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Hideo Itami is out of the NXT Dusty Rhodes Classic Tag Team Tournament due to an injury suffered at an NXT live event on Saturday night. He rebounded off the ropes and ran at Riddick Moss. Moss was still kneeling and not in proper position as he lifted and turned and slammed Itami, and Itami landed awkwardly on his neck and left shoulder (video clip below). The ref moved in to check on Itami, as did Moss. Itami announced on WWE.com today that he will not be able to participate in the tag tournament, but he vowed to be part of NXT live event in Japan in December.
Itami missed over a year of in-ring action after a serious shoulder injury in 2015. He returned June 30 this summer. View his video announcement below.
Keller’s Analysis: This is one of the downsides of having experienced, main roster ready wrestlers working in NXT in front of a few hundred people at house shows – experienced valuable talent can get hurt against less experienced wrestlers. This news comes the same week that James Ellsworth almost suffered a serious neck injury by taking A.J. Styles’s Styles Clash incorrectly by tucking his head instead of tilting his head back on Smackdown on Tuesday night. This a disappointing setback for Itami, one of the most heralded WWE/NXT signings in recent years based on his years of tremendous work in Japan. Because he’s vowing to be back in December, it sounds as if this injury isn’t nearly as serious as the one he suffered last year that kept him out of action for more than a year.
Hideo Itami Takes Nasty Looking Bump Saturday Night At An NXT Live Event. No Word On His Condition pic.twitter.com/xK0YnPZZ9J
— Pro Wrestling Ultd (@pwunlimited) October 2, 2016
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