As a veteran of the wrestling industry, Asuka serves as an inspiration to countless wrestlers who’ve followed in her footsteps. On Busted Open Radio, Stephanie Vaquer shared that not only is Asuka an inspiration to her in the ring, but also when it comes to naming pets.
“Her name is Asuka. My cat’s name is Asuka… I am a big fan. When I adopted my Cat, I say ‘Oh you are so cute!’ So I gave her asuka’s name.”
When asked if Asuka (the human) knows of Asuka (the feline) Vaquer said her fellow NXT Women’s Champion did not know. Well now, the Empress of Tomorrow has found out and was touched by Vaquer’s pet-naming gesture.
Ironically, Asuka (the wrestler) also got her name from being inspired by somebody else. Upon joining WWE in 2015, the then-Kana took on the Asuka name, inspired by the Joshi wrestling legend ‘Lioness Asuka.’
Asuka has been out of action since May of 2024 due to a serious knee injury. While ideas for her return were discussed in January 2025, fans have yet to see the Grand Slam Champion back in the ring. Though it remains unclear when Asuka will return to the ring, she’ll hopefully be able to spend of her time outside of the squared circle meeting her feline counterpart.
