Hideo Itami Out 6-8 Months With Shoulder Injury

Hideo Itami is the latest NXT superstar to bite the bullet with a major injury.

According to a report by PWInsider.com, Itami will miss the next 6-to-8 months with a bad shoulder injury.

He’s currently scheduled to face Finn Balor and Tyler Breeze in a Triple Threat match at “NXT Takeover: Unstoppable” on May 20. The winner will be the new No. 1 Contender for the NXT Championship, currently held by Kevin Owens.

Itami defeated Breeze during the May 6th edition of “NXT” on the WWE Network.

Sami Zayn will also likely be pulled from the next “Takeover” special after potentially tearing his rotator cuff on “Monday Night Raw” during a WWE United States Championship match against John Cena.

Alex Riley is also out of action after undergoing knee surgery.

Editor’s Note

This is the first real test for NXT to see just how deep the roster truly goes. Losing Itami and Zayn for long stretches is a major blow to the brand. It’s a perfect opportunity for other stars to step up and grab the spotlight, though. Regardless, being without their star power just sucks. As far as the Triple Threat match and NXT title match at “Takeover” are concerned, I would guess that the winner of Balor vs. Breeze will now take on Owens in the main event.

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