Asuka made a temporary appearance on the May 11 edition of WWE RAW, hugging her close friend and rival IYO SKY and saying “Goodbye” before quietly leaving the constructing. The moment got here just days after Asuka lost to SKY at WWE Backlash 2026.
Pwinsider is reporting that word circulating inside WWE is that Asuka plans to return to Japan for an prolonged time period to cope with an undisclosed personal family matter. She stays under contract with WWE and has not been released, but she will probably be stepping away from television for a considerable period. The situation appears to be entirely separate from the recent wave of WWE talent releases and pay cuts affecting the roster.
The timing is interesting as Asuka’s former tag team partner, Kairi Sane, was among the many wrestlers released by WWE last month, although Sane had been playing an lively role within the Asuka vs. SKY storyline that was constructing toward Backlash. Sane’s release effectively cut that story short before it could fully develop.