NXT TakeOver Toronto: Io Shirai Defeats Candice LeRae In Show-Stealing Performance

Former friends met in the ring on Saturday night at NXT TakeOver Toronto as Candice LeRae took on [...]

By Ryan Droste

Former friends met in the ring on Saturday night at NXT TakeOver Toronto as Candice LeRae took on Io Shirai.

Shirai is fresh off a heel turn after failing multiple times to defeat NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler. It was LeRae who was at her side throughout as Baszler's Horsewomen continually interfered in the title matches, but eventually Shirai snapped following her loss in a cage match to Baszler.

The early portion of the bout at TakeOver on Saturday night was dominated by Shirai, taking LeRae out early with a suplex on to the announce table. However, LeRae was able to work her way back after dodging a drop kick from the top rope.

For the rest of the match, the women exchanged taking advantage on offense. When both women were down and struggling to go on, Shirai hit a double foot stomp in the corner. At that point, both women went up top and LeRae tried to hit a move but Shirai backflipped and dodged the move. Shirai put LeRae on her shoulders, but Candice hit a reverse-rana for a near fall and followed that up with a swinging neckbreaker from the second rope for another near fall.

The Toronto crowd came alive at this point, fully invested in the match and chanting "this is awesome." WIth both ladies up top, Shirai hit an Avalance Spanish Fly for a two-count. On announcing, Mauro Ranallo exclaimed that LeRae was showing the same heart that her husband, Johnny Gargano, displays.

Shirai hit a double underhook into a backbreaker and went up top. She came off with a moonsault but LeRae kicked out yet again. The announcers noted that nobody has kicked out of her moonsault in NXT. At this point, Shirai started to lose it and hammered LeRae with some fists before locking in the Koji Clutch. The announcers noted that LeRae's arm was tied up so that she couldn't tap out and eventually, LeRae passed out and Shirai was declared the winner.

While the match didn't have as much hype as some of the others on the card going into the show, it certainly delivered in the ring and had everyone in attendance on the edge of their seat.

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