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Kenny Omega Gives Update On Hikaru Shida Amid Her AEW Absence

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Rick Ucchino | Last updated May 21, 2025 5:12 PM ET

Hikaru Shida has been off of AEW television for all of 2025 and we now know why.

Former AEW World Champion and Executive Vice President for All Elite Wrestling Kenny Omega held a recent Twitch stream and was able to give fans an update on where Shida has been.

She's been back home in Japan for the past few months, waiting to get her visa renewed. In the meantime, Omega says he has been taking care of Shida's cats.

The ACE is BACK!

Former 3-time #AEW Women's World Champion Hikaru Shida kicks off Friday Night Rampage with a clash against rising star Viva Van!

Watch #AEWRampage on TNT!@shidahikaru | @HellBentVixen pic.twitter.com/FOcqe2QdFS
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) November 9, 2024

"It's unfortunate, every couple of years, everyone has to go back to their home country and re-up their visa. I would've hated for her cats to have been alone for, who knows how long, because you never really know how long the process is going to take. In this case, it's taking quite a while. Her cats get separation anxiety and don't like being alone. Dobby [Kenny's cat] is generally very gentle. They do get along. It's nice and it's fun. I would do it anytime. It's not a chore." Kenny Omega on Twitch

The three-time AEW Women's Champion last wrestled for AEW this past November. She lost to Kris Statlander on the November 20 edition of Dynamite.

Shida has remained active during her AEW hiatus, wrestling for a number of Japanese promotions. It's currently unknown when she'll be allowed to come back and compete in the United States.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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