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NXT Superstars like Candice LeRae, Rhea Ripley, Io Shirai, Toni Storm, and Shotzi Blackheart have all been at each other's throats over the last few months. Xia Li, however, has been fighting a different battle.
Since enduring a losing streak, Li and Boa have both been "summoned" back home by a ShiFu or master character. Boa was marked by the ShiFu and later, so was Xia Li. They both dreaded what was coming before fans even knew what to possibly expect.
Fast forward a few weeks, and NXT has shown various vignettes of both Li and Boa undergoing intense and sometimes brutal training. At various points in each vignette, the NXT Universe has seen a glimpse of the character that both Li and Boa feared.
With so many talented women already featured on NXT TV, it appears that another newcomer will soon debut as this mysterious woman. There are certainly some possibilities when looking at the WWE/NXT roster. Here are five possibilities for NXT stars that could be the mystery master. Starting off below is a bit more of the story thus far.
Possible NXT mystery woman - The story thus far
Things started to get interesting a few months ago. Li had just lost a match after a series of bouts against the likes of Kacy Catanzaro and Lacey Lane. Boa came out to the ring and handed Li a letter. It shocked her and caused her great stress.
Over the next few weeks, Li asked NXT GM William Regal for more matches. She even outright challenged Raquel Gonzalez to one contest. Each week, Boa and Li would say they needed just one more chance.
After a few more losses, another character emerged. Li didn't show up to compete against Gonzalez, and she obliterated Boa instead. Boa regained his composure, but then the character they've called ShiFu showed up in a hail of fog. He marked Boa's hand with what appeared to be ash. Once he was branded, it appeared that the duo was abducted to undergo more training - or punishment - after a less than successful run in NXT.
Boa and Li were blindfolded and taken to an undisclosed location where they have undergone vigorous and brutal training. In each vignette, the NXT Universe was shown a brief glimpse of the master that they were trying to please. The most recent few have seen the eyes and forehead of the mystery woman. So who could it be?
#5 Sareee could be the NXT mystery woman
Sareee signed with WWE in February of 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions resulting from it, she hasn't traveled to the United States. She is still in Japan, where she has been waiting and working until it is safe to travel abroad. When she does make her way to the US, it will be as a member of NXT.
Xia Li and Boa are obviously both Chinese, while Sareee is Japanese. It still doesn't mean that WWE wouldn't use her in that capacity. It's also a way to get her into a storyline and accustomed to NXT.
If it is Sareee, it would at least allow her to film segments or have a stand-in until she is able to travel.
WWE has done a good job of making its stars from Japan seem like a big deal in NXT. On the main roster, it might be a different story. But the likes of Asuka, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Io Shirai have made huge impacts on the Black and Gold brand. Currently, Kushida is moving up the ranks at NXT.
While it is a long shot that the mystery woman could be Sareee, it is still a possibility. Fans never know what the Creative in WWE or NXT might be thinking, so it could be a surprise.
#4 Jessamyn Duke or Marina Shafir could be the NXT mystery woman
Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir have seen their two main outlets to get on TV disappear or move on. Once Shayna Baszler moved on to the main roster, her allies were left to fend for themselves in NXT. They were not used much on NXT TV, but when RAW Underground popped up a few months ago, it gave them another way to get back into action.
Both women showed up a few times under the new concept, easily dispatching of anyone that came into the ring for a fight. But after RAW Underground was canceled and due to risks involved with having too many people around, we have not seen either woman since.
Duke or Shafir would work for a few reasons. They were both relentless and unforgiving when dishing out punishment for Baszler or on RAW Underground. They are both former MMA fighters and have legitimate credentials. Duke is even trained in other martial arts. Being the mystery woman would allow either Duke or Shafir to get back on to NXT TV and into storylines.
The quick visual we got of the master's eyes suggests that the master is of Asian descent. It could be argued that it was such a quick pan that it could be almost anyone. WWE can pick whomever they choose for the role despite who they use in the vignettes. It could be either Marina Shafir or Jessamyn Duke.
#3 Mercedes Martinez could be the NXT mystery woman
Mercedes Martinez was a part of the Mae Young Classic and then had a few matches on NXT. She officially signed with NXT in January of this year and was immediately put on TV.
Martinez was eventually put with the Robert Stone Brand to give it some legitimacy. That partnership didn't last long as Martinez soon disappeared from NXT TV. She later resurfaced as a member of RETRIBUTION. Once the group spoke and revealed the core members, it appeared as if it consisted of three men and two women.
Not long after the debut of the group, Martinez disappeared from the group and RAW. Mustafa Ali was revealed to be the leader of the faction, and it seemed as if the group kept its five members by replacing Martinez with Ali.
It was later revealed that Martinez had asked to be taken out of the group. The last time she was seen in a match for WWE or NXT was when she lost a steel cage match to Rhea Ripley on September 8th. So why would Martinez make sense as the brutal master of Xia Li and Boa?
The operative word in the prior sentence is "brutal". She is known to be one of the toughest and meanest wrestlers in the world when she's in a ring. It would line up with her usual desire to impart pain on others. Being revealed as the master would also give her depth beyond "tough woman," and it would allow her to do some character work. Could she be revealed as the punishing person behind the re-education of Boa and Li?
#2 Meiko Satomura could be the NXT mystery woman
Meiko Satomura competed in the Mae Young Classic, even defeating Martinez in 2018. The Japanese legend was rumored to have signed with WWE in October of 2020 and possibly as a member/coach of NXT UK. With the likes of Rhea Ripley and Toni Storm "graduating" to NXT in the US, reinforcements were certainly needed for NXT UK.
Satomura is well-renowned for her striking and technical ability and is certainly a master of the pro wrestling game. Could she be the one who is essentially torturing both Xia Li and Boa in the NXT vignettes?
In the veins of it possibly being Sareee, it would seem a bit strange if it was revealed to be Satomura. She is Japanese and not Chinese like Boa and Li, but that might not stop Creative from using Satomura in that type of position. She's a legend of the sport and would be renowned and respected by anyone and everyone who follows the sport internationally.
One roadblock once again would be travel restrictions brought on by the global pandemic.
A good reason why it could be Satomura is that she would have to be put in a prominent spot, be it on NXT UK or NXT. Whatever happens, being the mystery master would give Satomura a big role in NXT right upon her debut.
#1 Karen Q could be the NXT mystery woman
This is the possibility that makes the most sense. Karen Q was signed to the WWE PC back in February of 2019. Joining her in that group were Dexter Lumis, Cameron Grimes and Bronson Reed. Those three names have already made an impact in NXT. Karen Q also participated in the 2018 MYC tournament where she was beaten by Xia Li in the first round.
Unfortunately, she suffered a leg injury in July of 2019 that has kept her out of action for almost a year. Q also had to undergo a second surgery on the same leg in February of this year.
The news about her return was positive in October as she tweeted that she was able to pull off a backflip for the first time since her surgery.
Since she is back in the ring and working towards a comeback, this could be an easy way to ease her back into things. She won't necessarily have to have a five-star classic match and can instead work her way back via vignettes. It would also add another interesting character to an already stacked NXT women's division.
WWE recently filed for a trademark for "Karen Kwan" and Karen Q is the only person on the WWE/NXT roster named Karen. Could that trademark filing be a sign that Q's return to action is imminent? Or is the timing merely a coincidence? While it may not be Karen Q's new character, the cards could fall into place to make it a reality.
