Hideo Itami will be returning from injury to NXT.
According to Wrestling Observer Radio, Itami has been cleared by WWE medical staff to return to the ring.
He injured his shoulder in 2015 and was out for over a year. Itami's last televised match before the shoulder injury was a tag match which aired in May of 2015. He returned this past August at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II and delivered a Go To Sleep to Austin Aries. He would wrestle on NXT a couple more times before suffering a neck injury in early October at a house show when Riddick Moss dropped him on his head.
Before the two injuries, Itami was among the first of Japanese talent to brought to NXT. He appeared in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale at Wrestlemania 31, within his first year of WWE developmental. At the time of his initial injury, he was in pursuit of the NXT Championship. WWE Universial Champion Kevin Owens held the NXT title at the time and Itami was involved in a feud with Finn Balor to gain number one contendership.
Since then, NXT has seen the debuts of Shinsuke Nakamura, Samoa Joe, and Bobby Roode. The rivals Itami once had have moved onto the main roster, and the man he delivered a Go To Sleep to, Austin Aries has moved onto commentary desk for the Cruiserweight Division on Raw and 205 Live. He has missed a Wrestlemania season and a brand-split on the main roster which brought NXT talent to Raw and Smackdown.
There has been no information on an exact date of when Itami's in-ring return will be.
