NXT’s Io Shirai could be out for two months
On Sunday’s Wrestling Observer Radio (subscription needed), our Dave Meltzer reported that he was told WWE NXT standout Io Shirai will be out for two months with an undisclosed injury.
The WWE-produced Injury Report video acknowledged that the 29-year-old tweaked her knee this past Wednesday on NXT TV in her match with Toni Storm. Shirai grabbed her right knee after a Storm dive to the outside during a skirmish with Bianca Belair and NXT champion Rhea Ripley.
On Saturday, Shirai tweeted a picture of a brace:
— 紫雷イオ、Io Shirai (@shirai_io) January 25, 2020
She has not had a history of knee injuries and it’s still unclear what specifically is wrong.
After other injuries found during medical examinations initially delayed her signing, Shirai has been in NXT since 2018. She has yet to win a title while there, but has competed for the title several times and has been pushed as a key part of the promotion.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.