Former three-time AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida is on her way back to the United States. In a post on X, the Japanese star shared a photo of herself at an airport, simply stating that she is ready to return to the USA. Shida has been largely absent from AEW television for the majority of 2025, with her last appearance being on a November 2024 episode of AEW Dynamite.
During her time away from AEW, Shida has remained active in her native Japan, competing for a number of independent promotions. Her most recent match was on September 7 at an event for the OZ Academy promotion. Her last program in AEW was in the fall of 2024, which saw her unsuccessfully challenge Mercedes Mone for the TBS Championship at the All Out pay-per-view.
As one of the original and most decorated members of the AEW women’s division, Shida’s return will be a welcome one for fans who have been awaiting her comeback. Hikaru Shida was the cornerstone of the AEW women’s division during 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 during the height of the pandemic era.
She has since gone on to win the title on two more occasions, making her the only three-time AEW Women’s World Champion in the company’s history. With a new AEW Women’s World Champion recently crowned in Kris Statlander, the division is in a state of transition, making it the perfect time for a veteran and former champion like Shida to make her return.
空港で温泉入ってラウンジでカレー食べて準備万端！日本またね👋🇯🇵
I’m ready to go back to the US✈️🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/R3L3lVSQTT— HIKARU SHIDA 志田 光 (@shidahikaru) October 2, 2025
