10 Awesome Wrestlers Who Left WWE FAR Too Soon
2. Kairi Sane
The 'Pirate Princess' had such potential to be a massive babyface star. She had excellent matches, a tremendous and unique gimmick, and was universally beloved, but, as is often the way with NXT main roster call-ups, WWE never pulled the trigger on a significant push for her. The inaugural Mae Young Classic winner announced in 2020 that she would be leaving WWE to move back to Japan, cutting her time with the company drastically short.
WWE missed the ball on this one, as Sane's impressive main roster debut was met with tonnes of excitement, and pairing her up with Asuka felt like a quick way to get her over outside of the developmental brand. They never quite ran with her, as she was kept in this team - The Kabuki Warriors - for the entirety of her run, and never got the chance to become the massive singles star she could have been.
It is truly devastating that there were no fans in attendance to bid the unforgettable Kairi farewell. Still, she is probably much happier having moved back to Japan, living a great life with her husband, and helping the WWE Japan branch as a trainer, ambassador and occasional commentator.