A former AEW champion has just made their return after 49 days moments ago on Rampage. Their return started with an entry in the winning column. This would be Hikaru Shida.
The Shining Samurai has not been seen since the September 20 episode of Rampage when she faced off against Harley Cameron. A few weeks before this, at All Out, she was unsuccessful in challenging Mercedes Moné for the TBS Championship. Despite a recent lackluster run, she still holds the record for the most wins in the AEW women's division.
Tonight, she appeared on Rampage to face Viva Van in singles competition. The commentary team mentioned how Shida had been absent as she was going back and forth between the USA and Japan. She also came out with a different look as she once more had black hair, something she has shown on social media recently.
Tonight, her opponent put up a good fight, but eventually, the Japanese star came out on top after hitting a Falcon Arrow.
It is unclear whether Hikaru Shida's return to AEW is a sign that she will once more attempt to go on a run to the top, or whether this may be another one-off appearance for the time being.