AEW star Hikaru Shida recently opened up about the racist comments made by a Spanish announcer, Willie Urbina.
A video began surfacing on the internet soon after last week's AEW Dynamite in which Urbina can be heard mocking Shida's Japanese accent. The news spread like wildfire, with fans clamoring for AEW to fire the announcer.
Taking into account the backlash, Tony Khan took the right step by releasing Willie Urbina on that very day. However, Hikaru Shida had maintained a stoic silence on the controversy until now.
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Taking to Twitter, Shida revealed that she didn't want to talk about the issue before her AEW Women's Championship defense against Britt Baker at AEW Double or Nothing 2021. The AEW star further stated that she's proud of her heritage, and such comments don't affect her in any way. You can check out her tweet here.
"I didn’t wanna talk about this before my big day, so let me tell you now. I don’t give a s**t what other people say about my race because I love it and I proud of it, and because I know which is fool. I don’t even feel anger. So don’t need to worry about me. Thank you" tweeted Hikaru Shida
She also thanked fans for expressing concern but reassured them that she's doing well and they don't have to worry about her.
Hikaru Shida lost her AEW Women's Championship at Double or Nothing 2021
Hikaru Shida's year-long reign as AEW Women's Champion finally ended at Double or Nothing 2021, when Britt Baker defeated her.
Shida had captured the title at last year's Double or Nothing and had several terrific title defenses during her memorable reign.
Though no longer a champion, Hikaru Shida will continue to remain a vital fixture in AEW's women's division, possibly having another title reign at some point down the line.
Do you think Tony Khan did the right thing by firing the Spanish commentator who made such demeaning comments? Do you see Hikaru Shida getting back into the AEW Women's title picture anytime soon? Sound off in the comments section below.