WWE announces sold-out shows in Tokyo; Nakamura & Asuka booked
On Thursday, WWE announced its two annual shows in Japan at Sumo Hall in Tokyo which have already sold out with Shinsuke Nakamura as the primary reason.
The most notable aspect of the announcement is that WWE did not at all cater the shows for the Japanese audience, but instead just did a regular show with Nakamura and fellow NXT star — women’s champion Asuka — working down on the card instead.
In particular, Asuka is not working at all with WWE women’s champ Charlotte on the tour even though Asuka would be the lead babyface to the audience in the women’s division. Instead, both women will be defending their respective belts.
July 1st lineup
- WWE Champion Roman Reigns vs. A.J. Styles vs. Kevin Owens
- John Cena vs. Chris Jericho
- WWE Tag Team Champions New Day vs. Usos vs. Vaudevillains vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
- Nakamura vs. Bray Wyatt
- WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte vs. Natalya
- Titus O’Neil vs. Baron Corbin
- NXT Champion Asuka vs. Becky Lynch
July 2nd lineup:
- WWE Champ Reigns vs. Styles vs. Jericho
- Cena vs. Owens
- WWE Tag Team Champs New Day vs. Vaudevillains
- Nakamura vs. Wyatt
- Usos vs. Gallows & Anderson
- WWE Women’s Champ Charlotte vs. Lynch
- Ziggler vs. Corbin
- NXT Women’s Champ Asuka vs. Natalya
Dave Meltzer is the founder and lead writer on the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the weekly constant when it comes to news and reviews in pro wrestling and mixed martial arts for more than 40 years. Dave also co-hosts Wrestling Observer Radio with Bryan Alvarez and had had bylines for The National, Yahoo Sports, MMA Fighting and others.