Per Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer, IYO SKY vs. Asuka is WWE’s planned match for WrestleMania 42 but has not been announced pending Nikki Bella’s injury status.
WWE has a WrestleMania 42 match in mind for IYO SKY, and it involves her fellow Japanese star Asuka. According to Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer, the two are slated for a singles showdown in Las Vegas on April 18–19 — but the match has not been officially announced because of a developing situation in the Women’s Tag Team Championship picture.
What’s Holding the Match Up
Nikki Bella suffered an ankle injury during a brawl with Nia Jax on the March 31, 2026 episode of SmackDown and has not yet been medically cleared to compete. She and Brie are currently slotted into the Fatal Four-Way Women’s Tag Team Championship match at WrestleMania 42 Night One, which also includes Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, Lyra Valkyria and Bayley, and The Irresistible Forces (Nia Jax and Lash Legend).
Here is where it gets complicated: if Nikki cannot compete, The Kabuki Warriors — Asuka and Kairi Sane — are reportedly the contingency to replace The Bellas in that tag match. That would pull Asuka out of a potential singles slot entirely, taking the IYO SKY match off the table with her.
The Two Scenarios
The way it sits right now, WWE is essentially waiting on a medical report before locking in the match:
- Bellas cleared: The Fatal Four-Way goes on as planned. Kabuki Warriors stay out of the tag match. Asuka is available for a singles match, and IYO SKY vs. Asuka gets officially announced for WrestleMania 42.
- Bellas not cleared: The Kabuki Warriors step into the tag match to fill the vacancy. Asuka is no longer available for a singles bout, and the IYO SKY match is scrapped or rerouted entirely.
The Backstory
The rivalry between IYO SKY and Asuka has been building on Raw for weeks. SKY has publicly called out Asuka and made clear she wants a WrestleMania moment against her former Kabuki Warriors stablemate. Asuka, for her part, has responded in kind — vowing to “take everything away” from SKY at the show.
The match has legitimate heat and a compelling narrative: two of the most accomplished Japanese women in WWE history, on opposite sides, settling it on the biggest stage. Fans want to see it. WWE apparently wants to book it. The only thing standing in the way is whether Nikki Bella can get medically cleared in time.
WrestleMania 42 is April 18–19 in Las Vegas. Expect movement on this one in the days ahead.
