page_title: Asuka (wrestler)
section_title: Undefeated streak (2017–2018)
hierarchical_section_title: Asuka (wrestler) / Professional wrestling career / WWE / Undefeated streak (2017–2018)
caption_attribution_description: English: Asuka at the WWE live show in Buffalo, NY.
context_page_description: Kanako Urai is a Japanese professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, performing on the Raw brand under the ring name Asuka, where she is the current Raw Women's Champion in her second reign.
  Previously known as Kana, she started her professional wrestling career in the AtoZ promotion in June 2004, where she remained until retiring in March 2006. She returned to the ring a year and a half later, starting to work as a freelancer for promotions such as JWP Joshi Puroresu, NEO Japan Ladies Pro-Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Wave, Reina Joshi Puroresu, Smash and Wrestling New Classic. Her achievements include winning the JWP Openweight Championship, NEO Tag Team Championship, Reina World Women's Championship, Smash Diva Championship and Wave Tag Team Championship.
  In August 2015, Urai signed a developmental deal with WWE, making her the first Japanese female wrestler signed with the company in over 20 years. After spending two years in WWE's developmental branch NXT, where she is a former NXT Women's Champion as well as the Female Competitor of the Year and Overall Competitor of the Year NXT Year-End Award winner, Asuka was moved to the promotion's main roster in September 2017.
context_section_description: After multiple vignettes in the upcoming weeks, it was revealed on the September 11, 2017, episode of Raw, Asuka was assigned to the Raw brand. A month later, on October 22, at TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Asuka defeated her old rival Emma in her in-ring debut On November 19 at Survivor Series, Asuka represented Team Raw in a Survivor Series match against Team SmackDown and was the sole survivor, lastly eliminating Tamina and Natalya. Throughout the next few months, Asuka continued her streak by defeating the likes of Dana Brooke (whom she defeated in three seconds, setting a new WWE record for the fastest submission win in a women's match), Alicia Fox and Raw Women's Champion Alexa Bliss in a non-title match.
  On January 28, 2018 at the Royal Rumble, Asuka won the first women's Royal Rumble match, entering at number 25 and eliminating her former rival Ember Moon and lastly Nikki Bella to earn herself a women's championship match at WrestleMania 34. Throughout January and February, Asuka started a feud with Nia Jax, who attacked her during and before her matches and wanted her title opportunity at Wrestlemania. Asuka defeated Nia Jax on February 25 at Elimination Chamber and again on the March 5 episode of Raw. In parallel, she also took a part of the Mixed Match Challenge tournament, with The Miz as her partner in support of the charity Rescue Dogs Rock. With wins over Carmella and Big E, Sasha Banks and Finn Bálor, Alexa Bliss and Braun Strowman and finally Charlotte Flair and Bobby Roode, they won the tournament. After Flair retained the SmackDown Women's Championship against Ruby Riott on March 11 at Fastlane, Asuka challenged Charlotte for the SmackDown Women's Championship at WrestleMania 34. At the event on April 8, Asuka submitted to Charlotte, ending her WWE undefeated streak at 914 days.
caption: Asuka in March 2018
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