Height: 5’1”
Hometown: Tokyo, Japan
Style: High flyer
Twitter: @shirai_io

If you needed any additional confirmation that the Mae Young Classic has attracted the globe’s best talent, look no further than Io Shirai. Named the top women's wrestler of the year three times by national Japanese newspaper Tokyo Sports, Shirai was announced as a new NXT signee at a WWE Live Event in Tokyo in June.

Possessing the same fighting spirit apparent in Japanese greats like Asuka and Manami Toyota, Shirai is one of those rare performers who can seemingly do it all between the ropes. Her offense is a thrilling mix of audacious springboard dives, bone-shattering strikes and suplexes, and wrenching submissions that leave her opponents in agony. And she does it all with a fiery charisma that has made her one of the most buzzed-about talents in sports-entertainment. When Shirai finally hits the ring at the Classic, you’ll see why.