Saturday 21 October 2017 22:32, UK
Asuka makes her long-awaited WWE main roster debut on Sunday when she faces Emma at Tables, Ladders and Chairs, live on Sky Box Office.
The confrontation is one of the most keenly-anticipated on the card, with the Empress of Tomorrow finally getting the chance to show what she is capable of on the grand WWE stage.
We took a look at Asuka's journey to get to TLC and discuss exactly why Emma is the perfect first opponent for the hard-hitting Japanese star.
Five-hundred-and-ten days. That's how long Asuka reigned supreme over the NXT women's division before vacating the title for a move to Monday Night Raw.
She also never lost a singles match in NXT, making her the holder of two impressive records - the longest unbeaten streak in the company and the longest title reign since the 1970s.
The WWE recruited Asuka after an 11-year pro career in her native Japan in August 2015 and from the get-go she was presented to the audience as someone who would very quickly be a huge attraction in the NXT women's division.
At that time, NXT had lost three of the enormously popular Four Horsewomen to the main roster, with their then-champion Bayley also being talked about as likely to make the move.
Given her Sunday night opponent, it is perhaps fitting that Asuka's first big NXT match came against Emma - at Takeover:London on December 16 - in a contest which was universally praised and provided a superb showcase of both women's in-ring talents.
There is, therefore, a logic in booking them together for Asuka's main event debut - Emma is a highly-skilled performer and the duo have a proven track record of good matches, although it will be interesting to see the outcome, as Emma herself has been starting to build some momentum on Raw after being out of the spotlight for the majority of the year.
The Australian saw off competition from just about every other member of the division in the penultimate Raw before TLC to secure her spot at the pay-per-view and her chance at a long-awaited revenge this Sunday.
Back in 2015, the win over Emma accelerated Asuka's progression to the top of the NXT card and before long she had racked up singles victories over competitors such as Alexa Bliss and Nia Jax, who have successfully transitioned to the main roster, and the emerging talent Ember Moon, among countless others.
Her unbeaten run rumbled on until August, when she faced Bayley at Takeover: Brooklyn, the same arena in which the Hugger had claimed the strap from Sasha Banks a year earlier.
Sitting as the semi-main event of the card - beneath only Shinsuke Nakamura's title win over Samoa Joe - the two delivered an excellent match and Asuka was crowned as the champion.
From there, she continued to run roughshod over the NXT women and was also used on WWE house shows in March 2017, typically teaming with Becky Lynch and Tamina in six-woman tag matches.
Her most consistent opponent in the second half of this year was Moon, but there were also some intriguingly stiff matches against Nikki Cross, with the first ever 'last woman standing' contest on NXT television in June delivering a memorable - and rare - classic in the hardcore style.
Moon came close to beating Asuka but ultimately fell short on every occasion, however the champion was often forced to turn to less-than-honest means to see off the growing talent from St Louis.
Their final match came at Takeover: Brooklyn on August 19 and although Moon was near to a victory, it was Asuka who retained her title after a gruelling and dramatic contest.
Such was the physical nature of it, Asuka then relinquished her title through injury, leaving NXT undefeated and saying goodbye to the crowd on an emotional August 26 episode.
"She is one of the greatest champions in WWE history," William Regal told the Full Sail crowd that night. It was no exaggeration.
The rest of the locker room came out to pay their tribute, and they were joined by Triple H, whose clear delight at the success of his acquisition could not be disguised.
In two short years, Asuka had proved herself as a hugely engaging, charismatic and athletic performer who could be relied upon to produce excellent matches.
It also helped that she was absolutely unstoppable in the ring.
During her glorious NXT run, it became customary for the fans to chant "Asuka's gonna kill you" in the direction of her unfortunate opponent.
Things are likely to be less straightforward for her away from Orlando and the partisan Takeover crowds but there can be no doubt that her match against Emma is a mouthwatering prospect, and her main roster run is something which has generated a fresh wave of excitement in the women's division.
For the Empress of Tomorrow, the future is now.
WWE TLC booking details
You can also book WWE TLC NOW by visiting this link: https://my.sky.com/orderboxoffice/
Viewers can also book using their Sky TV remote by pressing the 'Box office' button and following on-screen instructions. (Only bookings via Sky TV remote are recordable using Sky Plus).
Sky TV residential customers only. Commercial customers contact Sky for price and to order. Sky Box Office terms apply. Cable customers should contact their local cable operator.
WWE TLC will be repeated on Sky Sports Box Office (channel 491) BUT NOT Sky Sports HD Box Office (492) between 10am on Monday, October 23 and 8pm on Thursday, October 26.
Repeat showings will take place every four hours, with the final showing STARTING at 8pm on Thursday, October 26.
The event is priced at £14.95 for UK customers, €21.95 for viewers in the Republic of Ireland.
Viewers can call 03442 410 888 to book WWE TLC (There may be an additional charge for telephone bookings).
