10 Wrestlers Who Are DYING For Something New
3. Kairi Sane
The above photo has become a wearyingly familiar sight for Kairi Sane fans.
When Kairi returned to the WWE at the tail end of 2023, she did so off the back of a legitimately historic run in Japan that peaked with her being crowned as NJPW's first ever Women's Champion. Since returning to WWE, however, her stock has fallen dramatically and she now finds herself being Damage CTRL's designated pin-eater whenever the irreparably damaged stable need to lose yet another match (seriously, go back and listen to the near-total lack of crowd reaction when Damage CTRL made their return on RAW. As another Japanese icon would say - it's too late for them, they're already dead).
What's doubly frustrating about Kairi's situation is that she's been forced to play the heel ever since coming back. If you've followed Kairi's career for more than five minutes, you'd know she's one of life's natural babyfaces. Even as a heel, she can't repress the goofy energy that makes her a joy to watch in and out of the ring. Whether she's holding a sign from the crowd to give her team-mates encouragement, dancing in her opponent's ring jacket or signing autographs mid-match, Kairi just comes across as a likeable, funny person. The sooner WWE detach Kairi from Damage CTRL's doomed orbit and let her strike out on her own as a babyface, the sooner she can show everyone the talent that made her one of Japan's most respected wrestlers.