Hikaru Shida’s absence from AEW television continues to go unexplained — and now Fightful Select‘s Sean Ross Sapp has shed some light on the situation. According to Sapp, Shida is currently living at her home in Orlando, Florida, with her visa issues having been resolved some time ago. Despite that, AEW currently has “no creative plans” for the three-time former AEW Women’s World Champion.
Shida last appeared in AEW on the November 20, 2024 edition of Dynamite, where she lost to Kris Statlander. While she wrestled multiple matches in Japan throughout 2025, she has yet to step into a ring in 2026. The expectation when her visa situation was resolved was that she would be reintegrated into AEW programming — particularly given her history as one of the promotion’s most decorated women’s champions.
The Reason AEW Hasn’t Used Hikaru Shida Remains Unclear Despite Her Availability
Sapp acknowledged the puzzling nature of the situation, noting that when Shida was backstage at an AEW taping in Orlando following the resolution of her visa issues, many expected her to be factored back in naturally. That hasn’t happened, and the reason why remains unknown. For a performer of Shida’s calibre and track record — three Women’s World Championship reigns and one of the most respected in-ring workers on the roster — her continued absence from television is one of the more surprising storylines behind the scenes in AEW heading into the spring pay-per-view season.