5 theories on why WWE split up Kairi Sane & Io Shirai

#3 Revitalise Asuka’s main-roster career

Towards the end of 2018, it felt as though WWE had done a good job of recreating the aura surrounding Asuka following the end of her 914-day undefeated streak at the hands of Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 34.

However, after she defeated Flair and Becky Lynch in the main event of TLC to win the SmackDown Women’s Championship, her only impressive moment came at the 2019 Royal Rumble when she made Lynch tap out in a one-on-one match. From then on, she was largely forgotten about on WWE television and she ended up taking part in the Women’s Battle Royal on the WrestleMania 35 kickoff show.

Somebody with Asuka’s charisma and ability cannot stay out of storylines for too long, and it is safe to assume that she would not have been one of the first few challengers for Lynch’s Raw or SmackDown Women’s Championship due to the fact that their previous rivalry only ended three months ago.

Moving forward, perhaps WWE has decided to pair Asuka up with Kairi Sane to give her a new storyline in the Women’s Tag Team division before she returns to the SmackDown Women’s Championship picture later this year.