WWE NXT’s Io Shirai, Zoey Stark expected to return from injury ‘relatively soon’

Io Shirai and Zoey Stark are expected to return from injury “relatively soon.”

Shirai hasn’t wrestled since NXT Stand & Deliver on April 2. Speculation regarding her injury began when photos of her wearing a walking boot circulated later that month. The exact nature of her injury is unknown, however. 

Stark hasn’t wrestled since NXT Halloween Havoc on October 26. She posted to social media on November 9 and revealed that she had surgery for a torn ACL and meniscus. In storyline, her injury was said to be due to an attack by Toxic Attraction. 

Our own Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that both wrestlers are expected back shortly. 

“Io Shirai and Zoey Stark, who have both been out with injuries, are expected to be back relatively soon,” he wrote. 

Shirai and Stark won the NXT Tag Team Championships from The Way at The Great American Bash on July 6, 2021. They eventually dropped the belts to Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jane at Halloween Havoc.

Triple threat match added to WWE NXT

A new triple threat match has been added to NXT for this Tuesday.

Three of the women’s tag teams in NXT (Io Shirai & Zoey Stark, Persia Pirotta & Indi Hartwell, Jacey Jayne & Gigi Dolan of Toxic Attraction) will choose a representative to compete in the triple threat match.. Shirari & Stark defeated Dolan & Jayne on the September 29 edition of NXT. Both challengers since have made claims as to why they are next in line for a title match.

Already announced for Tuesday is Odyssey Jones vs. Andre Chase. Chase has constantly been interfering in Jones’ matches. Grizzled Young Veterans (Zack Gibson and James Drake) against Tommaso Ciampa and Bron Breakker following a confrontation from last week. Ciampa and Breakker will meet for the NXT Championship at Halloween Havoc on October 26.

Tony D’Angelo will also return to action. He made his debut two weeks ago, where he defeated Malik Blade after a few weeks of vignettes.