Former AEW Women’s World Champion Hikaru Shida has said she has renewed her contract with All Elite Wrestling.
Shida confirmed the news during a YouTube livestream on Friday, adding that she has also renewed her U.S. visa.
The announcement came as she addressed fan concerns that she was retiring from professional wrestling. The speculation began after Shida starred in a Japanese stage play in September titled ‘Retirement’, in which she played a wrestler announcing the end of her career.
Speaking on her stream, Shida clarified her status:
Actually, after the show, many fans asked me, like, ‘Are you retiring or is it just a play?’ Of course, it’s just a 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.
The play was part of the MAKAI series, a production that blends musical theatre and wrestling, in which Shida has been involved since 2014.
On October 2nd, Shida posted on social media that she was returning to the United States after a prolonged period away. Her most recent match on AEW television was a loss to Kris Statlander on the November 20, 2024 edition of Dynamite.
