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On SmackDown (June 5), Bayley and Sasha Banks won the Women's Tag Team Championship from Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross days before WWE's Backlash PPV as well as Bayley's real life birthday (June 15). Asuka's supposed to be facing Charlotte Flair later in the evening. Bayley and Sasha come out instead, claiming they should open the show instead of Asuka. Asuka says it's her ring; Bayley and Sasha say they should be in the ring because of their tag titles.
At NXT TakeOver: In Your House (June 7), Charlotte lost her NXT Women's Title to Io Shirai in a triple threat between Rhea Ripley and Io. Charlotte comes out. She says she was doing the brand-hopping Bayley and Sasha were doing but with the NXT Women's Championship. Charlotte reminds Bayley and Sasha of their loss at WrestleMania 35. Asuka interjects in Japanese. Bayley and Sasha say Charlotte tried and failed to put a wedge in their friendship. Charlotte says that unlike Bayley and Sasha Banks, she's still relevant without a title. A fight breaks out.
Apr 4, 2024
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Charlotte is later interviewed. She's asked about her upcoming match with Asuka as well as her loss at NXT Takeover: In Your House. She claims she didn't lose as she wasn't pinned or submit. She says she elevated the NXT Women's Championship. She also claims Asuka is trying to "steal her moment." Asuka dances in with the Raw Women's Title. "Do you ever take anything seriously?" Charlotte asks. "Yes. Yes, I do," Asuka says before slapping her.
During their match, commentary suggests that Charlotte is downplaying her loss to Io Shirai at TakeOver: In Your House. Bayley and Sasha Banks come back out, this time to sit on commentary. During the break Charlotte sends Asuka flying over the announce desk. Both fight on the outside before entering the ring. The IIconics watch the match behind the plexiglass barricades around the ring. They attack Bayley and Sasha Banks. All are ejected before the last commercial break.
Commentary wonders how much Asuka can handle before her match with Nia Jax at Backlash as Charlotte struggles to take out Asuka. Asuka is able to kick out of a Charlotte spear and places Charlotte into a submission. Nia comes out and interferes, allowing Charlotte to spear and pin Asuka. Nia Samoan Drops Asuka.
Apr 5, 2024
A Charly Caruso interview shows the growing rift between Bayley and Sasha Banks when Sasha puts their tag team championships on the line the following week.
Later for Bayley and Sasha's match Nikki Cross, Bayley's Extreme Rules challenger, appears on commentary. Security wants her gone from commentary, but the commentary desk talk them down. Bayley and Sasha argue with Nikki after they make their entrance. The Kabuki Warriors enter shortly thereafter.
Early in the match Bayley rolls out of a kneebar attempt. Bayley uses her time out of the ring to knock off Nikki's headset. It's enough for security to escort Nikki away from commentary and for Bayley to think she's gotten rid of a distraction for the rest of her match.
Before a second commercial break, Bayley uses the time she has after slamming Asuka into the announce desk to grab Nikki's vacated headset to invite Sasha over and to talk into said headset.
After the break Bayley tries to taunt Asuka into using her poison mist attack and mocks her dancing. Asuka charges at Bayley. Bayley tries to grab Asuka's tights but Asuka hits her with a backfist and then a hip attack. Bayley throws Asuka into the turnbuckle but after Sasha kicks Asuka Asuka is able to still kick out of a Bayley pin attempt. Bayley chokes Asuka on the ropes and has Sasha bring over a bottle of water to splash it in Asuka's face. It's then revealed Nikki has escaped security to lurk behind the plexiglass separating the ring from the audience mostly made up of people training at the Performance Center and people already on NXT TV. (And some of them are still on main roster and/or NXT TV to this writing!) Asuka attempts to get in an Asuka Lock but Bayley escapes. Sasha tries to help Bayley escape a second Asuka Lock attempt but Kairi spears Sasha. Asuka wins by pinfall.
Apr 14, 2024
Charlotte's match here is before her match at NXT TakeOver: In Your House. She's scheduled to defend the title against former NXT Women's Champion Rhea Ripley and Io Shirai, a woman who received a title shot against Charlotte and ended up in this triple threat because of several matches stopped by disqualification. Charlotte tells the audience here to shut up and respect her as she'll retain at In Your House. (She doesn't retain at In Your House, losing the title to Io.) Charlotte claims Asuka has a history of "bowing down" to (never winning against) her.
Asuka comes out for the match. Commentary suggests it took a while for Asuka to recover after her WrestleMania 34 match. During the match Asuka's leg is injured but she moves as if she's okay. Charlotte tries to work on Asuka's leg with a Boston crab but she breaks out of it. Asuka tries to trap Charlotte in a powerbomb but Charlotte dumps Asuka out of the ring. Asuka loses the match by count out after Nia, wearing Asuka's mask and dancing like Asuka, clotheslines her outside the ring.
Apr 4, 2024
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IIconics (champions) vs. Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville vs. Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross vs. Kabuki Warriors.
* Mandy Rose rolls up Billie Kay for a pin, eliminating the IIconics.
* Asuka submits Rose with the Asuka Lock, eliminating Rose and Deville.
* Nikki pushes Kairi off the turnbuckle, leaving her susceptible to a punch (forearm?) by Bliss as Paige watches. Bliss hits Twisted Bliss, win titles.
Feb 28, 2024
Since all of this is not on YouTube.
On this episode of SmackDown the Tokyo tour dates are recapped, complete with footage of the Kabuki Warriors winning against the IIconics in Tokyo.
A backstage segment (linked here) follows where Paige and the Kabuki Warriors confront the IIconics for the title shot they were promised. The IIconics delay the title match. The segment ends with face manager Paige slapping Billie Kay.
Feb 27, 2024
Drafts is what I use for a lot of things between my iPad and a webpage. Iโm using this to take pointless notes about the Kabuki Warriors things Iโm watching on Peacock. Like any gaps in Kabuki Warriors appearances. Or deciding maybe Iโm not too crazy about the IIconics as an onscreen tag team after all. Or my irritation with this one smark blog (now defunct for a very good reason, name of blog withheld here) Iโm using to find their appearances.
Feb 23, 2024