Former three-time AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida has put an end to any speculation about her future, confirming that she has re-signed with All Elite Wrestling and is not retiring. During a YouTube livestream on Friday, Shida addressed rumors that began circulating after she starred in a Japanese stage play last month, where she portrayed a retiring professional wrestler.
Speaking on her livestream, Shida explained that her lead role in a recent MAKAI production was the source of the confusion among her fanbase. The play, which ran from September 18 to 21, took place during a long absence from AEW programming for the Japanese star.
Her last match for the company was on a November 2024 episode of AEW Dynamite, where she was on the losing end of a match against the current AEW Women’s World Champion, Kris Statlander. During her time away from the company, Shida has remained active in her native Japan, competing for various independent promotions. Her most recent match in Japan was for the OZ Academy promotion on September 7.
As one of the original members of the AEW women’s division, Hikaru Shida was a cornerstone of the division in the company’s early years. She holds the record for the longest single reign as AEW Women’s World Champion, holding the title for an impressive 372 days.
She has since gone on to win the championship on two more occasions, making her the only three-time women’s world champion in the company’s history. Her last championship opportunity in AEW was at the All Out pay-per-view in 2024, where she unsuccessfully challenged Mercedes Moné for the TBS Championship.
