Kairi Sane will be happy when this is over

Asuka (c) vs. Nia Jax

Raw Women’s championship match

This Women’s title program is likely a one off.

When Asuka and Nia Jax lock up tonight, we can likely guess that Asuka is going to walk away with the gold. Given she just won it at Money in the Bank (unknowingly at the time but revealed to her when Becky Lynch stepped away to start a family), the chances the Empress of Tomorrow drops the gold in the first defense is slim.

Plus, it feels like when it comes to Nia, they use her more as a threat that the champion has to overcome than the person who actually wins the title. Asuka has faced off against Jax multiple times in the past in NXT and main roster, and she’s the one who’s always come out on top.

But the big reason this match is unlikely to see a change is because they’re already planting the seeds for the bigger feud: Charlotte vs. Asuka. While Asuka has a very good record against Nia, she’s never beaten Charlotte. That includes two weeks ago on Raw when a Nia Jax distraction led to another loss to the Queen. Clearly, the idea is for Asuka to try to finally defeat her white whale. To do that, she’ll need to still have the championship for it to matter.

So this is likely it for Nia vs. Asuka. And one person who is probably very happy about that is Kairi Sane.

Kairi has found herself in the spot where she’s getting beaten up by those targeting her Kabuki Warrior mate. And that’s often the dangerous Nia Jax.

The first time was prior to the Money in the Bank match, one that featured both Jax and Asuka, where an errant buckle bomb to Kairi looked really nasty. Word has it that the buckle bomb has since been banned in WWE.

Then there was the time where Kairi was attacked by Nia backstage while Sane was playing Asuka’s theme music beautifully on the recorder. Dammit, Nia. Can’t we have nice things?

And then there was two week’s back where in a match between the two, Nia tossed Kairi into the stairs, busting her open. (To be fair, there’s differing opinions on if this is shoot Jax’s fault, with word of no heat afterwards.)

Suffice it to say, the Pirate Princess will be happy when Nia Jax is no longer around to ragdoll her. Then she can focus on bumping around for Charlotte instead. Someone she’s had... less bad luck with.

Keep fighting the good fight, Kairi!

Asuka will defend the Raw Women’s championship against Nia Jax tonight at WWE Backlash, airing at 7 PM ET on the WWE Network. Keep it here to CagesideSeats.com for all your Backlash coverage.