Mezue ahịrịokwu na-esonụ: Na Eprel 17, a họpụtara Asuka na SmackDown dị ka akụkụ nke 2018 WWE Superstar Shake-up, na-eme ihe ngosi mbụ ya site na ịchekwa Charlotte Flair na Becky Lynch site na mwakpo nke The IIconics (Billie Kay na Peyton Royce) na mgbe ahụ <unk>SmackDown Women's Champion Carmella. Na May 15 nke "SmackDown", onye isi njikwa SmackDown bụ Paige kwụsịrị Carmella, iji kwupụta na ọ ga-agbachitere Asuka na Money in the Bank. N'ihe omume ahụ na June 17, Asuka meriri Carmella mgbe James Ellsworth laghachiri, na-ata ahụhụ mbụ ya na WWE. Paige mechara nye Asuka mmeghari ahụ nke mere na July 15 na Extreme Rules, nke Asuka tụfuru mgbe Ellsworth dọpụrụ uche ọzọ, onye kwụ n'elu mgbanaka ahụ n'ime oghere shark, nke Carmella jiri merie egwuregwu ahụ. N'ọnwa Septemba, Asuka nyeere Naomi aka, onye mgbe o merisịrị Peyton Royce, ndị IIconics wakporo ya. Nke a dugara n'asọmpi tag team n'etiti ndị otu abụọ ahụ na Ọktọba 6 na WWE Super Show-Down, ebe Asuka na Naomi meriri. Ọzọkwa n'oge ahụ, a mara ọkwa na Asuka na The Miz ga-esonye na oge nke abụọ nke Mixed Match Challenge. Ha ga-adịgide ruo ọkara-ikpeazụ, ebe ndị meriri R-Truth na Carmella kpochapụrụ ha. Na November 18, Asuka sonyere na
Survivor Series dị ka akụkụ nke Team Smackdown, ebe ọ bụ nwanyị ikpeazụ ewepụrụ na Team SmackDown.