The 2025 WWE Queen of the Ring Tournament is heating up, with Alexa Bliss, Roxanne Perez, Jade Cargill, and Asuka having qualified for the semi-finals. While there are several exciting possibilities and directions, one name stands above the rest: Asuka.
Having returned to action last night after 13 months of inactivity, The Empress of Tomorrow is back at a time when WWE's women’s division is absolutely stacked. Liv Morgan's injury last night has shaken up the title picture, and IYO SKY, the reigning Women's World Champion, now finds herself without a clear challenger. Asuka could be an ideal challenger for The Genius of The Sky.
A victory in the Queen of the Ring Tournament would not just make sense; it would complete a circle. She was pulled from last year’s QOTR due to injury, and now, with momentum on her side and a legacy already etched in gold, this year’s tournament win could signal the start of her final run at the top.
She’s been one of WWE’s most dominant forces, both on the main roster and in NXT, but the crown would reestablish her as the top-tier threat she once was. There’s a certain magic when Asuka is operating at her peak: chaotic, unpredictable, and irresistible.
And perhaps most compelling of all, a Queen of the Ring Tournament win would give us another dream match the women’s division is begging for: Asuka vs. IYO SKY at SummerSlam. Beyond the obvious wrestling spectacle that Asuka vs. IYO SKY would deliver, there’s emotional weight to their story, something the Triple H-led creative team could explore beautifully in the lead-up to The Biggest Party of The Summer.
Asuka was a brief but significant member of Damage CTRL, teaming with IYO and Kairi Sane before her injury derailed the faction's momentum. While the trio never fully gelled into the destructive force many expected, it still carried a vibe of shared history and chaos, especially considering the real-life mutual respect and stylistic contrast between Asuka and IYO.
It will be interesting to see what The Game has in store for The Empress of Tomorrow moving forward.
That history now sets the stage for a powerful conflict. IYO SKY has grown into her role as WWE Women's World Champion, but she’s yet to defend the title against a veteran who knows her so well and who might just outmatch her in experience and unpredictability.
If Asuka turns heel after potentially winning the tournament, it will raise the stakes further, making her a cunning, merciless veteran who has no qualms about destroying her former stablemate to sit atop the division once again.
There’s also an elegance to the timing: Asuka’s legacy, SKY’s rise, the throne of Queen of the Ring, as well as the questionable allegiance of Kairi Sane, all intersect at once. It gives Triple H a ready-made, high-stakes narrative heading into SummerSlam. If the WWE Chief Content Officer truly wants to make this Queen of the Ring Tournament feel prestigious, there’s no better move than crowning The Empress of Tomorrow.