As noted before, Kairi Sane was released by WWE this past April as part of a larger batch of releases and departures. Kairi had hired notable wrestling agent Barry Bloom as her new manager to represent her for new contract negotiations and has been in talks with AEW for a potential deal. No deal between Kairi and AEW was believed to have been made as of this past weekend’s WrestleDream 2026 event.
The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported that his sources stated that Kairi is currently believed to be dealing with visa issues and is waiting for it to be resolved first before signing with AEW. Meltzer reported that the reason why Kairi is able to work the upcoming Jericho Cruise event is due to it taking place in international waters.
Fightful Select reported that their sources denied the recent reports and rumors of Kairi’s AEW status being held up by current visa issues. Those spoken to reportedly confirmed that she currently remains unsigned.
In regards to her visa situation, it was reported that while her U.S. work visa has expired, the renewal process can be expedited once a deal is reached. It was reported that an expedited visa can be approved in as little as 15 business days.
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WWE NXT Ratings – Oct. 13, 2026 – Up
