A few minutes after the beatdown she suffered from the hands of Bayley on RAW, and Asuka seen going out of doctors’ office worried and furious, Kairi Sane thanked all her fellow WWE Superstars and fans on Twitter as “she prepares to leave WWE.” The company confirmed the news shortly after.
Following Monday Night Raw, Kairi Sane took to Twitter to thank her fellow Superstars, WWE staff and the WWE Universe for their support as she prepares to leave WWE. Sane joined WWE in 2017, winning the inaugural Mae Young Classic. Along with the hearts of the WWE Universe, she would go on to capture the NXT Women’s Championship and the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship alongside Asuka. WWE sends its best wishes to Kairi Sane as she sets sail on her next voyage!
Her departure from WWE has been a persistent rumour over the last few weeks as she recently got married and was said to want to come back to Japan to be with her husband. The tone used by WWE in their news is very kind and let think she is leaving the company on good terms. She could very likely be affiliated with the company in some way in the future.
My time in the NXT & WWE locker rooms was incredible. Everyone was kind, funny, & talented, so every day was full of happiness. Also, I was saved by the supportive staff behind the scenes. I will forever love & respect all these professionals I had the pleasure of working with.?
— KAIRI SANE (@KairiSaneWWE) July 28, 2020
Kairi Sane’s resume reads like the accomplishments of 10 athletes. Apart from the laundry list of championships procured in the Japanese women’s promotion Stardom, three-time “Goddess of Stardom” and four-time “Artist of Stardom,” to name a few (she was an Olympic hopeful in yachting, pursued a career in acting, holds a Bachelor’s degree in Japanese literature from Hosei University and once taught Japanese to orphans in Cambodia).
Given her jet-setting and worldwide accomplishments, it’s no surprise that Kairi found her way to WWE, joining NXT in summer 2017 and immediately announcing her participation in the inaugural Mae Young Classic. Over the five rounds, The Pirate Princess outlasted the competition, a stiff field of 31 other global sensations, and notched a milestone by winning the tournament with a career-defining victory against former UFC fighter Shayna Baszler in the Finale.
History repeated itself almost a year later when Sane defeated Baszler to capture the NXT Women’s Championship at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV. Shortly thereafter, Sane set sail for uncharted waters by joining the SmackDown Live roster in the 2019 Superstar Shake-up and immediately forming The Kabuki Warriors with Asuka. Sane and Asuka captured the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles from Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross at WWE Hell in a Cell 2019 when The Empress of Tomorrow used the green mist against Cross.
I was able to accomplish so much in the last three years, but it wasn’t because of my ability or my strength. It was because of all of the constant, warm support from the fans. I am so thankful I could meet you all.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart,
Kairi Sane☺️⚓️ pic.twitter.com/BaH2UBi9wn— KAIRI SANE (@KairiSaneWWE) July 28, 2020
The next night on RAW, The Kabuki Warriors completed their transition into heels, as they cut a promo on both Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair and went onto defeat them in a non-title match after once again using green mist. As part of the 2019 Draft in mid-October, Asuka and Sane were both drafted to the RAW brand. Asuka and Sane made their returns to NXT on the October 30, 2019, episode to defend the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship against Dakota Kai and Tegan Nox, making it the first time the titles were defended on NXT.
They would successfully defend the titles for months until Wrestlemania 36. The Kabuki Warriors lost their Women’s Tag Team Championships to the team of Alexa Bliss and Nikki Cross, ending their reign at 181 days, the longest reign for the titles so far. With Asuka becoming RAW Women’s Champion after Money In The Bank, she would often be seen on her friend’s side more than in the ring. The Kabuki Warriors unsuccessfully challenged Banks and Bayley for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship two weeks ago. On the July 20 episode of RAW, she defeated SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley in a non-title match that was, in fact, her last match with WWE.
When she announced her wedding, Sane expressed her wish to build a family very soon and live a life filled with laughter and joy with her husband. Kairi Sane is leaving WWE on her terms, so we could only wish her the best for the future, whether in wrestling or not. The WWE Universe will miss her for sure, but they won’t forget The Pirate Princess anytime soon.
All pics and videos courtesy of WWE