WWE NXT to USA: Five stars that benefit the most

Io Shirai

When Io Shirai was announced as the newest member of the WWE NXT roster in 2017, there was both excitement and disappointment. Widely considered to be among the best women’s wrestlers in the world, Shirai’s debut was pushed back because of a neck injury. That delay may have hindered some of the excitement that would come with her debut when it happened a year later, but Shirai is such a spectacular performer that she’s been able to quickly catch up to all her peers in the women’s NXT division.

Shirai has gone through a change of character in the last month that has made her one of the most captivating women on the roster. She and Candice LeRae put on one of the best women’s matches of the year at NXT TakeOver: Toronto and that is just scratching the surface of what she can do as a fully fleshed out heel. The women’s NXT division does not have a wealth of women’s wrestlers that can play this role effectively while delivering in the ring and that is what makes Shirai so valuable now. Characters are an important asset in professional wrestling and Shirai is an intriguing persona on the NXT roster.

When the bell rings, Shirai is one of the best pure wrestlers on NXT as well. She has a diverse move set that includes power, submission and high-flying maneuvers. Her match against LeRae displayed her abilities which shows she can do more than she was doing when she was playing the babyface role. It will be interesting to see how she performs against some of the other women she’s yet to face on the NXT roster and how her new character impacts those interactions.

Shirai is a star that can translate not only to the American demographic, but that within Asia as well and presenting her as a force in this iteration of NXT benefits all parties involved.