AEW star Kenny Omega recently offered an update on the AEW status of a former world champion during a Twitch stream, explaining why they have been on the sidelines for an extended period of time.
Hikaru Shida, a former AEW Women’s World Champion, previously revealed she had returned to Japan to take care of visa renewal requirements while also working select dates on the Japanese wrestling circuit.
According to Omega, the process has been dragging on longer than anyone anticipated.
“You never really know how long the process is going to take. And in this case, it’s taking quite a while,” Omega explained during his stream.
In the meantime, Omega has taken on pet-sitting duties for Shida’s cats during her absence, a task he’s more than happy to handle — though it does come with some challenges.
“Her cats get separation anxiety, they don’t like being alone,” he said, noting how sensitive they’ve been since Shida left.
“I would do it anytime. It is not a chore whatsoever. I’m enjoying the baby. But I do worry because this week, as you guys know, is pay-per-view week. So we’ve got Dynamite, Collision, then also the pay-per-view,” Omega added, referring to AEW’s packed weekly schedule.
Shida has not wrestled in AEW since November 20, when she was defeated by Kris Statlander on Dynamite. While away, she has remained active in Japan. In February, she made an appearance at Maya Yukihi’s anniversary event at Korakuen Hall. She also wrestled at the Lucha Fiesta show inside Sumo Hall on April 27, faced longtime rival Hiragi Kurumi at her own anniversary show on May 2, and captured a win in a battle royal at a WAVE event held at Korakuen Hall on May 4.
There’s currently no official timeline for her return to AEW.
日本ただいま！
これから試合やビザの更新でしばらく滞在予定なので会いたい人たちに会いたい！！✨ pic.twitter.com/gftYzgZlK8— HIKARU SHIDA 志田 光 (@shidahikaru) April 22, 2025
(H/T to Ian Carey and F4WOnline.com for transcribing the above quotes.)
