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By this point in time COVID forced wrestling shows to be held without fans and to film episodes of weekly shows at one location. For WWE this location would be at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, FL for several months until the weekly shows moved to the ThunderDome setup (held in various locations in Orlando and Tampa, FL) and NXT moved into the Performance Center (after leaving Full Sail University for their weekly shows pre- and post-COVID). For the rest of the Kabuki Warriors's initial run this location would just be the Performance Center.
The first SmackDown starts with, after an introduction by Triple H, Sasha and Bayley vs. Nikki and Alexa. Bayley cuts a promo saying she and Sasha are the faces of SmackDown before the two ask for Paige (who was supposed to do a segment with Sasha and Bayley before the live SmackDown this segment was supposed to air on was canceled). Alexa and Nikki come out. Despite the Kabuki Warriors mocking Alexa on Raw Alexa claims the Kabuki Warriors didn't respond to her past some "weird random tweets." Both Nikki and Alexa claim the Kabuki Warriors are hiding out on Raw to prevent defending the tag team championships. This leads into this match.
Michael Cole and Triple H on commentary mention the tag titles and how they're supposed to be defended on "both" (rather than all three) WWE brands, but oftentimes they're not.
Asuka appears to slam Alexa into the ring apron and dance, costing Alexa and Nikki the match.
Mar 24, 2024
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Nikki Cross is on commentary during the match. If she's not commenting on the match itself she's scaring Michael Cole.
Asuka and Alexa trade barbs before the match. On commentary Nikki says Alexa and she believe the Kabuki Warriors are hiding on Raw. Before the commercial break Nikki and Alexa collectively mock Asuka until Asuka drives Alexa into ring stairs.
Later Alexa dives Asuka's shoulder into the outside apron. After Asuka is driven into a ring side it leaves Asuka eventually open to succumb to a DDT.
Mar 25, 2024
A Charly Caruso interview shows the growing rift between Bayley and Sasha Banks when Sasha puts their tag team championships on the line the following week.
Later for Bayley and Sasha's match Nikki Cross, Bayley's Extreme Rules challenger, appears on commentary. Security wants her gone from commentary, but the commentary desk talk them down. Bayley and Sasha argue with Nikki after they make their entrance. The Kabuki Warriors enter shortly thereafter.
Early in the match Bayley rolls out of a kneebar attempt. Bayley uses her time out of the ring to knock off Nikki's headset. It's enough for security to escort Nikki away from commentary and for Bayley to think she's gotten rid of a distraction for the rest of her match.
Before a second commercial break, Bayley uses the time she has after slamming Asuka into the announce desk to grab Nikki's vacated headset to invite Sasha over and to talk into said headset.
After the break Bayley tries to taunt Asuka into using her poison mist attack and mocks her dancing. Asuka charges at Bayley. Bayley tries to grab Asuka's tights but Asuka hits her with a backfist and then a hip attack. Bayley throws Asuka into the turnbuckle but after Sasha kicks Asuka Asuka is able to still kick out of a Bayley pin attempt. Bayley chokes Asuka on the ropes and has Sasha bring over a bottle of water to splash it in Asuka's face. It's then revealed Nikki has escaped security to lurk behind the plexiglass separating the ring from the audience mostly made up of people training at the Performance Center and people already on NXT TV. (And some of them are still on main roster and/or NXT TV to this writing!) Asuka attempts to get in an Asuka Lock but Bayley escapes. Sasha tries to help Bayley escape a second Asuka Lock attempt but Kairi spears Sasha. Asuka wins by pinfall.
Apr 14, 2024
A rematch from the previous week. A brief video plays before the match. What isn’t known at the time was the fatal four-way would be the last active onscreen appearance of Paige as the Kabuki Warriors’ manager before her “firing” months later. Paige explains she needed emergency neck surgery and wouldn’t be by the Kabuki Warriors’ side in this match (and as it turns out several more of their onscreen appearances and matches).
Corey Graves highlights Asuka not being as dominate as she was on commentary, a reoccurring commentary motif (for her and Kairi) until the Kabuki Warriors win the tag titles.
Alexa is able to dump Asuka outside the ring. Nikki's able to catch Kairi, put her in a swinging neck breaker, and place Kairi in a position to be pinned after Alexa hits Twisted Bliss on Kairi.
Feb 29, 2024
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Writers questioned Asuka's poison mist gimmick after it appeared in WWE at Hell in a Cell. A writer from Wrestleview called the gimmick "stereotypical." The Ringer blamed the mist gimmick on...Paul Heyman. But here is a video from a WrestleMania weekend where Asuka talks about her admiration for The Great Muta and her desire to do a poison mist gimmick in WWE about a year and a half before she started doing it.
Mar 2, 2024
Since all of this is not on YouTube.
On this episode of SmackDown the Tokyo tour dates are recapped, complete with footage of the Kabuki Warriors winning against the IIconics in Tokyo.
A backstage segment (linked here) follows where Paige and the Kabuki Warriors confront the IIconics for the title shot they were promised. The IIconics delay the title match. The segment ends with face manager Paige slapping Billie Kay.
Feb 27, 2024
IIconics (champions) vs. Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville vs. Alexa Bliss & Nikki Cross vs. Kabuki Warriors.
* Mandy Rose rolls up Billie Kay for a pin, eliminating the IIconics.
* Asuka submits Rose with the Asuka Lock, eliminating Rose and Deville.
* Nikki pushes Kairi off the turnbuckle, leaving her susceptible to a punch (forearm?) by Bliss as Paige watches. Bliss hits Twisted Bliss, win titles.
Feb 28, 2024