Hikaru Shida: "I Am Struggling To Survive In The Current AEW"

All Elite Wrestling star Hikaru Shida has outlined the struggles facing joshi wrestlers in the promotion at the moment, claiming that she, like many of her peers, is "struggling to survive in the current AEW."

Writing for Weekly Pro Wrestling, Shida stated that the hurdle for Japanese females in AEW is now "much higher" than before. The former Women's World Champion cited the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and her division's growth as reasons for this:-

“My feeling is that the hurdle for Japanese women’s pro wrestlers to come to AEW has become much higher. The major cause is the Corona disaster which is not easy to finish. And it’s because the AEW Women’s Division has grown so much in the past year. AEW is an organization that is constantly changing, and the players come and go very rapidly. TV and YouTube. If you’ve been following AEW on FITE TV or YouTube, you’ll know that the women’s division in particular has seen an increase in the number of young, cute, and dynamic players over the past year."

Continuing, Shida stated that while incorporating joshi wrestlers as initially one of the AEW women's division's biggest selling points, being part of that group isn't the USP it used to be:-

“At the time of the launch, the women’s division of AEW relied heavily on Japanese female pro wrestlers, and that was one of the selling points of the division. But that was only for a while after the launch. Nowadays, being a Japanese female pro wrestler is not as much of an advantage as it used to be.”

Now, Shida sees the situation as something of a handicap. She isn't immune to this, either, as she confessed she feels she is "struggling to survive" in AEW at the minute:-

“On the contrary, it has become more of a handicap in terms of language barrier, obtaining a work visa, and the Corona disaster. I myself am no exception to this, and even as a member of the AEW since its inception and a former Women’s Champion, I am struggling to survive in the current AEW."

But despite all this, the former Women's Champion is hoping for an improvement once the pandemic eases up:-

“AEW is an organization that is always pursuing new possibilities, and I don’t think that Japanese women’s wrestling has disappeared from that list of options. Once Corona settles down, there will be a day when AEW and Japanese women’s wrestling can interact in a new way. That being said, I would like to take this opportunity to say that even if we are able to sign a contract, it’s just the start."

Shida has been the strongest-pushed of AEW's joshi contingent since the promotion's inception, holding the Women's World Title for over a year between May 2020 and May 2021. Her countrywomen, Riho, was crowned the first champion in 2019, while Emi Sakura is also active in AEW at the moment, albeit on Dark and Elevation.

Dynamite's 12 January episode hosted Shida's latest AEW match, serving as a write-off for her ahead of a returned trip home to Japan. There is currently no word on when she will be back in the United States.