Backstage News On Meiko Satomura's Impending Retirement & Recent Absence From WWE NXT

The high-profile retirements in professional wrestling keep on coming as it was recently confirmed that "WWE NXT" star Meiko Satomura would be calling time on her career next year. The Joshi legend has been a part of WWE as a talent and a coach since 2020, but her legacy stretches far beyond that as she is widely considered one of the greatest Japanese stars of her generation. 

Satomura hasn't been seen on WWE TV since March 2023, and a new report from "Fightful Select" has shed more details on what's been going on with the 44-year-old.

The report has stated that the reasoning for Satomura's lengthy absence from the United States has been kept under wraps, with only the Japanese star and higher-ups in WWE knowing the reason. However, "NXT" stars believe that Satomura was aiming to finish up her contract with WWE and they didn't expect her to return to TV at any point. It's unclear whether she will be used on-screen in her retirement run, with even a potential WrestleMania match being a big doubt. 

Despite many stars not being surprised at the announcement, several "NXT" stars praised Satomura for her work in the ring and behind the scenes, especially for her time in "NXT UK," and wished she had more time on the main "NXT" brand and even the main roster.

It's heavily slated that she will remain in Japan for the foreseeable future for her retirement tour, with a return to the US unlikely but not impossible. Most notably, Satomura will primarily compete in her Sendai Girls' Pro Wrestling which she founded in 2005, and will likely look to focus on growing it once she hangs up her boots.