Published: 2 hours ago by Liam | Last Updated: 1 hour ago by Liam
Liam has been reporting & analyzing wrestling news for over eight years, and is currently the Managing Editor at WrestleTalk.com. Immersed in wrestling for 18 years, he has over 11,000 published articles in addition to leading and overseeing WrestleTalk.com’s coverage.
WWE
Kairi Sane reportedly indicated she wanted to move back to Japan, which is said to be what led to her recent WWE release.
Sane is widely regarded as the most surprising name on the list of 25 WWE releases that emerged this past Friday following WrestleMania 42.
The surprise was due to her being actively involved in the feud between IYO SKY and Asuka, which is continuing as they are set for a match at WWE Backlash on May 9 despite Sane no longer being present.
The news emerged yesterday that Sane had already traveled back to Japan following her release, ruling her out of an immediate return to WWE which some people thought may have happened due to the uproar her released caused among fans and even some WWE personnel and talent.
On Wrestling Observer Radio today, Dave Meltzer reports that Sane indicating she wanted to move back to Japan played into WWE’s decision to release her from her contract.
He stated:
“The Kairi thing, the reason she was cut was I think that she had kinda indicated that she wanted to move back (to Japan).
“The reality is, this is not a money issue. This company makes… whatever it is. The revenue between UFC and WWE and throwing everything in, the revenue’s in the billions of dollars.”
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Bryan Alvarez had said on Wrestling Observer Live last night that Sane traveling back to Japan during her WWE run wasn’t uncommon.
WWE Fan Backlash Over Abrupt Kairi Sane Release
As noted, Kairi Sane’s WWE release was widely considered the most surprising of the bunch due to her involvement in the Asuka and IYO SKY storyline.
During their segment on Raw last night where Asuka attacked SKY, the fans chanted “We Want Kairi,” which WWE appeared to attempt to quieten.
#WeWantKairi has also trended on social media since her exit, including a post from WWE interviewer Jackie Redmond which was soon deleted.
Many have compared this situation to that of R-Truth last year, who ended up returning shortly after he was informed of the decision for him to depart the company, so time may tell whether that’s something Sane wants to do or whether she did in fact want to return to Japan and stay there.
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