Shida speaks on her current standing
Hikaru Shida remains one of the most polarizing figures in the AEW roster. Her recent media availability provided a glimpse into the headspace of a performer who has cycled between the top of the card and relative television obscurity. The former champion addressed the inconsistent booking that defines her current run.
Shida discussed the difficulty of maintaining momentum when creative shifts dictate her airtime. She acknowledged the reality of the locker room competitive grind. For a performer who once carried the women’s division, the current trajectory is a frustrating decline in status.
I always want to show something better, something different, every time I step out there.
The sentiment is professional, but underneath lies a hunger for more consistency. Shida has been a steady hand for the company since its inception, yet her recent output lacks the marquee weight of her 2020 run. If she cannot find a landing spot in the current title hierarchy, we might be witnessing the end of her primary relevance within the promotion.
Sammy Guevara keeps it vague
Sammy Guevara’s status continues to intrigue fans who track his erratic career path. Recent reports indicate that while Guevara is still very much in the mix, his path to the top of the card remains obstructed by past creative choices and public friction. The transition from a promising mid-card heel to a consistent main-event threat has stalled.
Guevara’s history with the promotion is marked by high-flying athleticism that often conflicts with repetitive storytelling. He represents the classic issue of a wrestler needing a reinvention that hasn't arrived. Without a major angle to sink his teeth into, he risks becoming a footnote in a show that favors established veterans or newer, fresher faces.
The booking problem in the women's division
There is a glaring issue regarding how the women’s roster is utilized week to week. Shida’s career is a mirror for this broader mechanical failure in the product. When a decorated champion is relegated to secondary matches without a clear narrative build, the entire divisional stock drops.
As PWInsider documented, the current focus is split between integrating internal talents and maintaining a rotating cast of outsiders. This approach prevents anyone from truly catching fire. The lack of stakes means that matches between elite performers often feel like glorified exhibition bouts.
Shida specifically noted the pressure to iterate on her character despite limited opportunity to showcase those changes on camera. It is a classic case of a talent outgrowing their creative leash. When the booking does not match the intensity of the in-ring work, the product suffers across its segments.
The verdict on AEW's recent creative
The company is currently averaging roughly 180 minutes of weekly prime-time programming, yet struggle to find space for their best technicians. This is not a lack of talent, but a misuse of the available hours. Shida deserves better than sporadic appearances, and Guevara requires a sharper focus to regain his former heat.
If the promotion continues to rotate talent without meaningful consequences or long-term stakes, viewership will continue to fluctuate. A wrestling company cannot survive solely on high-quality matches; it requires a commitment to individual narratives. Shida’s candor serves as a necessary wake-up call to the creative staff.
One has to wonder if the 2026 calendar will offer any relief for these performers. Without a clear directive, the roster will keep spinning its wheels while the core audience waits for a payoff that rarely arrives. The wrestlers are ready, but the storytellers seem to be lost in the weeds.
The fans expect internal consistency. When that disappears, the interest follows suit. Whether Shida or Guevara can break through this barrier depends entirely on the upcoming creative cycle. They have proven their worth in the ring, but for now, they remain trapped in the cycle of repetitive television slots.
