Former WWE star Kairi Sane has reflected on her WWE release, describing it as the biggest setback of her career while revealing how close she felt to reaching a defining moment in her storyline with Asuka.
Speaking with Ring Plus magazine, Sane admitted her release came as a complete surprise. “It was just as much of a bolt out of the blue for me as it was for everyone else.”
She explained that she had been appearing regularly on Raw and was heavily involved in ongoing storylines, believing her character was finally about to break through. “The storyline was reaching a turning point where my character was about to explode into action… I had finally reached the stage where I thought, ‘Now I can unleash my true potential!’ So getting released right at that moment was a huge shock.”
Sane also spoke about the unfinished story involving Asuka, saying it remains her biggest regret from her WWE run. “I think the people who supported me were building up frustration too… That anticipation was my own motivation as well.”
She said she had worked tirelessly to regain her identity as a professional wrestler while helping build momentum for WWE. “I had finally recovered my true pro wrestling style, generated momentum for WWE, and worked hard with the determination to make a huge impact for both WWE and myself.”
However, she said everything came to an abrupt halt. “Having that storyline cut off right in the middle was what left the biggest regret.”
Despite the disappointment, Sane revealed retirement never seriously entered her mind.
She admitted that if the storyline with Asuka had received a proper conclusion, she may have been satisfied enough to walk away from wrestling. “To be honest, if the storyline with Asuka and me had reached a proper conclusion, I might not have had any regrets.”
Instead, she felt there was still unfinished business. “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.”
Although she called her WWE release “probably the biggest setback” of her career, she maintained a sense of humor about the experience. “But isn’t it great material for an autobiography?” (laughs)
Sane also revealed that she has been overwhelmed by the level of interest from wrestling promotions since becoming a free agent. “I’ve received offers from so many promotions around the world that I can’t even count them on both hands—both inside Japan and internationally.”
She added that she has already met with representatives from several Japanese promotions as she weighs the next chapter of her wrestling career.
Kairi Sane's Interview Translation as best as I could will be down Below:: pic.twitter.com/9Ix1DNzzN8
— KairisWrestling (@KairisIdiots) August 4, 2026
