The road to WrestleMania: Not all new days are good days

by Damon Smith · Published March 27, 2019 · Updated March 27, 2019

We are rapidly approaching the grandest stage of them all, WrestleMania. This weeks episodes of RAW and Smackdown Live answered some questions and also left some new questions to be asked. You see, contrary to popular belief and Kofi Kingston, a “New Day” is not always a good day. Just ask Asuka.

Vince McMahon has continuously screwed Kofi out of his title shot at Mania. No matter who Kofi defeated or what match he won, it was never enough. Kingston has given the fans his all for 11 years and has payed his dues with blood, sweat, and tears. Vince, in typical fashion as “King of the Swerve,” has found a way to take it all away, that is until last night. McMahon forced The New Day, Big E and Xavier Woods, to run a tag team gauntlet as Kofi’s only shot at a trip to Mania to face Daniel Bryan for the WWE title. Things were going well as The New Day mowed through Gallows and Anderson and then got a tough win over Rusev and Shinsuke Nakamura and The Bar. Following their loss, The Bar put Big E through a table, leaving the muscle of The New Day out cold. Enter the Usos, who could have easily dispatched a beaten Xavier Woods, left to fight alone. Rather a show of respect for The New Day and a chance to defy McMahon they simply walked away. The New Day had done it. They succeeded in their quest to find justice for their partner. But wait, one final team must be faced, Daniel Bryan and Rowan. All seemed lost for Kofi as The New Day were exhausted and badly beaten. Xavier and Big E turned the tables on Rowan, literally, and were able to get a count out victory, securing Kingston’s WWE title shot.

Asuka found this new day to be a little tougher pill to swallow. Becky Lynch came out and declared that Charlotte Flair was undeserving and that she brought nothing to the triple threat match at Mania. Once again, enter good ole Vinny Mac, who you know colluded with Flair and set up an impromptu match with Asuka for the Smackdown Women’s Title. Flair ended up defeating “The Empress of Tomorrow” for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. She forced Asuka to tap out in the Figure Eight Leg Lock. Ironically, it was The Queen’s 8th title. Asuka’s road to WrestleMania took an unexpected detour and where exactly this leaves her is an unanswered question. My guess would be in the Women’s Battle Royal. A non- title match with Sonya Deville would have worked well, but the match count for Mania was already too high, and this just trimmed it down by one. The ripple effect of this one is interesting. Will both titles be on the line at Mania? Will one woman walk away as the champ as they say? Will this allow Flair to fall to Ronda Rousey or Becky Lynch at Mania but still leave with the shine of being Smackdown Women’s Champion? It’s a “New Day,” yes it is, but a new day is not always a good day.