Three-time former Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida hasn’t been seen on AEW programming in quite some time.
Shida hasn’t been seen on television for AEW since the November 20 episode of Dynamite when she lost to Kris Statlander. So why hasn’t she been featured at all in 2025?
On a recent Twitch stream, AEW EVP Kenny Omega revealed that Shida is currently back in Japan waiting on her visa to be renewed. Omega also confirmed that he’s been taking care of her cats while she’s away.
“Shida, it’s unfortunate, every couple of years, everyone has to go back to their home country and re-up their visa,” Kenny Omega said. “I would’ve hated for her cats to have been alone for who knows how long because you never really know how long the process is going to take. In this case, it’s taking quite a while. Her cats get separation anxiety and don’t like being alone. Dobby [Kenny’s cat] is generally very gentle. They do get along. It’s nice and it’s fun. I would do it anytime. It’s not a chore.” [H/T: Fightful]
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What do you make of Kenny Omega’s comments? Are you disappointed that Hikaru Shida is stuck in Japan waiting for her visa to be renewed? Let us know your thoughts by sounding off in the comments section below.
