Report: Asuka's Original WrestleMania 35 Opponent Was Lacey Evans

Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer reports that Asuka was once scheduled to face main roster new comer Lacey Evans at this year’s WrestleMania 35, but plans seemed to have changed. According to Meltzer, “There actually was talk of Asuka and Lacey Evans being the WrestleMania match and it was definitely on the books at one point, but I was led to believe that that is being reconsidered. It’s not 100% no. It could happen. It was actually on the books, but the point is it’s not 100% yes and it’s maybe more than likely no.”

Meltzer doesn’t believe Asuka has a definitive WrestleMania 35 opponent just yet, “I wasn’t given an opponent for Asuka, yet. The idea is I don’t think they have one.”

After winning the inaugural Women’s Royal Rumble match, Asuka faced Charlotte Flair at last year’s WrestleMania 34, but came up short in her effort to dethrone then SmackDown Women’s Champion. Some have speculated that a Charlotte Flair/Asuka 2 match at this year’s WrestleMania would make sense, however after WWE CEO Vince McMahon enforced a 60 day suspension on this year’s Royal Rumble winner Becky Lynch, Flair was chosen as Ronda Rousey‘s WrestleMania 35 opponent.

Lacey Evans has debuted on WWE television and even made a brief appearance at the Elimination Chamber, but short of walking up and down the entrance ramp has yet to do much, in terms of involving herself in the storyline.

Who will challenge Asuka at WrestleMania 35? Readers are invited to share their opinions in the comments section below.

Meltzer’s comments appear in full via the following video:

Asuka

Asuka

NXT TakeOver: Dallas was a major professional wrestling show in the NXT TakeOver series that took place on April 1, 2016, produced by WWE, showcasing its NXT developmental brand, and was streamed live on the WWE Network. It took place in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, during the weekend of WrestleMania 32. It was the first show in the NXT TakeOver series to be broadcast live on the WWE Network during WrestleMania weekend and first of 2016.[4] It was notable for Shinsuke Nakamura's WWE debut and first live match.The event received critical acclaim, with critics endorsing it as being better than WWE's WrestleMania 32 held two days later. The Zayn-Nakamura match was also lauded for being better than any match from WrestleMania 32.Asuka def. (sub) Bayley (c) for the NXT Women's Title(title change)
Asuka
Asuka
Asuka

NXT TakeOver: Dallas was a major professional wrestling show in the NXT TakeOver series that took place on April 1, 2016, produced by WWE, showcasing its NXT developmental brand, and was streamed live on the WWE Network. It took place in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, during the weekend of WrestleMania 32. It was the first show in the NXT TakeOver series to be broadcast live on the WWE Network during WrestleMania weekend and first of 2016.[4] It was notable for Shinsuke Nakamura's WWE debut and first live match.The event received critical acclaim, with critics endorsing it as being better than WWE's WrestleMania 32 held two days later. The Zayn-Nakamura match was also lauded for being better than any match from WrestleMania 32.Asuka def. (sub) Bayley (c) for the NXT Women's Title(title change)
Asuka

NXT TakeOver: Dallas was a major professional wrestling show in the NXT TakeOver series that took place on April 1, 2016, produced by WWE, showcasing its NXT developmental brand, and was streamed live on the WWE Network. It took place in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, during the weekend of WrestleMania 32. It was the first show in the NXT TakeOver series to be broadcast live on the WWE Network during WrestleMania weekend and first of 2016.[4] It was notable for Shinsuke Nakamura's WWE debut and first live match.The event received critical acclaim, with critics endorsing it as being better than WWE's WrestleMania 32 held two days later. The Zayn-Nakamura match was also lauded for being better than any match from WrestleMania 32.Asuka def. (sub) Bayley (c) for the NXT Women's Title(title change)
Asuka
Asuka

NXT TakeOver: Dallas was a major professional wrestling show in the NXT TakeOver series that took place on April 1, 2016, produced by WWE, showcasing its NXT developmental brand, and was streamed live on the WWE Network. It took place in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center in Dallas, Texas, during the weekend of WrestleMania 32. It was the first show in the NXT TakeOver series to be broadcast live on the WWE Network during WrestleMania weekend and first of 2016.[4] It was notable for Shinsuke Nakamura's WWE debut and first live match.The event received critical acclaim, with critics endorsing it as being better than WWE's WrestleMania 32 held two days later. The Zayn-Nakamura match was also lauded for being better than any match from WrestleMania 32.Asuka def. (sub) Bayley (c) for the NXT Women's Title(title change)
Asuka