It looks like Io Shirai may be returning to Japan upon her WWE contract expiring.
Io has been injured since Stand And Deliver in April, taking her off NXT 2.0 television for quite some time. While she is expected to return to the ring soon, her WWE contract is set to expire this month.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Io Shirai’s WWE contract is set to expire next month. This would mean she could very easily go back to Japan and be with her family there.
Io Shirai has not signed her newest contract offer. She will be a free agent next month if she doesn’t sign her new deal. She had told people in Japan that when her contract was up she wanted to return to Japan and be closer with her family. Unlike with Kairi Sane, who had to wait until the end of her contract because she left mid-contract and agreed to work as a WWE rep in Japan so she could move back home, Shirai would be free and clear. There is no expectation in Stardom that she will definitely return at that point, but legally she could.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter
Of course, it is always possible Shirai may still choose to resign with the WWE. We will not know for sure until the day her contract with the promotion officially expires. What do you think? Should Shirai return to Japan upon the expiration of her WWE NXT contract? Let us know in the comment section and on our social media pages!
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