According to a report in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Asuka soon won't be the only Japanese powerhouse in the NXT Women's Division.
Kairi Hojo of Japan's Stardom promotion has agreed to a three-year contract.
She has a big fan in a powerful and prominent position in the company, as former NXT Champ Shinsuke Nakamura is apparently an admirer of her work and has been pushing for her to come to NXT for several months,
When you watch her wrestle, it's easy to see why. She's got one of the most beautiful Elbow Drops in the world.
Seriously. It's like a damn work of art.
I could watch these things all day.
It's even prettier in slow motion.
Somehwere Macho Man is smiling.
Hojo had told Stardom officials earlier that she was going to turn down an offer to come stateside, but things have apparently changed. She's now informed the company that she wants to leave in April, and the company, who feels misled by Hojo through the whole process, now wants her to drop both of the titles she currently holds before she leaves.
And she may not be the only one heading to Orlando.
Io Shirai, the top woman in the promotion, may also be considering signing with NXT. This would be a huge blow to Stardom, as Hojo is considered the second best woman on their roster, and the third best, Mayu Iwatani, is eyeing retirement by the end of 2017.
Oddly enough, all three of these women have been on television in the states in recent months, appearing as three members of the Black Lotus Triad in an episode of Lucha Underground.
From left, Hojo, Shirai, and Iwatani.
The trio faced Pentagon Dark one at a time in a gauntlet match, and it was excellent. Shirai's section of that match is available to watch at the top of the page, and Hojo's can be viewed at this link.
Whether just Hojo comes to NXT, and especially if she manages to bring Shirai with her, the Women's Division in Full Sail just improved by leaps and bounds. And whether it's Asuka, Nikki Cross, Ember Moon, or the Aussie Besties Billie Kay & Peyton Royce, the women's locker room is now on notice.
