Additional Details On Kairi Sane's WWE Exit

This past Friday, WWE conducted its yearly round of talent cuts following WrestleMania, which consisted of both main roster and developmental stars, including names such as Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, Santos Escobar and the Wyatt Sicks. However, the release that caused the most anger among fans was the departure of Kairi Sane, who was featured on WWE television on a weekly basis and involved in a storyline with Asuka and IYO SKY. Over the weekend, fans banded together online to start the trend #WeWantKairi, hoping the movement would bring back the "Pirate Princess" to "WWE Raw." That said, according to Dave Meltzer on the "Wrestling Observer Radio," Sane's exit was not a financial decision, with WWE granting the Kabuki Warrior her release after she requested to return to her home country of Japan.

"The reason she was cut was I think that she had kind of indicated that she wanted to move back," Meltzer stated. "The reality is, this is not a money issue, you know what I mean? It's like this company makes, whatever it is, I mean the revenue is between UFC and them, the revenue's in the billions of dollars. So, you know what I mean? To keep a cohesive storyline and it's just not that expensive to do. I mean they probably, I don't want to say squander, cause I'm sure that squandering is not the right word, but they probably spend way more on things that are inconsequential in many ways compared to that."

After SKY failed to defeat Becky Lynch for the Women's Intercontinental Title due to Asuka's interference last night on "Raw," "We want Kairi" chants echoed throughout the Sames Auto Arena in Laredo, Texas. Additionally, it's been reported that Sane has already returned to Japan.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Wrestling Observer Radio" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.