Carmella vs. Asuka Rematch Announced for WWE Extreme Rules 2018

Asuka will have another crack at capturing the SmackDown Live Women's Championship.

SmackDown Live general manager Paige announced Tuesday night that Carmella will defend her title against The Empress of Tomorrow in a singles match at Extreme Rules on July 15:

Before her rematch with Carmella, Asuka will wrestle James Ellsworth next week on SmackDown Live. He is relishing the opportunity:

Carmella and Asuka first crossed paths at Money in the Bank earlier this month.

A returning Ellsworth helped Carmella steal the win. He stood on the apron in Asuka's entrance gear, which distracted the former NXT women's champion long enough to create an opening for The Princess of Staten Island to hit the Princess Kick.

Given Extreme Rules' position on the pay-per-view calendar, it's tough to get a read on a rematch between Carmella and Asuka.

SummerSlam is coming up in August, and that's arguably WWE's second-biggest show of the year behind WrestleMania. As a result, the company may want to save Asuka's first main roster title win for "The Biggest Party of the Summer."

Then again, the Japanese's stock has already started slipping following her defeat to Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 34, and a loss to Carmella—even in murky circumstances—did little to help stem the tide. She has gone from an unstoppable monster who went undefeated for more than a year to just another wrestler in the women's division.

The most likely scenario is Ellsworth once again getting involved at Extreme Rules before Paige finds a way to take him out of the equation for a third and final battle between Asuka and Carmella at SummerSlam.