After making his triumphant return at Money in the Bank, James Ellsworth is ready for his first action in a WWE ring since he took on Becky Lynch in November, 2017. It just so happens that Ellsworth, who created his own Intergender Championship which he toured around the independents a la Andy Kaufman, will be facing another woman in his return match. As was announced by Smackdown Live General Manager, Paige, on Tuesday night, Ellsworth has a date with Asuka next week.
The question isn’t am I ready for @WWEAsuka next week
The question is, is Asuka ready for Elllsworth!! #SDLive
— James Ellsworth (@realellsworth) June 27, 2018
— ASUKA / 明日華 (@WWEAsuka) June 24, 2018
James Ellsworth returned to WWE at Money in the Bank in a role that fans found oh-so-familiar. That’s because a year after he helped Carmella first win the Money in the Bank briefcase, Ellsworth was back ensuring that she kept the Smackdown Women’s Championship that she won after cashing in said briefcase. Ellsworth donned Asuka’s attire, momentarily distracting the Empress of Tomorrow and allowing Carmella to steal the win.
Well, it seems Ellsworth’s actions won’t go unpunished. After taunting Asuka (both on Smackdown and at a recent indy show) and eating a pretty nasty superkick last week, Ellsworth will find himself going one-on-one with the woman who was once undefeated for 914 days and whose strikes are lethal. Not to mention, Asuka will be out for revenge given Ellsworth was the one who cost her the chance to win the championship.
While in his first WWE run, James Ellsworth spent a lot of time working with the women’s division due to his role with Carmella. He had universal dis-likability in the locker room as far as his character went and the feeling was mutual. Ellsworth had issues with all of the women but none more than Becky Lynch. Off screen, the Lass Kicker and Ellsworth lobbied to wrestle each other and that finally happened in November, 2017. It was Ellsworth’s last match before he got released and WWE’s first intergender match since 2012 as well as just third overall since the company adopted the PG rating in 2008. It was preceded by a six person tag where he teamed up with Carmella and Natalya to take on Naomi, Charlotte and Lynch.
I guess @realellsworth wants a Punisher beating https://t.co/nyiIE6L4Yq
— Michin 미친 (@MiaYim) December 12, 2017
Ellsworth took his gimmick on the road and after a few comedy matches where he promoed to Joey Ryan‘s penis and wrestled Gillberg, the man who has a winning record against AJ Styles moved on to his next gimmick, the intergender championship. Since creating his title in February, Ellsworth has successfully defended the belt against Penelope Ford, Maddison Miles, Mia Yim and most recently, Kobra Moon.
With quite the intergender resume to his name, Ellsworth seems like he will be bringing that character to WWE during his second run. Whether or not we see him defend his precious pink and blue belt is another story however. Also, one shouldn’t forget, they should never forget, that while Ellsworth is the Intergender Champion of the World, Asuka is the woman who faced Minoru Suzuki and lived. And that, is infinitely more impressive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oS6OpRGXVo
If Asuka could survive the man who would kill someone for looking at him sideways, she’ll have no trouble dispatching the Chinless Wonder if this is in fact going to be an actual match.
