Io Shirai has returned to WWE NXT.
Tonight’s NXT show saw Poppy also make her return to NXT, to release her latest album during a backstage segment with Triple H and NXT General Manager William Regal.
The segment saw Dexter Lumis approach Poppy with a drawing he did of the singer. She hugged him until NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion Indi Hartwell walked in. Hartwell stormed off crying at the sight of Poppy hugging Lumis. This led to NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion Candice LeRae going to the ring to call Poppy out.
LeRae hit the ring and ranted about Poppy, as she has done on social media and NXT TV as of late. LeRae offered Poppy to come out and take one of two options – take the easy way and apologize, or take the hard way and get introduced to the parking lot. Poppy came out to the stage and said she doesn’t wrestle, but she knows someone who does. That’s when the lights went out, Shirai’s music hit and out she came.
Shirai hit the ring and hit LeRae with a bunch of offense, then delivered 619 and the springboard missile dropkick. LeRae retreated to the stage as fans chanted for Shirai to welcome her back. The segment ended with Poppy and Shirai celebrating. This was the third appearance for Poppy and Shirai together as Poppy previously performed ring entrances for the former NXT Women’s Champion.
Shirai later had a brief showdown with NXT Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai. After NXT returned from a commercial break, the announcers aired a replay of Shirai and Poppy passing Gonzalez and Kai backstage.
This was Shirai’s first appearance since losing the NXT Women’s Title to Gonzalez during Night One of the “Takeover: Stand and Deliver” event during WrestleMania 37 Weekend in April. There is no word on what WWE has planned for her next, but we will keep you updated.
Regarding Poppy’s new album, WWE has announced that she has released “EAT” – the official soundtrack of NXT.
The five-track EP features “Dark Dark World,” which is the “Takeover: In Your House” theme song, plus “Say Cheese,” which has been used as the NXT theme song after she performed it at Takeover in April. The other songs on the EP are “EAT,” the title track she debuted during the Grammys, “CUE” and “Breeders.”
Triple H tweeted on the soundtrack and wrote, “Five badass and #NXTLOUD songs just dropped LIVE on #WWENXT tonight! Available wherever you stream/download music! @poppy is @WWENXT!!!!”
You can click here to access the EP via Spotify, Apple Music, the iTunes Store, Tidal, Deezer, Amazon Music, YouTube, Pandora, and SoundCloud. It has a runtime of 14 minutes.
Stay tuned for more on Shirai and Poppy. Below are related tweets and videos from tonight’s show:
We are @TripleH. @TripleH is us. #WeAreNXT 😲
#Index #WWENXT @poppy @DexterLumis pic.twitter.com/aexBHRsSlB
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) June 9, 2021
👀 @CandiceLeRae #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/W1VJ0i7Fjo
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) June 9, 2021
"I don't wrestle, but I know someone who does." – @poppy @shirai_io is BACK!!!! 😈 #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/m17H3v6oxt
— WWE (@WWE) June 9, 2021
WELCOME BACK @shirai_io!
👏 👏 👏#WWENXT pic.twitter.com/8ooGCuPVLS
— WWE (@WWE) June 9, 2021
We missed you so much, @shirai_io. #WWENXT @CandiceLeRae @poppy pic.twitter.com/H0uUyB1JAA
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) June 9, 2021
Pure 𝘨𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘶𝘴 from @poppy. 😈 #WWENXT @shirai_io pic.twitter.com/Sjr4EidaIq
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) June 9, 2021
Unfinished business. 👀 #WWENXT @shirai_io @RaquelWWE @poppy @DakotaKai_WWE pic.twitter.com/lubaJ4YD6Z
— WWE (@WWE) June 9, 2021
Five badass and #NXTLOUD songs just dropped LIVE on #WWENXT tonight!
Available wherever you stream/download music!@poppy is @WWENXT!!!! https://t.co/mlb8QJRYL5
— Triple H (@TripleH) June 9, 2021
https://twitter.com/poppy/status/1402430248071798784
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