Kairi Sane returns to WWE
Kairi Sane returned at WWE Crown Jewel 2023, attacking Bianca Belair with a backfist. Sane followed up with a flying knee to Belair in the post. Belair was eventually defeated as Sky retained the WWE Women’s Championship at the Crown Jewel.
Although Belair has been gone for a few months, nothing has changed as he continues to be forgotten whenever he gets close to a world title. I hope WWE comes to their senses and turns him heel.
Sane seems to have joined Damage CTRL, or at least, Iyo Sky. This could be the same force as Finn Balor and friend/friend of Judgment Day JD McDonagh. Bayley, in the role of Damian Priest, was not happy with this development. Michael Cole was sure to notice that the last time Sane appeared on WWE TV, she was knocked out by Bayley.
Sane’s return came after a tense match between Belair and Sky, where Belair’s (kayfabe) injured knee was the focus of the story.
Kari Sane last appeared on a WWE show in December 2021 during a feud with Pandemic MVP Bayley and Sasha Banks. Sane went on to make history, almost immediately, as she became NJPW’s first IWGP Women’s Champion at the Historic X-Over in November 2022. Sane lost the IWGP Women’s Championship to Mercedes Mone (Sasha Banks) at Battle in the Valley in February 2023.
Sane returns to WWE’s deepest women’s roster in history, but one that WWE has yet to fully utilize. Between a new feud with Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley as the dominant world champion on Raw and Jade Cargill on her way, Sane won’t be short of opponents during her second run with WWE.
Rumors of Sane’s return have sparked an always-exciting media battle, this time between WWE insiders WrestleVotes and PWInsider. November 2, WrestleVotes report Kairi Sane appeared on WWE’s inner roster, and his return was imminent. PWInsider’s Mike Johnson dismissed the report as a “rumor killer,” but later admitted that Sane had, in fact, been added to the insider list. This led to a one-sided Twitter battle between WrestleVotes and PWInsider as the collective wrestling media continues to learn how to coexist. PWInsider (h/t Ringside News) went on to report that Sane is expected to appear at WWE Crown Jewel.
Sane may be involved in the inevitable split between Bayley and Iyo Sky. The question is, who will be kicked out of Damage CTRL?
