A well-known former WWE star blamed it on the Stamford-based promotion for not succeeding in the company.
There have been several well-known Japanese athletes who have performed in WWE throughout the years. At the moment, there are Asuka, IYO SKY, Kairi Sane, and Shinsuke Nakamura. While these names have found success one way or the other, the same couldn’t be said for former superstar Sareee.
The 29-year-old Japanese star was in WWE from 2020 to 2023, where she performed under the ring name Sarray. She was primarily in NXT, then later in NXT UK, where she portrayed a gimmick somewhat reminiscent of an anime character. She would wear a school uniform backstage but have a different gear and character in the ring, thanks to her grandmother’s medallion. As it turns out, this wasn’t her main plan in the Stamford-based promotion.
In an interview with Jaguar Yokota on YouTube, Sareee shared that when she went to the United States to work with WWE, she wanted to be a “strong” and “cool wrestler,” but instead, the company made her portray an anime character. Although the promotion told her that it fit her, she insisted it didn’t.
When I went to WWE in America, I didn’t want to be a villain so much as a strong wrestler. I wanted to be seen as cool and strong, but instead they made me play an anime character in a sailor uniform. They told me it suited me, but I felt like, ‘That’s not me!’”
[English subtitles] Sareee talks about playing a heel and having to play a character she didn't want to in WWE:
“When I went to WWE in America, I didn’t want to be a villain so much as a strong wrestler. I wanted to be seen as “cool” and “strong,” but instead they made me play… pic.twitter.com/snJRkOhk5M
— meraWRESTLING (@meraWRESTLING) August 11, 2025
The former Sarray left the Stamford-based promotion in March 2023 due to creative differences. She has since wrestled in Stardom, Dream Star Fighting Marigold, Sukeban, Seadlinnng, and more.
WWE Was Planning To Renew Sareee’s Contract Before She Left In 2023
Following the former Sarray’s departure from WWE, she revealed in Sportiva’s two-part interview in April 2023 that although she didn’t fight in the main roster, she had already learned a lot in the Stamford-based promotion. Not only that, but she revealed that she was offered to renew her contract, but her ideas of wrestling were very different from WWE, which led to the parting of ways:
I didn’t fight on the main roster, but I felt that I had learned enough in WWE. I was able to absorb the spirit of entertainment that I had been missing. There was talk of renewing the contract, but I wanted to do wrestling that I believed in, and at 27 years old, I was at my most physically active, so I thought, I will regret it if I don’t do the wrestling I have wanted to do for a long time now.” [H/T Post Wrestling]
In other news: 7-time WWE Champion teases heel turn in cryptic post.