Hikaru Shida has renewed her visa and her AEW deal.
Particularly for those who have been tuning into AEW Dynamite since its inception, Hikaru Shida is one of the most recognisable names in the women’s division. However, the 37-year-old hasn’t made an appearance in All Elite Wrestling for almost a year, last competing on November 20, 2024. Now, an update has emerged on her future and it’s good news for those wanting her to remain part of the promotion.
While discussing her recent stage work in Japan, Shida revealed during a livestream on her YouTube channel that she recently renewed both her AEW contract and her visa.
“Actually, after the show, many fans asked me, like, are you retiring or it’s just play? Of course it’s just play. I’m not retiring. I just renewed my visa and contract, so I’m not retiring. But fans asked me, so that means my acting was too good.”
-Hikaru Shida
Shida is a three-time AEW Women’s World Champion and holds the record for the longest reign with the gold at 372 days. She had also challenged for the TBS Championship not long before beginning her recent absence from the company.
During her time back in Japan, Shida has been sporadically competing in the ring. Most recently, she teamed with Syuri to defeat Aja Kong and Sonoko Kato.
As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on Hikaru Shida’s AEW status as soon as we hear more.
H/T to Fightful for the transcription.
