WWE: 5 NXT Call-Ups That Should Be Made After SummerSlam
By Tim Sherry
credit: wwe.com
3. Hideo Itami to RAW
So, all cards on the table, I’m really worried about Itami and his WWE future. When they signed the former KENTA in June of 2014, it was a massive deal for the company. With the signing, the WWE reeled in one of the best wrestlers on the planet and he seemed destined for big things. However, things for Itami took a drastic turn. Now, after 3 years with the company, and only being healthy for about half of that, having endured injuries to his shoulder and neck, what once seemed like a dream come true for both parties, suddenly looks like a possible nightmarish end. According to sportskeeda.com, Itami may be done with the WWE very soon.
So if that is actually the case, why call him up now? Well, why not? What’s to lose? The plan always had to be a main roster run. You don’t sign a guy with Itami’s resume just to bury him on the NXT roster for 3 years. If it hadn’t been for the injuries, he surely would’ve been competing on the main roster ages ago. Maybe the one way to keep the “Japanese Sensation” with the company is to bring him up and put him in a feud that could give him some exposure and avoid the signing from being a total bust.
And what could that feud be? Unquestionably it should be against Finn Balor. It makes sense on so many levels. When Itami suffered his first injury, NXT played it up that he was attacked backstage before his #1 contender match against Balor and Tyler Breeze at TakeOver: Unstoppable. Wouldn’t it be great to see Itami blame Balor for the attack? The matches these two could put on would be incredible and with Itami adopting a new heel side on NXT, he’d be a perfect fit for top baby face “Demon King”. It’s a stretch for sure, but an intriguing one at that.