Io Shirai spoke recently with Sports Illustrated prior to her title match and Stand & Deliver and said she would love to face Bayley on a big stage such as WrestleMania.
Shirai lost the NXT Women’s Title after holding it for over 300-days at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver last night to Raquel Gonzalez. This loss has led to many speculating a move to either RAW or SmackDown for the Joshi Judas after this weekend’s WrestleMania.
“I would love to compete against Bayley,” Shirai says through a translator. “I have a great amount of respect for her. If we ever got the chance, I would like it to be on a huge stage like WrestleMania. As far as that happening at WrestleMania 37, I have not been told that yet—but never say never.”
Bayley being left off of the WrestleMania 37 card this weekend has been a hot topic in the past few weeks. She commented recently that her being at this year’s event “just didn’t happen” but at the same time if it was going to she wouldn’t “spoil it.” If and when Bayley and Shirai share the ring together it would be a first-time match-up.
Shirai recently celebrated her 14-year anniversary with the wrestling industry. She shared with SI some motivating words and the lessons she has learned during her time in the squared circle.
“Always get up when you are knocked down and never give up,” Shirai says. “That’s what I have learned in wrestling, and I take that same approach in my everyday life. Everybody fails in life, but as long as you get up, you will always see the light, no matter how long it takes.”
It seems highly unlikely that we will get a random impromptu match between these two this weekend, but crazier things have happened. This is, however, an exciting match for a future WrestleMania.
Check back in with Diva Dirt all weekend for news, rumors, and results from this year’s two-night WrestleMania.
