Hideo Itami, Roderick Strong and Latest WWE NXT Developmental News

The wait to see Hideo Itami in a WWE NXT ring again is poised to be over. The kick-happy grappler hinted at a return to action.

Roderick Strong, meanwhile, left Ring of Honor, kick-starting speculation that NXT is his next destination. WWE's developmental brand already boasts an impressive roster of talent from the independent circuit, but Strong is too skilled of a performer to pass up.

And now that he's no longer with ROH, the buzz over his potential arrival to Full Sail now begins. 

In other NXT news, a swarm of prospects invaded a WWE house show, SmackDown featured a surprise debut and Shinsuke Nakamura has a new opponent on tap when he heads back to Japan.

Hideo Itami Hints at Return

Hideo Itami has been out since last May with a shoulder injury. His recovery process appears to finally be over, though.

Itami tweeted simply, "#NXTWinterHaven."

NXT is scheduled to travel to Winter Haven, Florida, on Thursday. That seems to suggest he's headed back to the ring or else he has been taking too many tips on teasing fans from Finn Balor.

Itami will find that the NXT landscape is far different than when he got hurt. Tyler Breeze, The Vaudevillains and others have since moved to the main roster. Austin Aries and Shinsuke Nakamura are among the new additions who await Itami when he starts competing again.

NXT Prospect Appears on SmackDown

(Note: The following contains SmackDown spoilers.)

NXT sent an unexpected representative to the latest SmackDown.

In a match taped on Tuesday for Thursday's SmackDown, Billie Kay took on Dana Brooke, per Cagematch. Kay is barely featured on NXT TV. WWE calling on her in this spot is surprising.

This is not likely to be a precursor to a call-up. The roster for SmackDown was thin due to several wrestlers heading to Hawaii for a series of upcoming shows. 

Kay, though, had every reason to be thrilled about the opportunity. She tweeted afterward: "I can't even describe how I feel right now. I keep thinking about myself at 10 years old watching @WWE & dreaming of being a superstar."

NXT Invades WWE Orlando

A host of NXT stars worked a WWE house show in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday.

As seen on ProFightDB.com, Bayley teamed up with Sasha Banks and Summer Rae against Dana Brooke, Eva Marie and Natalya, while Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura joined forces against Samoa Joe and Austin Aries.

Normally, getting a call to work a WWE live event like this is a hint of an NXT wrestler moving to the main roster soon. But this was a different circumstance.

The show happened to be in NXT's backyard, so it looks as if WWE decided to make it a showcase of the developmental brand.

A good number of those names could be moving, though. The draft in July is sure to snatch up many an NXT talent.

Top Wrestlers Become Free Agents

Roderick Strong and Ricochet (who also wrestles as Prince Puma), two of the top performers who WWE has yet to scoop up, are now on the market.

Strong left Ring of Honor after 13 years with the company. ROH announced his departure on its official website.

As for Ricochet, Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Raj Giri of Wrestling Inc), that the high-flyer is done with Lucha Underground. Although, Meltzer noted that Ricochet was a long way away from joining WWE, as he's likely to take independent bookings and work for New Japan Pro Wrestling in the coming months. 

Strong is a skilled mat wrestler with worlds of experience. He would be a good fit as a veteran who solidified the NXT brand a la Austin Aries.

Ricochet is one of the better high-flyers in the world right now, an athletic dynamo who has produced in a variety of places. 

Expect WWE to at least give each guy a look. Neither is the prototypical WWE prospect but would be plenty valuable to NXT.

Other News, Notes

WWE is tightening its security procedures at its developmental events. NXT announced via Twitter that there will be a strict no-bag policy for all WWE events at Full Sail University.

Former CrossFit athlete Binky Blair made her debut at an NXT show in Cocoa Beach, Florida, last Saturday. As noted in a fan report on Wrestling Inc, Blair delivered a promo but didn't wrestle. She posted a shot of herself in the ring on Instagram.

WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall again mentioned his desire to be a part of NXT.

In an interview with Jan Murphy of the Kingston Whig-Standard (NSFW language), Hall said: "My goal is to work at NXT and work with the young talent. I've always enjoyed working with the young guys and I think that's where I'll be most gifted and be of the most value."

The former intercontinental champion could certainly teach the up-and-comers about in-ring psychology. Hall's history of substance abuse may cause WWE to hesitate on bringing him in, though.

And The King of Strong Style isn't taking on Bray Wyatt in Japan as previously announced anymore. Per the Wrestling Observer, Shinsuke Nakamura is now set to face Chris Jericho at Friday's house show in Tokyo.

That promises to be a special match. It's hard not to be jealous of the fans in Tokyo with tickets in hand.