The Kabuki Warriors

The Kabuki Warriors were a professional wrestling tag team consisting of Asuka and Kairi Sane.[1] They are former one-time and longest reigning WWE Women's Tag Team Champions and have headlined the 2019 TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs event.[2][3]

The Kabuki Warriors
Asuka (left) and Kairi Sane (right)
Tag team
MembersAsuka
Kairi Sane
Paige (manager)
Name(s)The Kabuki Warriors
DebutApril 16, 2019
DisbandedJuly 27, 2020
Years active2019–2020

History

Women's Tag Team Champions (2019–2020)

After spending some weeks away to promote the movie Fighting with My Family, retired wrestler Paige made a backstage appearance on the 9 April 2019 episode of SmackDown, where she announced that she would be bringing a new tag team to the division to feud with The IIconics (Billie Kay and Peyton Royce) for their Women's Tag Team Championship.[4] A week later, Paige introduced the newly formed team of Asuka and Kairi Sane, known as "The Kabuki Warriors", who subsequently made their debut as a team by teaming with Bayley and Ember Moon to defeat The IIconics and the team of Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville.[5] Kabuki Warriors would then pick up wins over local wrestlers on the April 30 episode of SmackDown and the team of Rose and Deville on the May 14 SmackDown, before beginning a feud with IIconics over the Women's Tag Team Championship throughout the summer.[6][7] After defeating IIconics at live events in Tokyo on June 28,[8] Kabuki Warriors received an opportunity against IIconics for the Women's Tag Team Championship on the July 16 episode of SmackDown which they won by count out however, the IIconics retained their titles.[9]

On the August 5 episode of Raw, the Kabuki Warriors participated in a fatal four-way elimination tag team match for the Women's Tag Team Championship but were the last ones eliminated by Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross.[10] They unsuccessfully challenged Bliss and Cross for the titles on the August 12 episode of Raw.[11] Kabuki Warriors received another title shot against Bliss and Cross at the Hell in a Cell event, where the Kabuki Warriors won the Women's Tag Team Championship, after Asuka used green mist on Cross, thus showing signs of a villainous turn.[12][13] Kabuki Warriors were then drafted to the Raw brand on the October 14 episode of Raw.[14] They solidified their status as villains on the October 28 episode of Raw by turning on their manager by Paige when Asuka spat mist into Paige's face and thus ending their association with Paige.[15]

The Kabuki Warriors retained the Women's Tag Team Championship against Dakota Kai and Tegan Nox on the October 30 episode of NXT and Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair on the November 11 episode of Raw.[16][17] At Survivor Series, the Kabuki Warriors represented Raw in the 5-on-5-on-5 women's elimination match against Team SmackDown and Team NXT, which Team NXT won. Asuka turned on her teammate Charlotte Flair by spitting green mist on her, causing Flair to get eliminated, which led to Kabuki Warriors beginning a feud with Lynch and Flair.[18][19] Kabuki Warriors successfully defended the Women's Tag Team Championship against Lynch and Flair, Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross and Bayley and Sasha Banks in a fatal four-way match at Starrcade.[20][21] Kabuki Warriors continued their feud with Lynch and Flair, which led to them defending the titles against Lynch and Flair in the namesake main event of the TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs event, which Kabuki Warriors retained.[22] This led to Asuka entering a feud with Lynch in 2020 over the latter's Raw Women's Championship, which Asuka failed to win in subsequent matches at the Royal Rumble and the February 10 episode of Raw.[23][24]

Kabuki Warriors would then begin feuding with Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross, which led to a match between the two teams at WrestleMania 36, where Kabuki Warriors lost the titles back to Bliss and Cross.[25] They unsuccessfully challenged Bliss and Cross for the titles in a rematch on the April 10 episode of SmackDown.[26]

Asuka's Raw Women's Championship reign (2020)

