WWE News: Io Shirai introduces a new finishing move at TakeOver: Toronto
In the second match of NXT TakeOver: Toronto, 'The Genius of the Sky,' Io Shirai, introduced a brand new submission move in her win hard-fought win over Candice LeRae.
After failing to win the NXT Women's Championship on multiple occasions within the past few months, Io Shirai developed a brand new attitude when she finally turned heel on the 26th June edition of NXT by attacking her good friend Candice LeRae after her steel cage match against Shayna Baszler. Shirai eventually challenged LeRae to a match at TakeOver: Toronto.
As expected, Shirai and LeRae put on an instant classic match with a lot of back-and-forth action between them right from the get-go and there definitely wasn't a dull moment in the contest.
Early on in the match, Shirai suplexed LeRae on the table and almost won by count-out, however, credits to LeRae's resilience as she fought her way back into the match and caught Shirai with some solid offense.
However, with Shirai clearly being the more experienced of the two and being a puroresu veteran, eventually got the better of LeRae with what seems to be a modified version of the Koji Clutch. Some people on Twitter are calling it a Cobra Clutch as well. LeRae passed out to the devastating submission move implemented by 'The Genius of the Sky'.
The Koji Clutch is a move invented by Japanese wrestlng veteran Koji Kanemoto and has been previously used by C.M. Punk in WWE as well. Former NXT Champion Sami Zayn has also previously used the Koji Clutch as a submission offense in his arsenal and it now looks like Io Shirai has a new finishing maneuver in her arsenal, as well.
The match itself, in general, was absolutely outstanding and was praised by the likes of Zelina Vega and Keith Lee on social media. LeRae was also praised by her husband Johnny Gargano for her amazing performance on the night.