Report: WWE Turned Down Kairi Sane's Request To Work Huge Stardom Show
Details on WWE saying "no" to Kairi Sane's request to work Stardom's Budokan Hall show.
WWE has denied former NXT Women's Champion Kairi Sane the opportunity to work joshi group Stardom's upcoming Budokan Hall show on 3 March.
Dave Meltzer writes in this week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Stardom had wanted its former star to work what will be the biggest event in the company's history, but Sane is still contracted to WWE after returning to her native Japan in 2020 and couldn't get permission.
While Stardom had suggested a big singles match for Sane, they also offered WWE a Royal Rumble-style match with legends instead. Both pitches were seemingly turned down.
WWE retained Sane as a Japanese ambassador upon her returning to Japan shortly after her marriage in 2020. The 32-year-old was quickly linked with matches in Stardom, though it looks like this won't be possible.
Stardom, Japan's leading joshi group, is currently owned by NJPW's parent company, Bushiroad. Sane worked for the promotion as Kairi Hojo between 2011 and 2017, rising to global prominence as a standout babyface opposite the likes of Io Shirai. She was first offered a WWE contract in October 2016 but opted not to sign until the following June, debuting via video promo on a Tokyo house show.