Kairi Sane may not have made her last WWE appearance after all. Bryan Alvarez reports that within WWE, there is a belief that Sane could show up at Backlash this Saturday in Tampa, Florida, to help bring closure to her unfinished storyline with IYO SKY and Asuka. Alvarez wrote to his subscribers on X that the internal feeling puts the odds in favor of a surprise appearance.
“Within WWE, it’s felt there is a better than 50% chance that Kairi shows up at Backlash to at least finish off that storyline,” Alvarez wrote.
A singles match between SKY and Asuka is on the Backlash card. Before her release, Sane had been a central figure in the program, positioned between the two with Asuka bullying her and forcing her to prove her loyalty. Her release left the storyline without its natural resolution, generating frustration internally and fan reaction online through the WeWantKairi hashtag.
It is not currently known whether any potential Backlash appearance would be a one-off or the start of something more.
Sane was among the 25 wrestlers released on April 24 as part of WWE’s post-WrestleMania 42 roster cuts, with her departure described by Fightful Select as generating a ton of shock within the company. AJ Styles said he was especially caught off guard by her release. Dave Meltzer later reported that WWE’s belief that Sane wanted to eventually return to Japan factored into the decision, though Sane pushed back on that characterization in a post on social media on April 28.
“What I can say is I know there’s been a lot of speculation, but I truly love this work, my teammates, and my fans. I’ve never walked away, and I’ve given my all in everything I do. I hope you’re all doing well,” Sane wrote.
This was Sane’s second WWE stint, having returned in 2023 after spending time in Japan following her 2021 departure.
