Report: Update On Why WWE Released Kairi Sane

Kairi Sane's personal situation may have been a motivating factor behind her WWE release.

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, the reason for Kairi Sane being let go was that she had indicated a desire to move back to Japan.

"The Kairi thing, the reason she was cut was I think that she had kind of indicated she wanted to move back," Meltzer said.

Kairi Sane was released by WWE on Friday, April 24 as part of post-WrestleMania 42 roster cuts which saw 25 wrestlers be let go. There was a backlash to Sane being released, though, with '#WeWantKairi' being posted on social media, including by WWE backstage interviewer Jackie Redmond who swiftly deleted her tweet. There were then chants in support of Sane during Asuka and IYO SKY's segment on Monday Night Raw.

Kairi Sane is already back in Japan following her release, with it being noted that Sane has travelled back to Japan at least once or twice a month since she first signed with WWE back in 2017.

Motivations to live in Japan were behind Sane's first WWE exit, as she spent the final 18 months of her contract serving as a WWE ambassador in Japan from the summer of 2020 until December 2021. She returned to WWE in 2023 as a full-time wrestler, however.