WWE Rumors: Io Shirai out with an Undisclosed Injury; Latest on Potential Return

Io Shirai has reportedly been off WWE television because of an undisclosed injury.

Fightful Select reported news of the injury but did not receive word on its severity. Shirai has "not been factored into creative plans in any way," which means her absence could be extensive.

The source told Fightful that Shirai could be back in action this summer, but there is no definitive timeline.

The former NXT women's champion has not been seen since NXT Stand and Deliver, where she was part of a fatal 4-way for the women's title.

Shirai signed with WWE in 2017 and made her debut a year later. She's been a fixture in the NXT brand ever since, winning the women's championship once, the women's tag team titles once and the 2022 Dusty Rhodes Classic.

Despite accomplishing nearly every possible thing in NXT, Shirai has surprisingly not been called up to the main roster. It's possible she'll wind up on Raw or SmackDown once her injury heals, and she would be an instant shot in the arm to the main roster women's division.

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