated to hype up tonight’s SummerSlam pay per view, where she’ll be challenging both Sasha Banks and Bayley at an opportunity to become women’s champion once again. Highlights are below.
How she was feeling homesick when she first came to WWE:
I know it’s been the right decision to come to WWE, but it was hard,” said Asuka, who is 38-year-old Kanako Urai, through a translator. “Coming to the United States, it’s a different way of life. A different language, a different wrestling style. Yes, there were many doubts and struggles. Kairi Sane, her friendship was such a big help. Kairi is my first-ever tag team partner, and I’ve been so sad since she left. I miss her so much.
Calls WWE her greatest challenge:
I wrestled in Japan a long time, and I’d done it for so long, I thought I was done wrestling,” said Asuka. “WWE had been scouting me, and that’s when I decided to come to the United States. I came right as the ‘Women’s Revolution’ was starting, and I think my technique helped contribute to it. In wrestling, WWE is my greatest challenge and opportunity.
On her SummerSlam opportunity:
This SummerSlam is like WrestleMania to me,” said Asuka. “There is so much history in WWE. Big shows like SummerSlam have great history, so I’m very nervous, but I am excited to get in the ring with Sasha and Bayley. Sasha and Bayley are two amazing wrestlers. Our styles, the way we think, it is so very different. In the ring, I think a lot more similarly to Shayna Baszler. Sasha and Bayley are different from me, but they both have an incredible fighting spirit. I respect them very much, and I want our matches to start right now if they could.