Details On Asuka Taking Time Away
Asuka said goodbye on WWE Raw, two days after losing to IYO SKY at WWE Backlash and embracing IYO in what looked to be an emotional farewell.
Michael Cole said later in the show that Asuka’s future was “up in the air.”
On the Fightful Raw post-show, Sean Ross Sapp gave the following details regarding Asuka.
“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.’”
To directly support us and our continuing breaking news, interviews, and the like, subscribe to FightfulSelect.com. You’ll get exclusive news sent to you directly before anyone else, and dozens of podcasts monthly including WrestleVotes radio, Alex Pawlowski’s Sour Graps, Sean Ross Sapp’s Q&A, Retro Reviews and more
