Former AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida has renewed her contract with the promotion. Shida delivered the news herself during a YouTube livestream on Friday, October 3, 2025. The announcement was made to clarify her professional status after fan speculation about a potential retirement arose following her recent acting work in Japan.
The retirement rumors stemmed from Shida’s lead role in a stage play last month. The production, titled “Retirement,” centered on a professional wrestler who announces she is ending her career. Shida portrayed the main character, leading some audience members to question if the storyline was reflective of her actual intentions. “Actually, after the show many fans asked me like โAre you retiring or is it just a play?โ” Shida stated during her livestream.
In her address to fans, Shida confirmed that the play’s theme was purely fictional and did not mirror her career plans. “Of course itโs just a play. Iโm not retiring,” she clarified. “I just renewed my Visa and contract so Iโm not retiring.” She added that the fan inquiries suggested her acting in the role was convincing. The play ran from September 18 to September 21.
Shida has a long-standing career in theatrical performance alongside her wrestling endeavors. Since 2014, she has performed under the stage name Tsuruhime in productions for MAKAI, a Japanese company that produces live shows combining elements of musical theatre, stage drama, and wrestling. Shida described her most recent role as particularly demanding, noting, “It was the hardest stage play for me, whole ten years but it was really great.”
With her contract status confirmed, Shida is now positioned for a return to AEW programming. On October 2, she announced via a post on the social media platform X that she was traveling back to the United States. Her most recent televised appearance for AEW was on the November 20, 2024, edition of AEW Dynamite, where she competed against Kris Statlander. A specific date for her return to AEW television has not yet been announced.
