The WWE queen of the skies. One of the most technically gifted fighters on the main roster and the current holder of the WWE Women’s Championship, Iyo Sky has been synonymous with quality matches for around five years in the company, having first conquered NXT before being promoted to Raw and joining the Damage CTRL stable along with Bayley and Dakota Kai.
Born on May 8, 1990, in Kamakura, Japan, Masami Odate, her real name, debuted in pro wrestling when she was just 16 years old, on March 4, 2007, under the ring name Io Shirai, in a tag team match at who fought alongside her older sister, Mio Shirai.
After stints with several Japanese and Mexican promoters, Shirai tried out at the WWE Performance Center in March 2017 and was accepted, but the contract was never signed because he was diagnosed with a neck injury and a heart problem. However, a year later Io Shirai ended up signing for WWE, having made his debut on August 8, 2018 in the Mae Young Classic tournament.
Three months later he made his debut in NXT, beginning a successful journey full of good matches. Since then, this great admirer of Rey Mysterio has won the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship (once, alongside Zoey Stark), the NXT Women’s Championship (once), the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship (twice, both with Dakota Kai) and the WWE Women’s Championship (one), as well as winning the Women’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic 2022 (alongside Kay Lee Ray) and the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match in 2023. However, with the changed name of Iyo Sky.
NXT TakeOver: XXV (June 1, 2019)
NXT Women’s Championship : Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Io Shirai
On the February 6, 2019 episode of NXT , Bianca Belair , the future Iyo Sky – Io Shirai and Kairi Sane beat Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir in a match in which Io Shirai placed the victorious settlement on Baszler. However, Bianca Belair didn’t like it, as she wanted to be the one to make the settlement to receive another opportunity for the title.
During a fight between Shirai and Bianca in which a title opportunity was at stake, Baszler attacked both of them and also Kairi Sane, who was watching the duel.
Due to her actions, Baszler was informed that she would defend the NXT Women’s Championship against Bianca Belair , Io Shirai and Kairi Sane in a fatal four-way match at TakeOver: New York, but retained the title after making Bianca quit via a Kirifuda Clutch . .
Meanwhile, Baszler defeated Kairi Sane via disqualification in a title match on the April 17 episode of NXT , due to interference from Io Shirai, who pushed Baszler. However, the defeat prevented Sane from being able to return to fight for the NXT Women’s Championship , as previously stipulated. After the duel, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir attacked Shirai while Baszler injured Sane’s arm.
After several weeks in which the rivalry grew, a match between Baszler and Shirai was scheduled for TakeOver: XXV .
NXT TakeOver: Toronto II (August 10, 2019)
Io Shirai vs. Candice LeRae
At TakeOver: XXV, Iyo Sky was unsuccessful in her mission to win the NXT Women’s Championship from Shayna Baszler, in a match in which Candice LeRae interfered on Shirai’s behalf and attacked Baszler’s two allies, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir .
On the June 26 episode of NXT , Shirai faced Baszler again for the title, this time in a Steel Cage match , but was defeated again. After the match, Shirai attacked Candice LeRae, who once again appeared on the scene to counter the support given by Duke and Shafir to Baszler.
In the weeks that followed, Shirai appeared renewed, with a darker image and a new theme song , continuing her rivalry with Candice LeRae, with a match between the two scheduled for TakeOver: Toronto .
NXT TakeOver: In Your House (June 7, 2020)
NXT Women’s Championship : Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Rhea Ripley vs. Io Shirai
After winning the 2020 women’s Royal Rumble match , Charlotte Flair said on the February 3 episode of Raw that she had already defeated the champions of Raw ( Becky Lynch ) and SmackDown ( Bayley ) and had held those belts multiple times. Having said that, the NXT champion , Rhea Ripley , interrupted her and said that Charlotte should challenge her, especially since Charlotte had never beaten Ripley .
After Ripley defended the NXT Women’s Championship against Bianca Belair at TakeOver: Portland, on February 16 , she was attacked by Charlotte , who accepted the Australian ‘s challenge to a match at WrestleMania , thus making it official the first occasion in which a winner (a) of the Royal Rumble chose to fight for an NXT title and also the first time that an NXT belt was defended at the biggest event of the year.
