Kairi Sane has given her first long-form interview since WWE released her in April, and she says the decision caught her completely off guard while her Raw storyline was building toward a payoff.
Speaking to Weekly Pro Wrestling’s women’s wrestling magazine RING PLUS for its 14th volume, which went on sale in Japan on August 4, Sane said no warning preceded the call.
It was just as much of a bolt out of the blue for me as it was for everyone else,” she said, noting that friends around her reacted the same way. “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.
Sane was one of roughly two dozen names cut on April 24 in WWE’s post-WrestleMania 42 roster reduction. Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio at the time that she was let go because she had indicated a desire to move back to Japan, and that money played no part in it.
Her own account cuts against that reporting. Sane pushed back publicly days after the cuts, writing on X that she had never walked away, and the RING PLUS interview doubles down on it.
Retirement Never Entered The Picture
Sane, who first left WWE in December 2021 before returning in November 2023, went home to Japan roughly two weeks after her release. She said a proper ending to the Asuka angle might have changed how she felt about stepping away.
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.
The story did reach a finish without her. Asuka turned on IYO SKY and the two met at Backlash on May 9, after which Asuka was reported to be semi-retired.
Sane said the unfinished business is exactly why she isn’t stopping.
I wanted to give it one last push until the very end,” she said, before adding with a laugh that “this release is probably the biggest setback of my entire career. But isn’t it great material for an autobiography?
The Offers Are Already Piling Up
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. I actually met with the people who reached out from Japan.
Her 90-day non-compete expired on July 23, and she marked the moment with a cryptic “see you soon” post. She has since hired veteran agent Barry Bloom, whose client list is heavy with AEW talent.
Sane confirmed she’s got options, and won’t rush her next career decision.
I haven’t made a final decision yet. I’m prepared to complete a new story from here, all the way to the end.
A deeper version of the interview runs in the August 5 issue of Weekly Pro Wrestling.
