Being one of the most critically acclaimed former champions of the NXT Women’s Division, Io Shirai has been one of the highlights for WWE’s third brand. For a long time, she carried the championship as well as the load of the women’s division before the likes of Raquel Gonzalez and then Mandy Rose took the baton from her.
As previously reported, Io Shirai has been out of action with an injury that she had likely suffered the injury during NXT Stand & Deliver earlier this year. On that night, she had a failed attempt on gaining back the NXT Women’s Title in a fatal-4-way. Afterward, she went into a mystery hiatus.
It was only last month that Fightful reported that an undisclosed injury was keeping the Japanese Superstar out of action. Nothing around the severity of the injury was declared but the assumption is that she could be back in no time.
According to a recent report from Wrestling Observer Newsletter, both Zoey Stark and Io Shirai are expected to return “relatively soon” on WWE NXT. Previously, none of them was factored into NXT’s summer plans but who knows whether there has been a change in stance in recent times.
Another Top WWE NXT Superstar Gone From The Company
Io Shirai’s WWE future seems uncertain
It should also be noted that Io Shirai’s return may not be certain after the same outlet reported that her contract with the WWE would be up, next month,
“Io Shirai has not signed her newest contract offer. She will be a free agent next month if she doesn’t sign her new deal. She had told people in Japan that when her contract was up she wanted to return to Japan and be closer with her family.”
No update is available that whether the other companies like AEW, Impact, or NJPW are interested to sign Io Shirai under their banner. She would also be eligible to sign with her former stomping grounds, Stardom, starting with next month unless she agrees to extend the deal with WWE.
As noted, Io Shirai is a former WWE NXT Women’s Champion who has also been the NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions with an unlikely ally in Zoey Stark. Besides, the ‘Genius of the Skies’ has also left an impression on the main roster when she and four other female superstars led Team NXT to a victory over Team Raw and Smackdown at Survivor Series 2019.
