Asuka Set To Be On An Extended Absence From WWE

Asuka was written off WWE TV on the May 11 edition of WWE Monday Night Raw on Netflix.

Following her feud blowoff with Iyo Sky at Backlash, Asuka had been teasing taking time away from the WWE or even departing from the company after over a decade with the company.

Sky would go on to win the match, and the two would hug it out for the first time in months to bury the hatchet and get back to being friends.

It was reported by PWInsider Elite that WWE star Asuka was returning to Japan for an extended period to handle a family matter that we will not disclose.

On the Raw Post Show for Fightful, Sean Ross Sapp spoke about the reports and had this to say.

“I found out definitively what’s going on, and I don’t want to miscredit the person who said it but the person who said there’s personal stuff going on, that’s accurate. I don’t want to elaborate on what that is but I was straight up told tonight she was not a part of any cuts. She wasn’t asked to take a pay cut as best I know. She signed a new deal in 2024. It was a multi-year deal.

“Obviously, WWE did not want to have Asuka be gone for a while, so to speak. Here’s what I heard, Asuka had approached WWE and said, ‘Stuff I’ve got to attend to.’ It’s back in Japan, she’s going to be spending some time there. I don’t know how much time that’s gonna be.

“Obviously, it’s not what WWE wanted to hear but it’s something that they felt was important to honour and all that. Asuka is beloved in that company. When people naturally were like, ‘Was she cut? Was she asked to take a pay cut?’ a number of people hit me up and they’re like, ‘Man, we can’t speak higher of the job that she does.’”

Asuka will remain with the WWE, but there is no word on when she will be returning to WWE in the foreseeable future.