Kairi Sane has opened up about her release from WWE release this spring, calling the move a “huge shock.”
Following WrestleMania 42, WWE underwent massive roster cut that saw the release of around two dozen stars, including Zelina Vega, Aleister Black, Alba Fyre, and the entire Wyatt Sicks stable. Soon, The New Day’s departure from the promotion was also announced.
Sane being a part of those cuts bewildered many fans, especially since she was being featured heavily in a major storyline with Asuka and
Iyo Sky that was suddenly dropped. The audience at Backlash in May even let their displeasure be known by chanting “We want Kairi” throughout a match between Sky and Asuka.
Now, the Japanese superstar has addressed her departure from WWE, and she sounded as surprised about it as the fans when speaking to Weekly Pro Wrestling’s Special Edition magazine, RING PLUS, in an issued released this week in Japan.
“It was just as much of a bolt out of the blue for me as it was for everyone else, my friends felt the same way,” Sane said, according to a translation by KairisWrestling. “I was appearing on Raw almost every single week without missing a beat, and I was involved in storylines both inside and outside the ring.
“The storyline was reaching a turning point where my character was about to explode into action…I had been building up frustration and holding back for so long, and I was finally at the stage where I thought, ‘Now I can unleash my true potential!’ So getting released right at that moment was a huge shock.”
When asked if she had considered retirement, Sane replied: “To be honest, if the storyline with Asuka and me had reached a proper conclusion, I might not have had any regrets. That was how much resolve I had going into it, and I gave it everything to make it exciting. But as I mentioned, it ended right in the middle of everything, so the idea of retiring didn’t cross my mind right away.
“I wanted to give it one last push until the very end. That’s why I couldn’t retire halfway through like this — not until I felt within myself that I had truly given it my all and done everything I could…So retirement never crossed my mind. Though, this release is probably the biggest setback of my entire career. But isn’t it great material for an autobiography?”
Elsewhere in the interview, Sane said she was “saved” by the fans who wanted her back in wrestling, as well as addressed whether she will pop up in another promotion in the future. (AEW is heavily rumored to be interested in bring her in.)
“Right after the release, my head was an absolute jumble, so I tried not to think about it for a bit. But now, I’m extremely grateful…I’ve received offers from so many promotions around the world that I can’t even count them on both hands,” she said. “I actually met with the people who reached out from Japan.”
Sane added: “I haven’t made a final decision yet. I’m prepared to complete a new story from here, all the way to the end.”
What do you think, Cagesiders? Still upset about Kairi’s release from WWE? Where would you like to see her wrestle next? Let us know in the comments.
