Kairi Hôjô
- Actress
Kairi Sane is a Japanese female professional wrestler currently signed to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where she is competes on the Smackdown brand. Making her WWE debut in NXT, Sane became a one-time NXT Women's Champion. Before WWE, she spent much of her career in Japan wrestling for World Wonder Ring Stardom, where she is a former one-time World Of Stardom Champion, a former one-time Wonder Of Stardom Champion, former three-time Goddesses Of Stardom Champion and a former four-time Artist Of Stardom Champion. Kairi Sane debuted two nights after the conclusion of the Mae Young Classic, wrestling on the September 14 edition of NXT, defeating Aliyah. During November 2017, Kairi was involved in a series of four-way matches all won by Peyton Royce, involving Ember Moon and Nikki Cross; leading towards a title match for the vacant NXT Women's Championship at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. At WarGames, Kairi was unsuccessful in winning the vacant title as Ember Moon emerged the winner of the four-way title match.
Returning in January 2018, Sane entered the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble match held during the 2018 Royal Rumble pay-per-view. Throughout the months of February and March, Sane competed in NXT in singles matches against opponents including Shayna Baszler, Vanessa Borne, Rhea Ripley, Peyton Royce and Taynara Conti. She was also involved a few tag team matches, teaming Candice LeRae, Jessie Elaban, Dakota Kai and Ember Moon on different match occasions. On April 5 during the first day of the 2018 WrestleMania Axxess weekend event, Sane entered the NXT Women's Championship Invitational, advancing in the first round after eliminating Bianca Belair. On April 7 during the third day of the Invitational, Sane was eliminated in the semifinals Peyton Royce. On April 8 during the WrestleMania 34 Kickoff show, Sane entered the WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal that was eventually won by Naomi. On April 19 at NXT, Sane challenged Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women's title but did not succeed in winning the championship. She finished the remainder of the month in a succession of tag matches involving various partners including Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, Steffanie Newell and Nikki Cross against various tag team combinations. Throughout the month of May, Sane would team mostly with Nikki Cross in matches mostly involving Taynara Conti and her partners including Reina Gonzalez or the Women's Champion Shayna Baszler. She ended the month teaming with Jessie Elaban in a tag match won by Lacey Evans & Vanessa Borne. During the June 2 house show, Sane began the month with a victory defeating Bianca Belair.
After successful tag matches during the June 14 and June 15 house shows, Sane made her televised return during the July 11 episode of NXT, defeating Vanessa Borne. The following week, she returned for the July 18 episode of NXT, where she competed in a triple-threat No. 1 Contendership match for the NXT Women's Championship, defeating opponents Candice LeRae and Nikki Cross. Sane returned to live events including the June 22 house show during which she teamed with rookie Kacy Catanzaro in defeating Reina Gonzalez & Taynara Conti. She returned for the final week of live events during the June 29 house show, defeating Taynara Conti. The following night at the final house show of the month, Sane teamed with Xia Li in a tag match defeating Lacey Evans & Vanessa Borne.
The following month, Sane returned for a match during the July 12 house show, defeating Taynara Conti. Two nights later, Sane returned for the July 14 house show, teaming with Jessie Elaban in a tag match defeating Reina Gonzalez & Rhea Ripley. She made her televised return during the August 15 episode of NXT (taped July 18), defeating Aliyah. She spent the remainder of July in house shows teaming with either Jessie Elaban or Candice LeRae in tag matches defeating tag teams including Shayna Baszler & Taynara Conti or Taynara Conti & Vanessa Borne. The following month, Sane's next title match was held during the August 17 house show, losing to the reigning NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler. On August 18, Sane met Baszler in a title rematch held at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV, where she defeated Baszler to become the new NXT Women's Champion. She made her televised return during the September 5 episode of NXT (taped August 23), defeating Trish Adora. She next wrestled her final stateside house show on August 25, teaming with Deonna Purrazzo and Io Shirai in a tag match lost to Shayna Baszler and newcomers Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir.
