Former WWE star Sareee spoke with Tokyo Sports about various topics, including her time in WWE, which she considers the most challenging period of her wrestling career.
Sareee said, “That was the most difficult period of my pro-wrestling career. With so many people on the WWE roster, it was hard enough just to get picked for matches, and on top of that, it coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic, so I couldn’t compete as much as I wanted to. In the midst of that, I was assigned a high school girl character. I went with the intention of bringing strong women’s professional wrestling from Japan, but it was painful because what was required in reality was different. I became so stressed that I loved sweets, and after lunch, I ate an American-sized parfait and then flattened a big Häagen-Dazs and my face was covered in acne. Still, I did my best in my heart. Looking back now, it’s all become experience that has nourished me, so not a single moment was wasted.”
On questioning if she should return to Japan:
“Honestly, I did wonder if it was okay to return to Japan without having achieved anything in the U.S. But when I thought about what I really wanted to do, I realized I should be doing the kind of pro-wrestling I believe in to the fullest within the limited time I have. I’ve been striving to become the strongest in the Japanese women’s pro-wrestling scene, which is where it all began for me.”
Sareee signed with WWE in 2020 and competed on NXT under the name Sarray. Her debut was delayed due to COVID-19 lockdowns, and she faced challenges when the brand transitioned to the NXT 2.0 era. When she eventually returned to television, she portrayed an anime-inspired schoolgirl character that did not gain popularity.
As a result, she left the company in March 2023. Shortly after her exit, Sareee returned to Japan, where she organized several of her own shows. She is also signed to Sukeban under a multi-year deal.
