Is Kairi Sane Leaving WWE?

Former NXT Women’s Champion Kairi Sane has been back on television for a couple of weeks. But based on a new report from Japanese outlet Tokyo Sports, it sounds like she’ll be heading back to her home country of Japan in the near future. Both the Wrestling Observer and Fightful had previously reported that WWE had plans to write her off television, but that was before she made her surprise return on a recent episode of Raw. The Tokyo Sports story (translated via Google translate) states that Sane will maintain a relationship with WWE and won’t work for another company.

“Since she married a Japanese man on February 22, there is also a media report that ‘it is very important to move back to Japan,’” the story read. “She also told his neighbors that she wanted to return to Japan, and she was whispered to return to Japan early this year. However, it is unlikely that they will completely leave WWE and participate in other groups in Japan. Most of the argument is that the base will be moved to Japan and that it will continue to maintain friendly relations with WWE.”

However before that happens, it looks like Sane will get to compete in one more match at SummerSlam. She stated on the latest episode of Raw Talk that if and when Asuka retains her championship against Sasha Banks at The Horror Show at Extreme Rules this Sunday, she wants the next shot at the Raw Women’s Championship.

This could all be a swerve however, as one of the original plans for writing Sane off television was to have somebody injure her on television and prompt Asuka to seek revenge in a SummerSlam match. Previous title contender Shayna Baszler made her return to television on this week’s Raw and would fit that role.

Here’s the card for The Horror Show at Extreme Rules as of now:

• WWE Championship: Drew McIntyre vs. Dolph Ziggler
• Wyatt Swamp Fight: Braun Strowman vs. Bray Wyatt
• Raw Women’s Championship: Asuka vs. Sasha Banks
• SmackDown Women’s Championship: Bayley vs. Nikki Cross
• Eye for an Eye Match: Seth Rollins vs. Rey Mysterio
• United States Championship: Apollo Crews vs. MVP