Why Hikaru Shida Is Currently Off AEW TV

Hikaru Shida has been notable by her absence from All Elite Wrestling, with the former AEW Women’s World Champion having been away from the promotion since late 2024.

Shida’s last bout in an AEW ring came with a singles loss to Kris Statlander on a November 2024 edition of Dynamite, with Shida subsequently returning to Japan to renew her visa, and wrestle some matches in her homeland. AEW’s Kenny Omega is looking after Shida’s cats while she is away, and explained that the visa renewal is taking longer than expected;



“You never really know how long the process is going to take. And in this case, it’s taking quite a while,” Omega said. “Her cats get separation anxiety, they don’t like being alone.”

Omega continued, noting of the cat-sitting duties: “I would do it anytime. It is not a chore whatsoever. I’m enjoying the baby. But I do worry because this week, as you guys know, is pay-per-view week. So we’ve got Dynamite, Collision, then also the pay-per-view.”

Shida has been part of AEW since its inception in 2019, and is a three-time world champion in the organisation.

H/T: F4WOnline

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