Photo Credit: IMDB
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Kairi Sane never expected her WWE career to end the way it did. The veteran star admitted her release caught her completely off guard, especially because she remained a regular part of WWE programming. Months later, she has recovered from the initial shock and now looks toward the next chapter of her wrestling career with optimism. Sane ranked among the biggest surprises during WWE’s major roster cuts in April, which resulted in 16 departures. Alongside Aleister Black, she stood out as one of the most unexpected names on the list. Both wrestlers appeared regularly on television and played important roles in ongoing storylines before WWE released them.
Speaking with Weekly Pro Wrestling in an interview later translated by Sports Illustrated, Sane explained that she never saw the decision coming. She appeared on Raw nearly every week and participated in several storylines both inside and outside the ring. As a result, she believed WWE planned to feature her even more prominently. In fact, Sane said her character had reached a major turning point. She spent months building tension while teasing a breakout moment. That payoff never arrived because WWE released her before the storyline reached its conclusion. Sane described the timing as especially difficult. She believed her character finally stood ready to showcase its full potential after months of development. Instead, the release abruptly ended her momentum and forced her to rethink her future.
Meanwhile, WWE continued the storyline without her. The feud involving Asuka and Iyo Sky eventually concluded after Asuka lost a nearly 20-minute match against Sky. Following the defeat, Asuka began an indefinite hiatus from WWE programming. Sky continued to thrive despite losing her Damage CTRL allies. She captured the Queen of the Ring tournament and earned a Women’s World Championship opportunity. However, Liv Morgan defeated Sky at SummerSlam, preventing her from capturing the title. Following her release, Sane admitted she needed time to process everything before making career decisions. Rather than rushing into another opportunity, she stepped away briefly and focused on organizing her thoughts.
Soon afterward, she hired veteran wrestling agent Barry Bloom. Bloom has represented many of professional wrestling’s biggest names throughout his career, including Bill Goldberg, Chris Jericho, Mick Foley, and Kenny Omega. His experience immediately opened new doors for Sane. Those opportunities arrived quickly. According to Sane, promotions from around the world contacted her almost immediately after WWE released her. She revealed that the number of offers exceeded what she could count on both hands. Several of those offers came from Japan, where Sane first established herself as one of women’s wrestling’s top performers. She confirmed that she already met with representatives from Japanese promotions but has not reached a final decision about her next destination.
Instead, Sane wants to choose the opportunity that allows her to write the next chapter of her career on her own terms. She expressed excitement about beginning a completely new story and seeing it through to its conclusion. The release closed Sane’s second run with WWE. She originally joined the company after building her reputation in Japan. During her first stint, she captured the NXT Women’s Championship before moving to WWE’s main roster. After leaving WWE in 2021, Sane returned to Japan and quickly reestablished herself as one of the country’s premier performers.
She competed for Stardom and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, adding another impressive accomplishment to her résumé by becoming the inaugural IWGP Women’s Champion. That championship represented one of the biggest milestones of her career. The IWGP Women’s Championship serves as the sister title to New Japan’s prestigious men’s world championship and immediately elevated Sane’s standing on the international wrestling scene.
WWE brought Sane back in 2023, where she reunited with Iyo Sky and joined Damage CTRL. During her two WWE runs, she teamed with Asuka to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship three times. Those title reigns further cemented her legacy as one of WWE’s most accomplished women’s tag team competitors. Now, Sane enters free agency with valuable experience and plenty of options. At 37 years old, she remains one of the most recognizable names in women’s wrestling. Promotions across the world clearly view her as a major addition to their rosters.
Although WWE’s decision surprised both fans and Sane herself, the setback has created new opportunities. With interest from multiple companies and a decorated résumé already in place, Sane appears well-positioned to begin another successful chapter. Wherever she signs next, she will bring championship experience, international star power, and the determination to prove her best wrestling still lies ahead.
Author Profile
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Bradley Walker (VP) and Head of our Florida operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a co-host on the P&W Sports Report and hosting The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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