At WrestleMania 36, Charlotte won the NXT Women’s Championship for the second time in her career by beating Ripley via submission, via a Figure-Eight Leglock .
On the following episode of NXT , Io Shirai won a six-woman ladder match to earn the opportunity to face Charlotte for the title.
On the May 6 episode, in the NXT Women’s Championship match , Shirai defeated Charlotte via disqualification. After the duel, Ripley returned to television shows after a few weeks of absence and saved Shirai.
Two weeks later, a match between Shirai and Ripley ended in a no-contest after Charlotte attacked both of them, which led to a triple threat match between the three, for the title, at NXT TakeOver: In Your House .
NXT : The Great American Bash – Night 1 (July 1, 2020)
Io Shirai vs. Sasha Banks
On the June 17 episode of NXT , Sasha Banks and Bayley retained the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship against Shotzi Blackheart and Tegan Nox. After the match, Io Shirai appeared on the scene and attacked Bayley and Sasha.
Meanwhile, it was announced that Io Shirai would face Sasha Banks at The Great American Bash , in a match without the NXT Women’s Championship on the line.
NXT TakeOver XXX (August 22, 2020)
NXT Women’s Championship : Io Shirai (c) vs. Dakota Kai
On the July 15 episode of NXT , after Io Shirai successfully defended the NXT Women’s Championship against Tegan Nox, Dakota Kai attacked Shirai.
Three weeks later, Dakota beat Rhea Ripley thanks to interference from Mercedes Martinez to earn an opportunity to fight for the title at TakeOver XXX .
NXT (September 16, 2020)
Io Shirai vs. Shotzi Blackheart
The fight that came practically out of nowhere. Shotzi Blackheart was beating up Robert Stone, who signed Mercedes Martinez to Robert Stone Brand after Mercedes attacked Shotzi, but Aliyah appeared by surprise and attacked Shotzi, sending her through a curtain. On the other side of the curtain was Io Shirai, who was knocked down.
NXT Halloween Havoc 2020
Tables, Ladders and Scares match for the NXT Women’s Championship :
Io Shirai (c) vs. Candice LeRae
On the September 23 episode of NXT , Candice LeRae won a battle royal to become the top contender for Io Shirai’s NXT Women’s Championship at NXT TakeOver 31 .
At that event, Io Shirai took advantage of the confusion caused by Johnny Gargano, LeRae’s husband who tried to replace the referee when he was the target of an unintentional attack by his wife, to apply a Spanish Flag and a Diving Moonsault to ensure the triumph .
On the October 14 episode of NXT , Candice LeRae beat Shotzi Blackheart to earn another opportunity to challenge Io Shirai for the title.
NXT (November 18, 2020)
NXT Women’s Championship : Io Shirai (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
At Halloween Havoc , Rhea Ripley defeated Raquel Gonzalez, while Io Shirai retained the NXT Women’s Championship by defeating Candice LeRae in a Tables, Ladders and Scares match.
A week later, on the November 4 episode of NXT , Io Shirai said she wanted to prove that she reigns on the brand , challenging Rhea Ripley to a match. Ripley stressed that, since she lost the title, she had not yet fought to win it back in a singles match .
However, the title match between the two was scheduled for the November 18th episode.
NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver – Night 1 (April 7, 2021)
NXT Women’s Championship : Io Shirai (c) vs. Raquel González
On the March 10 episode of NXT , General Manager William Regal announced Raquel González and Dakota Kai as the first NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions . That same night, they lost the belts to Shotzi Blackheart and Ember Moon.
After the fight, Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez were furious about losing the title. NXT Champion Io Shirai appeared near them and told Raquel González that she wanted her to be her next title challenger. González told her to be careful what she wishes for. However, the fight between the two was made official for TakeOver: Stand & Deliver .
Backlash 2023
WWE Raw Women’s Championship : Bianca Belair (c) vs. Iyo Sky
On the April 10 episode of Raw , Iyo Sky beat Piper Niven and Michin in a triple threat match to become the top contender for Bianca Belair ‘s WWE Raw Women’s Championship . Two weeks later, the match was confirmed for Backlash .