During the September 13 house show, Sane returned to team with Candice LeRae in a tag match lost to rookies Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir. During the following night's house show, Sane teamed with Dakota Kai & Io Shirai in a tag match lost to Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir. Sane made her televised return during the September 26 episode of NXT (taped September 20), where she defeated Vanessa Borne. She finished the remainder of the month in tag matches all lost to the team of Jessamyn Duke, Marina Shafir & Shayna Baszler. After successfully retaining the NXT Women's title in house shows against Lacey Evans, Sane met Shayna Baszler in a title rematch held on October 28 at the first-ever all-women's pay-per-view Evolution, where she was lost due to the referee stopping the match, resulting in Shayna Baszler winning the title back from Sane. On November 17 at NXT TakeOver: WarGames II, a Women's title rematch was held with Best Two Out Of Three Falls rules, ending with Baszler retaining the championship.
The following month, Sane returned for the December 6 house show, during which she teamed with Dakota Kai in defeating Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir in a tag match. The following night during the December 7 house show, Sane teamed with Candice LeRae & Dakota Kai in a tag match defeating Jessamyn Duke, Marina Shafir & Shayna Baszler. During the December 8 house show, Sane won a title match defeating the reigning NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler, however due to her disqualification victory, she did not win the title. During the December 9 house show, Sane teamed with Candice LeRae, in a tag match lost against Marina Shafir & Shayna Baszler. Six nights later, Sane returned for the December 15 house show, during which she teamed with Mia Yim in a tag match lost to Jessamyn Duke & Shayna Baszler.
SmackDown Live (2019-present) After the 2019 Superstar Shake-up, Sane made her main roster debut on the April 16 episode of SmackDown Live. There, she made her debut in an eight-woman tag match, teaming with Asuka, Bayley and Ember Moon, to defeat Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville & The IIconics. The following week on during the April 23 episode of SmackDown Live, Sane wrestled and won her first singles match, defeating Peyton Royce. Since her debut tag team match, Sane and Asuka quickly became allies and formed a new team of their own. On the April 30 episode of SmackDown Live in Columbus, Ohio, Sane and Asuka defeated local wrestlers Jaylee & Queen Aminata. The following month, Sane and Asuka revealed their new team name as The Kabuki Warriors May 14 episode of SmackDown Live. During the show, the Kabuki Warriors defeated the team of Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville, and had their hands raised in victory by Smackdown General Manager Paige, the former leader and teammate of Rose and Deville.
Returning in January 2018, Sane entered the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble match held during the 2018 Royal Rumble pay-per-view. Throughout the months of February and March, Sane competed in NXT in singles matches against opponents including Shayna Baszler, Vanessa Borne, Rhea Ripley, Peyton Royce and Taynara Conti. She was also involved a few tag team matches, teaming Candice LeRae, Jessie Elaban, Dakota Kai and Ember Moon on different match occasions. On April 5 during the first day of the 2018 WrestleMania Axxess weekend event, Sane entered the NXT Women's Championship Invitational, advancing in the first round after eliminating Bianca Belair. On April 7 during the third day of the Invitational, Sane was eliminated in the semifinals Peyton Royce. On April 8 during the WrestleMania 34 Kickoff show, Sane entered the WrestleMania Women's Battle Royal that was eventually won by Naomi. On April 19 at NXT, Sane challenged Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women's title but did not succeed in winning the championship. She finished the remainder of the month in a succession of tag matches involving various partners including Candice LeRae, Dakota Kai, Steffanie Newell and Nikki Cross against various tag team combinations. Throughout the month of May, Sane would team mostly with Nikki Cross in matches mostly involving Taynara Conti and her partners including Reina Gonzalez or the Women's Champion Shayna Baszler. She ended the month teaming with Jessie Elaban in a tag match won by Lacey Evans & Vanessa Borne. During the June 2 house show, Sane began the month with a victory defeating Bianca Belair.