On the April 13 episode of Raw, Asuka defeated Ruby Riott to qualify for the women's Money in the Bank ladder match while Kairi Sane lost to Nia Jax in a qualifying match.[27] Asuka went on to win the match at the namesake event, thus winning the women's Money in the Bank contract which allowed her to cash in for a future title shot at the time and place of her choosing.[28] The following night on Raw, Asuka was awarded the Raw Women's Championship by former champion Becky Lynch, who vacated the title due to her pregnancy, which led to Asuka embracing Lynch and it resulted in Kabuki Warriors turning into fan favorites.[29] Kabuki Warriors then began feuding with Sasha Banks and Bayley as Banks and Asuka fought to a no contest at The Horror Show at Extreme Rules after Bayley interfered and counted the pinfall for Banks though Banks was not recognized as champion. On the July 27 episode of Raw, Sane was viciously attacked by Bayley backstage during the Raw Women's Championship match between Asuka and Sasha Banks which led to Asuka running to the backstage area where she was counted out and lost the title. This was done to write Sane out of the storylines as she announced her departure from WWE on Twitter as she was heading back to Japan to be with her husband, effectively disbanding The Kabuki Warriors.[30][31][32]

Championships and accomplishments

References
  1. "Kabuki Warriors". Cagematch. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  2. Jeremy Lambert; Sean Ross Sapp (February 4, 2020). "The Kabuki Warriors Become Longest Reigning WWE Women's Tag Team Champions". Fightful. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  3. Mike Tedesco (December 15, 2019). "WWE TLC Results – 12/15/19 (Two TLC matches headline tonight from Minneapolis)". Wrestleview. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  4. Trionfo, Richard (9 April 2019). "WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT: KOFI'S CELEBRATION, SAMI PULLS A LACEY, TAG TITLE MATCH TIMES TWO, AND MORE". PWInsider.
  5. Trionfo, Richard (16 April 2019). "WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT: NEW FACES, EIGHT WOMAN TAG MATCH, A NEW MEMBER OF THE NEW DAY (FOR A DAY), AND MORE". PWInsider.
  6. Roy Nemer (April 30, 2019). "WWE Smackdown Results – 4/30/19 (Becky Lynch vs. Bayley, Kofi Kingston calls out Kevin Owens)". Wrestleview. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  7. Mike Tedesco (May 14, 2019). "SPOILERS: 5/14 WWE Smackdown Live taping results from London to air tonight". Wrestleview. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  8. Yamada, Tomi (June 28, 2019). "6/28 WWE IN TOKYO, JAPAN RESULTS". PWInsider.
  9. Trionfo, Richard (July 16, 2019). "WWE SMACKDOWN REPORT: A TOWN HALL, TAG TITLE MATCH, AND A LOT OF SHANE MCMAHON". PWInsider.
  10. Trionfo, Richard (August 5, 2019). "WWE RAW REPORT: JOE WANTS AN APOLOGY, WOMEN'S TAG TITLE MATCH, PARKING LOT MAYHEM, AND A CONTRACT SIGNING". PWInsider.
  11. Trionfo, Richard (August 12, 2019). "WWE RAW REPORT: CHAMPION VERSUS CHAMPION, A BOSS RETURN, PAUL IS SPEECHLESS, AND MORE". PWInsider.
  12. Mike Tedesco (October 6, 2019). "WWE Hell in a Cell Results – 10/6/19 (Seth Rollins vs. The Fiend inside Hell in a Cell)". Wrestleview. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  13. Anthony Benigno (October 6, 2019). "The Kabuki Warriors def. Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross to become the new WWE Women's Tag Team Champions". WWE. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  14. Roy Nemer (October 14, 2019). "WWE Raw Results – 10/14/19 (Night 2 of draft, Strowman vs. Tyson Fury contract signing)". Wrestleview. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  15. Mike Tedesco (October 28, 2019). "WWE Raw Results – 10/28/19 (Final show before Crown Jewel, Hogan and Flair to appear)". Wrestleview. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  16. Mike Tedesco (October 30, 2019). "WWE NXT Results – 10/30/19 (Finn Balor explains, WWE Women's Tag Team Title match)". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  17. Mike Tedesco (November 11, 2019). "WWE Raw Results – 11/11/19 (Seth Rollins' Survivor Series team, Women's Tag Titles)". Wrestleview. