Tag: Asuka

Asuka is not committing to retirement.

The former Women’s Champion’s status has been a matter of much speculation following her Backlash loss to IYO SKY and apparent farewell segment on the following episode of Raw.

The WWE star finally broke the silence on her status with a brand new video on her YouTube channel late Thursday night. Speaking in Japanese, Asuka claimed that she had been super busy the past few days but she has returned to social media now that things have finally settled down a bit:

“It’s already been about two weeks since my last match at Backlash. I know there are a ton of rumors flying around out there. People asking, ‘Are we ever going to see Asuka wrestle again?’ ‘Is she going back to Japan?’ ‘Is she leaving WWE?’ The truth is, it was a personal matter. I reached out to WWE and we talked it through.”

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When You Least Expect It: Asuka

While she did not directly confirm or deny the rumors of her in-ring retirement, the wrestling veteran noted that she is still at the top of her in-ring game. She explained that people had started taking her presence for granted because she was around regularly for so long. Asuka suggested that part of the reason for her move was to change this perception:

“But remember… nothing lasts forever. Everything is finite. You see, I’m not just a wrestler by trade. I’m a designer, too. Even the way I live my life has to be art. I’m sure you’re all wondering what’s next for me and how I’ll be involved with TV and the tours moving forward. But don’t forget—I am still officially with WWE. So there’s a chance I might just pop up in front of you when you least expect it!”

Asuka then talked about the impact she made upon first arriving in WWE and told people to cherish any glimpse of her in the future because it’s going to be rare. She ended the short video promising to be more active on social media to stay connected with the fans.

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The quotes in this article have been translated from Japanese

Former Women’s Champion Asuka has sparked speculation about her status with the company.

‘The Empress of Tomorrow’ is currently listed as an active member of the SmackDown roster, with no official announcement from WWE regarding any change to her employment or in-ring status.

Current WWE Status

Recent reports via the Wrestling Observer Newsletter suggested that WWE had described Asuka’s situation as a semi-retirement related to family business obligations in Japan.

Dave Meltzer reported that he had been in contact with people in WWE for an update after the speculation among fans during the post-Backlash week.

“When we contacted those in WWE, they described Asuka as semi-retiring. She is going back to Japan for now to take care of family related business. Nothing else is clear as far as if she should come back or if she does, will her role be different.”

He noted on Wrestling Observer Radio on Sunday morning that the story he was hearing was that Asuka was semi-retired, but he had not gotten an exact definition of what that meant.

“The story I heard is that she is semi-retired. I haven’t really gotten an exact meaning of what semi-retired means, but I guess people were wishing her goodbye and things like that backstage. So I don’t know if that means she’s going to Japan and still wrestle. I don’t know if that means she’s going to still do stuff here and there, but I was told semi-retired.”

Asuka was most recently involved in a tag-team with Kairi Sane, before the latter was released. Earlier this month, Asuka lost to IYO SKY at WWE Backlash Premium Live Event.

Asuka’s WWE future is now the subject of uncertainty following WWE Backlash, with Dave Meltzer reporting on Wrestling Observer Radio that the former champion is considered semi-retired, though the exact meaning of that status remains unclear.

“The story I heard is that she is semi-retired. I haven’t really gotten an exact meaning of what semi-retired means, but I guess people were wishing her goodbye and things like that backstage. So I don’t know if that means she’s going to Japan and still wrestle. I don’t know if that means she’s going to still do stuff here and there, but I was told semi-retired.”

The report adds an unexpected dimension to what took place at Backlash, where Asuka faced IYO SKY in a singles match that had been building for months following the release of Kairi Sane in the post-WrestleMania roster cuts. The backstage farewell atmosphere Meltzer described suggests those close to the situation were aware that something significant was changing for Asuka, regardless of the match outcome.

A separate update from Fightful complicates the picture further. According to their report, Asuka signed a long-term WWE deal in the summer of 2024, with most contracts signed during that period running for five years. The exact length of her specific deal is not confirmed, but a five-year agreement would run through 2029.

TKO has been actively seeking to restructure talent contracts across the roster in recent months, driven in part by a reduction in house shows and the reduced travel schedule that comes with fewer live events per month. Whether Asuka is among the names who have been approached about contract restructuring has not been confirmed, but the shift from full-time performer to semi-retired status would align with the kind of reduced arrangement TKO has been offering to other talents.

Asuka is said to be semi-retired following her loss to IYO SKY at WWE Backlash on Saturday. The 44-year-old superstar embraced her former mentee after the match, ending months of feuding between the two.

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, people were wishing Asuka goodbye backstage at the event. While the exact meaning of semi-retired remains unclear, the report suggests a significant change in her WWE status.

“So, the story I heard is that she is semi-retired. I haven’t really gotten an exact meaning of what semi-retired means, but I guess people were wishing her goodbye and things like that backstage,” Meltzer said. “So I don’t know if that means she’s going to Japan and still wrestle. I don’t know if that means she’s going to still do stuff here and there, but I was told semi-retired.”

Bryan Alvarez responded, “That sucks, I’m going to miss Asuka.”

Possible Connection To Recent Roster Cuts

Later in the show, Meltzer and Alvarez discussed whether Asuka may have been part of WWE’s recent roster cuts. “I wonder if she was with other people that was cut. I mean, I don’t know,” Meltzer said.

Alvarez noted, “I can’t fathom that but I guess it’s possible. But I mean, Kairi was cut and she didn’t even get used to the end of this thing, so.”

Asuka has been with WWE since the summer of 2015. During her time with the company, she’s been a four-time women’s champion on the main roster, a one-time NXT Champion, and has held the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles five times: three with Kairi Sane, and one each with Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. She won the Women’s Money in the Bank in 2020 and the Women’s Royal Rumble in 2018.

Following the match, IYO SKY posted an emotional tribute on social media thanking Asuka for their time together.

Asuka’s future with WWE is in question following an emotional scene at Backlash 2026 in Tampa. Big E openly speculated on the post-show panel whether Saturday night marked the end of the Empress of Tomorrow’s WWE career.

Following her match at the Premium Live Event, Asuka was visibly emotional and shared a tearful embrace with IYO Sky in front of the Tampa crowd. The moment immediately sparked speculation among fans and WWE personnel about whether the veteran was saying goodbye.

Corey Graves & Big E React to Asuka’s Emotional Moment

Speaking on the WWE Backlash post-show panel, both Corey Graves and Big E addressed the emotional scene — stopping short of drawing firm conclusions but leaving little doubt about the gravity of the moment.

Graves opened the discussion with measured caution:

“I have questions; you have questions. There was a lot of body language afterwards that might have suggested one thing or another. I don’t want to speculate, but either way, what a match.” — Corey Graves

Big E went further, directly raising the possibility that fans may have witnessed Asuka’s farewell:

“I don’t either. I wondered… is this a goodbye? We’ve never really seen Asuka this emotional. If this is goodbye, I know she will be dearly missed. She has been a pioneer; she had done truly incredible things in the ring even before she came to WWE, but she has further staked her claim as an all-time great here. I don’t know what this means, but shout-out to IYO SKY for another incredible performance. She’s someone I expect to be in that World Title picture again very, very soon.” — Big E

Asuka has been a cornerstone of WWE’s women’s division since her main roster debut. The former NXT Women’s Champion and multiple-time champion on the main roster has been one of the most decorated female performers in company history.

Neither Asuka nor WWE has confirmed whether Saturday’s appearance was her final match with the promotion. The emotional farewell with IYO Sky, her longtime friend and former tag team partner, added weight to the speculation about her departure.