Io Shirai Wants Matches With Top WWE Stars, Interested In Main Roster Move
WWE NXT Superstar Io Shirai says she's interested in moving to the main roster, and also wants a rematch with Sasha Banks, and is interested in facing Bayley as well.
Shirai recently spoke with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated and was asked about possibly moving to RAW or SmackDown, and if there's someone she would really like to work with on the main roster.
"Of course, I would be open to a move to SmackDown or Raw," Shirai said. "The opportunity would present new goals and encounters different from what I have achieved and experienced in NXT.
"I would like a rematch with Sasha Banks as soon as possible. I also heard Bayley say she wanted to have a match with me, and I would definitely relish my first confrontation with her. If it is a title match, even better."
Shirai, then the NXT Women's Champion, defeated Banks in a singles match at the NXT Great American Bash Night 1 event on July 1, 2020. They also locked up at the 2019 Survivor Series pay-per-view as Team NXT (Shirai, Bianca Belair, Candice LeRae, Rhea Ripley, Toni Storm) defeated Team RAW (Charlotte Flair, Asuka, Natalya, Kairi Sane, Sarah Logan) and Team SmackDown (Banks, Carmella, Dana Brooke, Lacey Evans, Nikki A.S.H.) in a 5-on-5-on-5 Traditional Elimination Match. Shirai, LeRae and Ripley were the Survivors for Team NXT that night.
Banks, Bayley and other main roster Superstars have expressed the desire to one day do battle with Shirai in the squared circle.
Shirai was also asked what she's learned most so far about her WWE experience.
"I learned with my own eyes that the world's top performers within sports entertainment are created on a scale much larger than I expected," she responded.
Shirai will be in action at Sunday's NXT WarGames event, teaming up with Cora Jade, Raquel Gonzalez and Kay Lee Ray to face Dakota Kai, NXT Women's Tag Team Champions Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin, and NXT Women's Champion Mandy Rose in the Women's WarGames Match.
Stay tuned for more.