Hideo Itami's Injury Presents Challenges, Opportunities for WWE NXT

WWE NXT will reportedly be without another of its major Superstars for an extended period of time.

According to PW Insider's Mike Johnson, Hideo Itami is suffering from “a bad shoulder injury” that will keep him out of action for six-to-eight months.

Itami’s injury adds to a week of bad news following WWE’s announcement that Sami Zayn suffered a shoulder injury of his own during Monday Night Raw.

While there hasn’t been an update on Zayn’s injury, the absence of a top performer like Itami creates a number of issues for the WWE’s developmental arm.

What Happens at NXT Takeover: Unstoppable?

This is the immediate question, since we’re less than two weeks away from NXT’s next live TV event.

Itami is currently scheduled to compete in the Triple Threat Match with Tyler Breeze and Finn Balor to see who will be the No. 1 contender for the NXT Championship. If the injury rumor is true, then we’ll likely see Breeze meet Balor one-on-one.

Couple Itami’s injury news with that of Zayn’s, and we’re likely staring at a Kevin Owens-Finn Balor rematch for the NXT Championship. That’s not a bad thing; these two could put on a great match. However, the injury pileup limits the possibilities for NXT Creative, which means a more predictable event for fans.

If true, Itami’s injury robs fans of what had the potential to be Match of the Year. Itami, Balor and Breeze have been three of the company’s best performers in recent months. They surely would’ve been given ample time to showcase their skills, as NXT officials have given fans great matches at their live events.

Itami would have also been a major attraction during NXT’s upcoming road shows outside its base in central Florida. The road show—which hits Philadelphia, New York, Pittsburgh and Cleveland—is a coming-out party for NXT in larger markets. Losing Itami, who was featured as a performer on those cards, is a major blow.

Whether at NXT Takeover or at house shows, there isn’t another wrestler on the NXT roster who can slide into Itami’s spot. Which leads to our next problem area: NXT's talent development.

Who Will Step Up in Itami’s Absence?                                                                                 

For the last few months, NXT programming has been heavy on Owens, Balor, Itami and Breeze. Zayn was off TV for a while traveling overseas for the company, while Adrian Neville (now just Neville) was promoted to the main roster.

The remaining time has been spent, justifiably so, on the women’s division and two tag teams: Blake and Murphy and Endo and Cass.

Potentially losing Itami for what amounts to the rest of 2015 means NXT needs to being promoting other singles wrestlers, possibly Solomon Crowe or the recently signed Sesugh Uhaa.

While Rhyno has come on board recently, he’s been used for little other than squash matches. It’s time to give him more opportunities. The rumored signing of Samoa Joe would also give NXT another proven performer.

But NXT was created as a developmental property, which means it’s time to develop more talent. While no one wants to see a teammate injured, Itami’s layoff could give guys like Jason Jordan a chance to shine.

Or it could mean more Balor, Owen and Breeze, which brings us to the third issue.

Potential Delay of Main-Roster Promotions?

If none of the aforementioned talent steps up in the wake of potential injuries to Itami and Zayn, there’s a chance NXT Creative will lean more heavily on their established product. That means fans wouldn’t be seeing Balor and Owens on the main roster anytime soon.

To give those men a rest, NXT might place even more focus on their women’s and tag team divisions. That could mean that deserving wrestlers who otherwise might receive a call-up to the main roster will be left in the developmental league until it restocks its cupboard.

This is all speculative, but it’s still all possible. Let’s hope the rumors of Itami’s injury are less serious than they sound.