Mina Shirakawa's AEW Return Expected Imminently Following STARDOM Departure (AEW News)
Expect that 'Is All Elite' graphic to drop VERY soon...
Mina Shirakawa is expected to join AEW in a full-time capacity very soon.
This was reported overnight by Fightful Select. Mina, who barely took a dip in the pro wrestling free agent pool, is "set to appear on AEW programming imminently," wrote the ever-prolific Sean Ross Sapp.
Mina made herself a lot of admirers during her excursion in All Elite Wrestling last year. A very marketable talent, Mina's performances in the classic Timeless Toni Storm Vs. Mariah May programme drew rave reviews. Incorporating risqué comedy with accomplished in-ring performances - matches against Storm (Forbidden Door '24) and May (Winter Is Coming '24) - were particularly well-received - AEW has signed a talent that is already very over to their audience.
Those fans will be encouraged by this report; Sapp elaborated that Mina "has even been discussed for an appearance over the next couple of weeks. It is believed she's to get an immediate push upon arriving in the company".
Specific creative plans are not yet known, and her role might be complicated by the questionable status of May, who per the latest reports is making the most of her leverage and is torn between staying with AEW and making the jump to WWE. Then again, Mina does not necessarily need to re-enter that picture; the blow-off match already happened.
Mina will surely re-enter AEW as a babyface, owing to her cult popularity. Competition for the top spot is fierce; AEW Women's World champion Toni Storm is arguably the most popular wrestler in the company, irrespective of gender, and Willow Nightingale is in a contract year. You'd expect Tony Khan to make promises about the scope of her role, if he's clever.
Who knows?
Perhaps this imminent full-time run might act as the catalyst for Khan to more strongly emphasise women's wrestling on the Dynamite flagship. He has quite the selection headache to deal with now.