AJ Styles On WWE Star’s Release: “Everybody Is A Little Confused”

AJ Styles comments on WWE star Kairi Sane’s release.

The Stamford-based company let go of Kairi Sane on April 24, 2026, as part of a major round of post-WrestleMania 42 roster cuts. Her departure came as a shock to the WWE Universe because she was in the midst of an ongoing Monday Night Raw storyline involving Asuka and Iyo Sky.

WWE Hall of Famer AJ Styles was also shocked when he heard about Sane’s release. Speaking on his Phenomenally Retro podcast, Styles stated that he was a “little confused” about Kairi Sane’s release because she was doing very well in her tag team storyline with Asuka.

Styles added that he doesn’t know where the post-WWE road leads for Kairi Sane, but one thing he knows for sure is that she “was loved” and that she “was amazing”:

“Yeah, I think everybody is a little confused, Asuka and her as a tag team, and then it just kind of. We don’t know exactly what the case is. I mean, that one caught me off guard as well. It was a great tag team thing. I feel Kairi was doing her best work, as of now.”

“So, I wish I had answers. I don’t have answers for you guys, I don’t. I don’t know what this means for her. I don’t know if she’s done wrestling. She’ll go back to Stardom, like, what’s next for Kairi Sane? I know that she was loved and she was amazing, and yeah, I just hate that.”

AJ Styles Says Leaving WWE Wasn’t Kairi Sane’s Personal Choice

There has been no public explanation as to why the company released Kairi Sane. However, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio suggested that she may have indicated a desire to move back to Japan, which is why the company let her go.

However, according to AJ Styles, leaving the promotion was not her choice, as he feels she was doing really great in her latest run:

“I will say this. The first time that she left, she went home to Japan, and I don’t know if that has anything to do with it. I doubt it was her choice because I feel she was going well.”

It was recently reported that Sane has already returned to Japan, and there have been no changes to her release status despite heavy fan backlash.

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