Hall Of Famer Slams WWE For 'Giving Up' On Former Women's Champion

The curious absence of Asuka has not been without much conjecture from fans as to what happened to her, and a WWE icon has decided to chime in on the matter.

At around the 10:04 mark of the Busted Open podcast, former World Heavyweight Champion Mark Henry was asked whether WWE has lost faith in Asuka as a performer.

“If they did, it’s their (WWE) fault because when she came in, she’s not the same Asuka that left. The Asuka that left, I would show the Rocky videos of Asuka training. I would show her in the dojo with the young girls. I would show her working out with the intent on coming back and her looking in the mirror and seeing a video playing of all the success that she had and what she looked like when she had that success. That’s all you need,” Henry answered.

"The Empress of Tomorrow" has not been seen on WWE programming since the 2021 Money in the Bank pay-per-view, and it has led to concern about her standing within the company plus her future.

In September 2021, Asuka was seen wearing a sling which seems to have confirmed the long-rumored shoulder injury she has been dealing with.

Just last month, it was reported that Asuka had been cleared to make her return to the ring.

The Japanese superstar then took to Twitter to address this news and promptly shut down the rumor.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful then said in mid-March that the company is hoping Asuka can return to TV in the spring, but also hinted she can return a bit earlier than that.

It is already the middle of April and yet there seems to be no definitive update regarding the former women's champion and how the WWE plans on bringing her back.

The women’s division on both the Raw and SmackDown brands need a shot in the arm to help fuel them in the post-WrestleMania season, and an Asuka return would be more than welcome for fans.