After successful tag matches during the June 14 and June 15 house shows, Sane made her televised return during the July 11 episode of NXT, defeating Vanessa Borne. The following week, she returned for the July 18 episode of NXT, where she competed in a triple-threat No. 1 Contendership match for the NXT Women's Championship, defeating opponents Candice LeRae and Nikki Cross. Sane returned to live events including the June 22 house show during which she teamed with rookie Kacy Catanzaro in defeating Reina Gonzalez & Taynara Conti. She returned for the final week of live events during the June 29 house show, defeating Taynara Conti. The following night at the final house show of the month, Sane teamed with Xia Li in a tag match defeating Lacey Evans & Vanessa Borne.
The following month, Sane returned for a match during the July 12 house show, defeating Taynara Conti. Two nights later, Sane returned for the July 14 house show, teaming with Jessie Elaban in a tag match defeating Reina Gonzalez & Rhea Ripley. She made her televised return during the August 15 episode of NXT (taped July 18), defeating Aliyah. She spent the remainder of July in house shows teaming with either Jessie Elaban or Candice LeRae in tag matches defeating tag teams including Shayna Baszler & Taynara Conti or Taynara Conti & Vanessa Borne. The following month, Sane's next title match was held during the August 17 house show, losing to the reigning NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler. On August 18, Sane met Baszler in a title rematch held at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV, where she defeated Baszler to become the new NXT Women's Champion. She made her televised return during the September 5 episode of NXT (taped August 23), defeating Trish Adora. She next wrestled her final stateside house show on August 25, teaming with Deonna Purrazzo and Io Shirai in a tag match lost to Shayna Baszler and newcomers Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir.
During the September 13 house show, Sane returned to team with Candice LeRae in a tag match lost to rookies Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir. During the following night's house show, Sane teamed with Dakota Kai & Io Shirai in a tag match lost to Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir. Sane made her televised return during the September 26 episode of NXT (taped September 20), where she defeated Vanessa Borne. She finished the remainder of the month in tag matches all lost to the team of Jessamyn Duke, Marina Shafir & Shayna Baszler. After successfully retaining the NXT Women's title in house shows against Lacey Evans, Sane met Shayna Baszler in a title rematch held on October 28 at the first-ever all-women's pay-per-view Evolution, where she was lost due to the referee stopping the match, resulting in Shayna Baszler winning the title back from Sane. On November 17 at NXT TakeOver: WarGames II, a Women's title rematch was held with Best Two Out Of Three Falls rules, ending with Baszler retaining the championship.
The following month, Sane returned for the December 6 house show, during which she teamed with Dakota Kai in defeating Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir in a tag match. The following night during the December 7 house show, Sane teamed with Candice LeRae & Dakota Kai in a tag match defeating Jessamyn Duke, Marina Shafir & Shayna Baszler. During the December 8 house show, Sane won a title match defeating the reigning NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler, however due to her disqualification victory, she did not win the title. During the December 9 house show, Sane teamed with Candice LeRae, in a tag match lost against Marina Shafir & Shayna Baszler. Six nights later, Sane returned for the December 15 house show, during which she teamed with Mia Yim in a tag match lost to Jessamyn Duke & Shayna Baszler.
SmackDown Live (2019-present) After the 2019 Superstar Shake-up, Sane made her main roster debut on the April 16 episode of SmackDown Live. There, she made her debut in an eight-woman tag match, teaming with Asuka, Bayley and Ember Moon, to defeat Mandy Rose, Sonya Deville & The IIconics. The following week on during the April 23 episode of SmackDown Live, Sane wrestled and won her first singles match, defeating Peyton Royce. Since her debut tag team match, Sane and Asuka quickly became allies and formed a new team of their own. On the April 30 episode of SmackDown Live in Columbus, Ohio, Sane and Asuka defeated local wrestlers Jaylee & Queen Aminata. The following month, Sane and Asuka revealed their new team name as The Kabuki Warriors May 14 episode of SmackDown Live. During the show, the Kabuki Warriors defeated the team of Mandy Rose & Sonya Deville, and had their hands raised in victory by Smackdown General Manager Paige, the former leader and teammate of Rose and Deville.
