Asuka has commented on her WWE return, thanking the fans for all their support while she was away.
Making her return on the June 16 episode of Raw, The Empress competed for the first time in over a year as she defeated Ivu Nile, Stephanie Vaquer and Raquel Rodriguez to advance to the next round of the Queen of the Ring tournament.
With the former Women’s Champion a firm fan favourite, many were happy to see Asuka make her return to action, especially due to the extended absence. Speaking about her recent return on her YouTube channel, the Raw star began by thanking the fans for all of their messages and well wishes:
“Hey… welcome to KanaChanTV, and so, we’ve been filming a video in a hurry. This is just a quick video, and I really want to say this: I’m back! I finally made my return to the ring. So, thank you so much for all your support, your kind messages, and your love. It means more than I can say. It really was a great help to me. I can’t even put it into words. Thank you so much for all your messages and support.”
Continuing, the former Women’s Champion admitted that recovery has not been easy, but the fans have made the process easier. Speaking about her return match, Asuks promised that it was only the beginning:
“Being away for almost a year, it wasn’t easy. This was by no means easy. It was really hard. Well, I’d been away from the ring for almost a year, and it really wasn’t easy, and to be honest, there was some tough days, but I managed to get through it… But your voice kept me going, really. Well, everyone’s voices were there, so yeah… I guess you could say it never stopped. I guess the point is that I didn’t stop. Now, I’m here again! My match was always intense. Physically and mentally, it has been pushed to the limit. I really do feel like I was on the edge, both mentally and physically. I was able to win the comeback. I would like to talk about this, but this is just the beginning…”
Prior to suffering the injury, Asuka last competed at Backlash France in May 2024, where she and Kairi Sane lost the Women’s Tag Team Championship to Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair.
What’s Next For Asuka In WWE?
Continuing her strong momentum since returning, The Empress went on to defeat Alexa Bliss on the June 20 episode of SmackDown to advance to the Queen of the Ring tournament. Following the developments that took place on the June 23 WWE Raw, which saw Jade Cargill defeat Roxanne Perez, it was confirmed that the Queen of the Ring final would see Asuka and Cargill fight it out for the crown.
The tournament final will take place at Night of Champions on June 28. Whoever emerges the winner will receive a Women’s Championship match at SummerSlam.
H/t to Fightful for use of transcription.
Featured image: WWE
