NXT TakeOver 31: 5 possible finishes for Io Shirai vs. Candice LeRae
At this weekend's NXT TakeOver 31, Io Shirai is set to defend her NXT Women's Championship against Candice LeRae. The pair are no strangers to one another in the ring and have faced one another numerous times. Most notably, at NXT TakeOver: Toronto, where Io Shirai was the winner via submission.
Candice LeRae won a shot at the NXT Women's Championship by fending off her rivals in a battle royal. LeRae was able to fend off competition from top NXT talent including former Women's Champion Rhea Ripley and fan favourite, Shotzi Blackheart.
As Candice LeRae and Io Shirai prepare to go head-to-head at NXT TakeOver, there seems to be no clear outcome to their bout. Here are five possible finishes for the title match between the Genius of the Sky and the Poison Pixie.
#5 Io Shirai retains at NXT Takeover 31 with help from another Superstar
Io Shirai is a Superstar that has numerous allies in WWE. Over her time as champion, many fellow performers have stood by her side, including Rhea Ripley.
She saved her from a post-match beatdown from Raquel Gonzalez at NXT TakeOver XXX, and Shotzi Blackheart has also expressed her respect for the Genius of the Sky.
Currently, Candice LeRae has her fair share of enemies on the NXT roster, especially since her transformation to become the Poison Pixie. Could one of LeRae's rivals help Io Shirai retain her NXT Women's Championship on Sunday?
At NXT TakeOver: The Great American Bash, Io Shirai was helped by Asuka in her non-title match against Sasha Banks. The RAW Women's Champion made an unexpected appearance to assist Shirai, hitting The Boss with green mist to aid Shirai's win.
As Shirai goes head-to-head with LeRae this weekend, there could be a possibility of one her known allies, or even someone new, coming to help her retain her title and remain NXT Women's Champion.
While it's unlikely a main roster star such as Asuka will show up, the names that could help Shirai defeat the Poison Pixie this weekend are seemingly endless.
However, the reason this is low down on the list is because being helped by a fellow roster member could make Shirai look weak. A clean win against her challenger would be the much better decision.