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#2 WWE rescinded Io Shirai’s contract offer
According to the Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer, WWE first made contact with Io Shirai about signing with the company back in October 2016.
Shirai went on to agree a deal with WWE in May 2017. However, WWE rescinded the contract offer in June 2017 after it emerged during her medical examination that she had a heart issue.
After fellow Stardom wrestler Kairi Hojo (better known as Kairi Sane) signed with WWE, the following video of the company’s new Japanese Superstar was shown to fans at a WWE live event in Tokyo, Japan on June 30, 2017.
Meltzer reported that Shirai, who was in attendance at the show, was said to be “devastated” when she saw Sane’s video.
“According to someone close to her, she was somewhat devastated watching it. She wasn’t expecting the moment to hit her so hard as she saw it and started thinking that should have been her. She was very hurt emotionally by that moment and became completely focused to do whatever it would take to prove that she was the wrestler who would have been on the video.”
In June 2018, Shirai finally signed with WWE. The Genius of the Sky has since gone on to become one of the most popular Superstars in WWE NXT.
