Despite WWE’s reported interest in re-signing her, Kairi Sane is a free agent

It seems the flurry of announcements by and rumors about former NXT Women’s champion Kairi Sane have been leading to this.

The latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports the inaugural Mae Young Classic winner is now a free agent. WWE was interested in renewing the 33 year old’s contract and having her return to wrestle in the United States, but Sane was not interested in working here and traveling back & forth to her life in Japan, especially in the age of COVID.

Sane — who we presumably should start getting used to calling Kairi Hojo, the name she wrestled under in Stardom for six years before signing with WWE in 2017 — is interested in returning to the ring. Bushiroad-owned Stardom was interested in having the Pirate Princess appear on their 10th anniversary show earlier this year, but WWE allegedly rebuffed their request. Dave Meltzer writes that New Japan’s sister promotion is interested in bringing the former World of Stardom champion back, but nothing is in the works... yet.

Not much came of Kairi’s WWE ambassadorship, which began after her July 2020 television write-off here in the U.S. She provided Japanese commentary for last year’s Hell in a Cell PPV, but the pandemic and the company abandoning plans for an NXT Japan meant she didn’t seem to be doing much more than let her contract expire at home with her husband.

She’s now free to set sail and do whatever she wants.