Reason Why WWE Has Yet to Announce IYO SKY & Asuka for WrestleMania 42

WrestleMania 42 is less than two weeks away and the card for WWE's biggest show of the year is nearly complete.

There are currently 13 matches that have been made official for the show, with seven of them set to take place on Saturday, April 18, and the remaining six scheduled for Sunday, April 19, from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. The expectation is that one more will be added to Sunday to even out both nights.

Post Wrestling's John Pollock and the folks at BodySlam are reporting that IYO SKY versus Asuka is still tentatively planned for this year's 'Showcase of the Immortals', even though that match wasn't included in the official schedule announcement Tuesday morning on ESPN's Get Up.

.@WWEAsuka with a MESSAGE for @Iyo_SkyWWE 😨 pic.twitter.com/iNWonIMA7S
— WWE (@WWE) April 7, 2026

The Empress of Tomorrow did appear in a vignette that aired during Monday night's episode of WWE Raw. She issued an open challenge and promised to teach her former kōhai one final lesson in the ring.

SKY, who was the victim of a kendo stick attack by Jade Cargill Monday night in Houston, later responded to Asuka on social media and said she hoped to meet her once proud senpai in Las Vegas.

"Asuka…
The achievements you’ve made in WWE have been truly brilliant.
Kairi and I have always looked up to you.
But the way you’re treating Kairi right now is changing all of that!!
If dragging Kairi around and using her as a shield is your idea of “LOVE,”
then my “LOVE” is to go anywhere and everywhere to be Rhea’s shield.

I’m DEFINITELY NOT afraid to face You, my senior whom I once LOVED so dearly.
Let’s settle this once and for all: which of our “LOVES” deserves to have it all.

Hope to see you in Vegas."
Asuka on her X account

Asuka….
The achievements you’ve made in WWE have been truly brilliant.
Kairi and I have always looked up to you.
But the way you’re treating Kairi right now is changing all of that!!
If dragging Kairi around and using her as a shield is your idea of “LOVE,”
then my “LOVE” is to… https://t.co/NOWVrW9qyg pic.twitter.com/HIrDe4GQlt
— IYO SKY (@Iyo_SkyWWE) April 7, 2026

Why hasn't IYO SKY vs. Asuka been announced for WrestleMania 42?

As strange as it may sound, the answer to that question is reportedly Nikki Bella. Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer is reporting that WWE is continuing to monitor her availability for WrestleMania after she twisted her ankle on a recent episode of SmackDown.

The Hall of Famer was seen in a walking boot immediately after she suffered the injury, but she's since made multiple appearances on WWE programming without it.

Nikki is expected to be cleared in time to compete alongside her sister Brie in the Women's Tag Team Title Fatal 4-Way on WrestleMania Saturday, but if, for some reason, she is not ready to go in time, Alvarez says the plan is for The Kabuki Warriors to sub in for The Bella Twins.

There's no word on whether there are any contingency plans in place for IYO SKY, other than to maybe appear as backup for Rhea Ripley in her battle with WWE Women's Champion Jade Cargill.

It's also not clear why another team, such as former Women's Tag Team Champions Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez, were not considered for the spot, at least prior to The Prodigy ending up in concussion protocol after a brutal collision with Liv Morgan Monday night.

We'll continue to keep you posted on the status of these final match developments for WrestleMania 42.