In recent weeks, the former Raw Women’s Champion Asuka teased character change, most notably on recent edition of Monday Night Raw, where she came to the ring without wearing her classic face paint and displaying a much more stoic look on her face.
According to reports from Xero News, WWE higher-ups reportedly want top Monday Night Raw superstar Asuka to maintain her established ring name even if they do decide to change her on-screen gimmick.
“Told Asuka will not be dropping the Asuka name, regardless of gimmick change or whatever. She will have the persona but just not the name,” Xero News tweeted.
Prior signing with World Wrestling Entertainment in 2015, the former NXT Champion Asuka was known in her native Japan under the ring name Kana, a name that struck fear in all who faced her.