As reported earlier by PWMania.com, Sareee had been medically cleared in Japan after undergoing treatment for a neck injury. However, she was not cleared by AEW, which conducted its own neck examination.
As a result, Sareee was replaced in her match against Skye Blue in the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament by Maya World.
Initially, Sareee had intended for Takumi Iroha from Japan to be her substitute. World, who recently faced a personal tragedy with the death of a family member, wanted to return to the ring for her own mental health, making her a more fitting storyline replacement.
According to the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the original plan was for Sareee to win her match and face Athena in the semifinals, although the outcome of that match remains unclear.
Instead, World won the match, and it is uncertain what the result of the match against Athena will be. However, many expect Mercedes Moné to reach the finals, likely winning against Hazuki. Given that World fits the storyline better as Sareee’s substitute, it seems unlikely that she would be eliminated immediately after.
The report also mentioned that the complete story will be revealed after the semifinals next week. World was given a week off following her brother’s tragic death in a car accident caused by a passing vehicle.