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  18. Powell, Jason (November 24, 2019). "WWE Survivor Series Kickoff Show results: Powell's live review of Lio Rush vs. Kalisto vs. Akira Tozawa for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  19. Powell, Jason (November 24, 2019). "WWE Survivor Series results: Powell's live review of Brock Lesnar vs. Rey Mysterio in a No Holds Barred match for the WWE Championship, "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt vs. Daniel Bryan for the WWE Universal Championship, Becky Lynch vs. Shayna Baszler vs. Bayley in a non-title match". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  20. Powell, Jason (December 1, 2019). "12/1 WWE Starrcade results: Live updates on the full event, including the WWE Network broadcast". Pro Wrestling Dot Net.
  21. Johnson, Mike (December 1, 2019). "COMPLETE WWE STARRCADE 2019 COVERAGE". PWInsider.
  22. Powell, Jason. "Powell's WWE TLC live review: The Kabuki Warriors vs. Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair vs Asuka in a TLC match for the Smackdown Tag Titles, Roman Reigns vs. King Corbin in a TLC match, Bray Wyatt vs. The Miz, Rusev vs. Bobby Lashley in a tables match". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved December 15, 2019.
  23. Powell, Jason (January 26, 2020). "WWE Royal Rumble results: Powell's live review of the Royal Rumble matches, "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt vs. Daniel Bryan in a strap match for the WWE Universal Championship, Becky Lynch vs. Asuka for the Raw Women's Championship". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved January 26, 2020.
  24. Mike Tedesco (February 10, 2020). "WWE Raw Results – 2/10/20 (Becky Lynch vs. Asuka for the Raw Women's Championship)". Wrestleview. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  25. Powell, Jason (April 4, 2020). "WrestleMania 36 results: Powell's live review of night one featuring Goldberg vs. Braun Strowman for the WWE Universal Championship, Undertaker vs. AJ Styles in a Boneyard match, Becky Lynch vs. Shayna Baszler for the Raw Women's Championship, Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens". Pro Wreslting Dot Net. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  26. Mike Tedesco (April 10, 2020). "WWE SmackDown Results – 4/10/20 (WrestleMania fallout, Braun Strowman new champion)". Wrestleview. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  27. Mike Tedesco (April 13, 2020). "WWE Raw Results – 4/13/20 (Drew McIntyre and Becky Lynch to appear, MITB Qualifiers)". Wrestleview. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  28. Powell, Jason (May 10, 2020). "WWE Money in the Bank results: Powell's review of the Climb The Corporate Ladder MITB matches, Drew McIntyre vs. Seth Rollins for the WWE Championship, Braun Strowman vs. Bray Wyatt for the WWE Universal Championship, Bayley vs. Tamina for the Smackdown Women's Championship". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved May 10, 2020.
  29. Mike Tedesco (May 11, 2020). "WWE Raw Results – 4/13/20 (Drew McIntyre and Becky Lynch to appear, MITB Qualifiers)". Wrestleview. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  30. "My time in the NXT & WWE locker rooms was incredible. Everyone was kind, funny, & talented, so every day was full of happiness. Also, I was saved by the supportive staff behind the scenes. I will forever love & respect all these professionals I had the pleasure of working with.Four leaf clover". Twitter.
  31. "I was able to accomplish so much in the last three years, but it wasn't because of my ability or my strength. It was because of all of the constant, warm support from the fans. I am so thankful I could meet you all. Thank you from the bottom of my heart,Kairi Sane". Twitter.
  32. "Report: Kairi Sane's Final WWE Date Is 7/20". Fightful.
  33. Wilkinson, Nick (November 21, 2020). "Nine Female Tag Teams land on PWI's Tag Team 50 list". Diva Dirt. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
  34. "WWE Raw Women's Championship". WWE. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  35. "WWE Women's Tag Team Championship". WWE. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  36. Mendhe, Abhilash (December 25, 2019). "WWE Year End Awards 2019: Analyzing each award category - Seth Rollins should have won Male Superstar of the Year". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
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