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What's the story?
The first set of WWE NXT television tapings since NXT TakeOver: XXV took place at Full Sail on Wednesday, June 12.
One of the biggest storyline developments came when Io Shirai surprisingly turned heel after losing a Steel Cage match against Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship.
In case you didn't know…
Io Shirai has been involved in the NXT Women’s Championship picture for the majority of 2019 so far.
The 2018 Mae Young Classic finalist challenged for the title for the first time at NXT TakeOver: New York in April, facing Kairi Sane, Bianca Belair and champion Shayna Baszler in a Fatal 4-Way match, but Baszler retained after making Belair submit.
Two months later, Shirai took on Baszler in a one-on-one title match at NXT TakeOver: XXV. Despite Candice LeRae’s attempts to help, she ended up losing via submission after being distracted by Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke at ringside.
Following the somewhat controversial circumstances surrounding her latest TakeOver defeat, Shirai was granted another one-on-one opportunity against Baszler inside a Steel Cage at the June 12 NXT tapings.
The heart of the matter
After her loss at NXT TakeOver: XXV, Io Shirai showed a more aggressive side to her character by using a steel chair to attack Shayna Baszler post-match, and she used the same weapon again at the latest NXT tapings – only this time her victim was Candice LeRae.
It looked as though Shirai could win the Steel Cage match after she countered the threat of the interfering Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke by taking them both out with a moonsault from the top of the cage.
However, even with LeRae there to help, Shirai was unable to pick up the victory, as Baszler withstood damage from the cage door before falling to the outside of the ring to win the match.
With Baszler confirmed as the winner, Shirai flipped and took out her frustration by attacking LeRae with multiple chair shots. The Japanese star looked for a moment as if she immediately regretted her actions, but she then attacked LeRae once again with more chair shots, prompting boos from the crowd.
What's next?
Many people thought after NXT TakeOver: XXV that we would see another match between Shayna Baszler and Io Shirai at NXT TakeOver: Toronto in August, but this storyline development suggests that somebody else might step up and face Baszler instead.
