Asuka is a Japanese professional wrestler.
She is currently contracted to WWE and competes on the Raw brand as part of Damage CTRL.
Early life and Education
Kanako Urai was born on September 26, 1981 in Osaka, Japan.
Urai graduated from the Osaka University of Arts Junior College and has showcased her diverse talents beyond wrestling.
Career
Urai transitioned to professional wrestling inspired by legends like Keiji Mutoh and Satoru Sayama. Under the name Kana, she debuted in 2004 for AtoZ promotion, later retiring due to health reasons in 2006 but returning in 2007. She ventured across various promotions, forming stables and winning titles, notably in Ice Ribbon and JWP Joshi Puroresu. Her career saw victories, including the 2011 Catch the Wave tournament and the Wave Tag Team Championship. She also had stints in independent circuits, forming Triple Tails stable and competing internationally in Mexico and France. Notable achievements include winning the JWP Openweight Championship and defending it against prominent wrestlers. Her partnership with Mio Shirai in Triple Tails.S disbanded in 2013, and she continued to excel until her indefinite hiatus in 2015.
Starting on August 30, 2014, Kana began working with Reina Joshi Puroresu in a storyline consultant role. She orchestrated a power move to strip Ariya and Makoto of the Reina World Tag Team Championship, eventually capturing the title herself alongside Arisa Nakajima on November 20. Kana further solidified her dominance by clinching the Reina World Women’s Championship on December 26. With her newfound authority, she rebranded Reina as the promotion’s general producer. Establishing her own stable, initially named Kana-gun but later changed to Piero-gun due to all members adopting Kana’s clown makeup, she led a diverse group of wrestlers. Kana successfully defended the Reina World Women’s Championship against visiting Mexican competitors and local challengers. However, on August 31, anticipating her departure from the promotion, Kana relinquished the Reina World Women’s Championship. Her final match for the promotion occurred on September 4, where she and Syuri emerged victorious in a tag team encounter against Konami and Makoto.
Asuka’s journey in WWE began with her debut in NXT in 2015, where she quickly rose to prominence, eventually becoming the NXT Women’s Champion in April 2016. Her dominance and undefeated streak solidified her as a force to be reckoned with. In 2017, she transitioned to the main roster, where she continued to excel, winning the inaugural women’s Royal Rumble match in 2018 and later capturing the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Asuka’s partnership with Kairi Sane as The Kabuki Warriors brought them success as they won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. Throughout her career, Asuka has been a trailblazer, achieving milestones like becoming a Women’s Grand Slam Champion. Despite ups and downs, her impact on the WWE women’s division is undeniable.
In November 2023, during a six-woman tag team match on SmackDown, Asuka shocked fans by betraying her teammates Belair and Flair to reunite with Kairi Sane and join Damage CTRL. Their defeat at Survivor Series WarGames marked a rocky start for the alliance.
In January 2024, Asuka and Sane reclaimed the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship as the Kabuki Warriors, defeating Katana Chance and Kayden Carter. Their successful title defense against Chance and Carter on Raw and against Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell at Elimination Chamber: Perth showcased their dominance. They continued their reign by defeating Tatum Paxley and NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria at NXT Roadblock.
At WrestleMania XL, Damage CTRL, including Asuka, Sane, and Kai, faced a defeat against Belair, Naomi, and Jade Cargill. The 2024 WWE Draft saw Asuka, representing Damage CTRL, being drafted to the Raw brand, signaling new challenges ahead.
Legacy 
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter hailed Urai as “possibly the best worker in WWE, man or woman,” recognizing her exceptional skill in the ring.
In 2017, Urai achieved another milestone by becoming the first Japanese wrestler to claim the top spot in Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s prestigious PWI Female 50 list. Her remarkable career in WWE includes a series of groundbreaking achievements: she’s the first individual in WWE history to capture the NXT Women’s Championship, Raw Women’s Championship, SmackDown Women’s Championship, Women’s Tag Team Championship, win a Royal Rumble match, Money in the Bank match, and an Elimination Chamber match.
Additionally, in 2020, she competed in more WWE matches than any other superstar, showcasing her enduring presence and dedication. Recognizing her immense contributions, WWE honored her in 2021 by naming her one of the top 5 greatest female superstars of all time.
Personal life
Urai has contributed to Xbox Magazine as a writer and has been involved in designing graphics for Nintendo DS and various mobile applications. Additionally, she has owned a hair salon called Another Heaven in Yokohama. In July 2023, she embarked on a new venture by starting to build her own arcade game building in Japan.
Acknowledging her personal life, Urai is also a mother, as confirmed by Becky Lynch and Naomi. In a 2021 interview with ET Canada, Urai candidly discussed her encounters with racism and offered her perspective on the surge of anti-Asian sentiment during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Net Worth
Undisclosed