Io Shirai Gets New Name At SummerSlam – As noted earlier, there were several returns at WWE SummerSlam, including some NXT names that were initially hired by Triple H a few years ago.
Io Shirai returned alongside Dakota Kai and Bayley to confront Bianca Belair and Becky Lynch. For Shirai’s main roster call-up WWE has changed her name and per WWE.com, she will be known as IYO SKY.
During the live broadcast, the announcers initially called her Io Shirai and then IYO SKY so they are not ignoring her past in NXT but she will be using the new name going forward. This may have been a Vince McMahon call before he resigned from his position as CEO of the company.
It looks like Triple H will be pushing the returning stars since he was very high on them while they were in NXT and it’s clear that he was a big backer of Dakota Kai or he would not have brought her back after she was released earlier this year.
According to Fightful Select, Sky’s contract was set to expire soon and there had been no creative plans for her in NXT after her injury. WWE officials couldn’t confirm a new contract had been signed beyond saying, “it appears so.” Shirai has not been in the WWE ring since WWE WrestleMania 38 weekend when she competed in a fatal four-way match against Mandy Rose, Cora Jade, and Kay Lee Ray (now known as Alba Fyre) at “NXT” Stand And Deliver.
It was also noted that this new stable with Bayley, Sky, and Kai was pitched quite a while ago and it was before Kai was first released in April. Vince McMahon had reportedly rejected the idea. There were other versions pitched that include Kay Lee Ray and Raquel Rodriguez.
