AJ Styles is sharing his honest reaction to Kairi Sane’s surprising WWE departure, and like many fans, he didn’t see it coming.
Sane was among several talents released as part of WWE’s post-WrestleMania 42 roster cuts revealed last week, a round of exits that has sparked plenty of discussion across the wrestling world.
Speaking on a recent episode of his Phenomenally Retro podcast, Styles admitted he was caught off guard by the news and doesn’t have much clarity on what led to her exit.
“We don’t know exactly what the case is,” Styles said. “That one caught me off guard as well because it was a great tag team thing. I feel like Kairi is doing her best work as of now. I wish I had answers. I don’t have these answers for you guys. I don’t.”
That uncertainty seems to be the biggest takeaway, even for someone inside the industry.
Styles continued by questioning what could be next for Sane, while also emphasizing how highly he regards her talent and presence.
“I don’t know what this means for her. I don’t know. I mean, is she done wrestling? Is she going to go back to Stardom? What’s next for Kairi Sane? But I know that she was loved and she was amazing. Yeah, I just hate that.”
A tough situation all around.
Styles also addressed speculation that Sane may have wanted to return to Japan, referencing her previous departure from WWE.
“I will say this: the first time that she left, she went home to Japan. And I don’t know if that had anything to do with this. I doubt it was her choice because I felt like she was really rolling well. But I don’t know. I’m just saying that she went back to Japan last time that she left. I think she wanted to go home.
“So I get it. Given the opportunity, living in another country, I’d always want to go home myself.”
For now, Sane’s future remains unclear, but if Styles’ comments are any indication, her exit is being felt both inside and outside the locker room.
