Former WWE star KAIRI (fka Kairi Sane) makes history by becoming the inaugural IWGP Women's Champion

KAIRI, formerly known as Kairi Sane in WWE, is the first-ever IWGP Women's Champion.

At the NJPW x Stardom Historic X-Over show, she defeated Mayu Iwatani in the main event to win the Title. Post-match, she was presented with the championship. The closing stages of the match saw KAIRI hit Iwatani with a spinning back fist before dropping her with an elbow off the top rope for the three-count.

During her post-match promo, KAIRI claimed that she was set to defend the Title at the upcoming NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 show. However, she wasn't sure who her opponent was going to be.

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.@KAIRI_official "Insane Elbow"

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#NJPWxSTARDOM #njpwworld

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.@KAIRI_official "Insane Elbow"

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Tam Nakano made her way to the ring and challenged the 34-year-old. The two women previously teamed together in Stardom Flashing Champions.

KAIRI previously signed with WWE in 2017 and started in the NXT brand. She is a former NXT Women's Champion, winning the Title in 2019. One of her most memorable feuds on the brand was against Shayna Baszler.

Upon her call-up to the main roster, the Japanese sensation was paired up with Asuka. The two women were billed as the Kabuki Warriors and held the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships.

In December 2021, Kairi Sane left WWE after her contract with the company expired.

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KAIRI fka Kairi Sane recently looked back on her WWE debut

KAIRI has been on an incredible run since leaving WWE. She has already found a massive amount of success with World Wonder Ring Stardom upon her return.

In the lead-up to Historic X-Over, the former NXT Women's Champion defeated Jazzy Gabert to progress to the final where she defeated Mayu Iwatani. She also recently shared the ring with Starlight Kid in Stardom.

KAIRI /カイリ🏴‍☠️

@KAIRI_official

試合４日前のリング練習で派手に転んで捻挫をした。
全治3週間と言われ、歩くのも痛くてもう駄目かもしれないと諦めかけた。

だけど、、、たくさんの方に支えられて２連戦、なんとか気力で闘い抜くことができました。
本当に本当に、
ありがとうございました。
#IWGP女子王座

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65

試合４日前のリング練習で派手に転んで捻挫をした。
全治3週間と言われ、歩くのも痛くてもう駄目かもしれないと諦めかけた。

だけど、、、たくさんの方に支えられて２連戦、なんとか気力で闘い抜くことができました。
本当に本当に、
ありがとうございました。
#IWGP女子王座 https://t.co/QJzfsuK0hb

Taking to Twitter, the former Kairi Sane reflected on her WWE debut with a three-worded message, as she wrote:

"I'll never forget."

KAIRI will now shift her focus towards the upcoming Wrestle Kingdom 17 show on January 4th at the Tokyo Dome.

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