[SOUND] Met in the final of the second Mae Young Classic,
with Toni Storm prevailing and really putting herself on the map.
Made her proverbial bones against one of the world's best, Io Shirai.
And here we are, days away From Worlds Collide and
Storm facing another stout test courtesy of the Joshi Judas.
>> Toe and ankle there from The Genius of the sky.
Sorm has to be a little bit disappointed after Takeover.
Blackpool too where she was unable to regain the NXT UK Women's Championship.
>> Absolutely, but Toni Storm is such a resilient competitor.
We've seen her come back many, many times from challenging situations.
>> And she has big dreams, of course, in becoming an NXT champion Saturday at
Worlds Collide, but she says her biggest goal is to one day headline WrestleMania.
The road to WrestleMania begins this weekend at Royal Rumble and.
>> It looks like Toni Storm baiting Io Shirai.
>> [CROSSTALK] >> Yeah.
Shirai blocks the kick.
Storm misses with the clothesline.
And Shirai's athleticism flexible as FKA Twigs.
The [INAUDIBLE] and Io Shirai continues to be sublime in that squared circle.
>> Well, a couple of words and a quick block.
>> And there we saw Toni Storm change direction and
was able to nail Shirai with that basement drop kick, great ring awareness.
>> One of the challenges of working with somebody that!
>> Cover by Storm on Shorai for a two.
>> Competing with somebody that you have such a history with.
You know what they're gonna do.
You know their repertoire so well.
You can anticipate what they're gonna do and come up with new ways to counter it.
>> Really is the human game of chess is going to surely have cooled it.
Taking two, three moves in advance.
>> Toni Storms style and swagger inspired by the 80's Los Angeles rock scene,
and really trying to deliver her greatest hits here against Io Shirai.
Has the waist lock.
Shirai with a couple of back elbows looking to break the grip.
And that grip proving to be as hard to break as those
pistachio nuts you gave me earlier today, Nigel.
What a single leg drop kick by Shirai.
>> Shirai placing Toni Storm across the bottom rope.
Huge strike to the side of the face and the jaw.
>> And everything Shirai does is so methodical, so calculating.
And she goes for the cover, back press, hooks the legs.
Storm, sneaks out at two.
>> [NOISE] >> Let's go out of that corner.
One, two.
>> Right now the clash of styles is between Io Shirai throwing some
strikes and Toni Storm, who loves to use those big boots.
>> Toni Storm uses strength to her advantage,
>> Shirai lighting up Storm with that
knife edge chop that forced Storm to double over in pain.
Shirai putting the boots to Storm in the corner, utilizing every piece of the ring,
whether she is bending or even breaking the rules, Beth.
>> There you see the nasty side of Io Shirai.
Here we go, handfuls of hair, knees in the small of the back to create more leverage.
Shirai maybe a smaller competitor but she's great at applying pressure.
>> This is what you have to do if you are a smaller competitor,
if you are giving some size and strength.
It has to come down to technique.
I mean, think of [INAUDIBLE] in the early days of UFC,
how he was able to combat big size differences.
That's what we're gonna look for here.
>> No wasted movement here from Shirai.
>> Beautiful reversal by Storm.
>> [SOUND] [APPLAUSE] >> Shoulder tackle by Shirai continues to
assert itself here against Toni Storm.
>> This is very typical of Io Shirai.
Continuing to press her opponent.
>> [NOISE] >> And
they exchange ferocious strikes in the center of the ring.
Shirai, again employing that side headlock, and
bringing down the bigger Storm.
>> I think Shirai caught a strong one on the jaw.
And thought I don't wanna exchange strikes anymore,
if Toni Storm- >> Keeping Toni Storm flat on
the mat neutralizes a lot of her offense.
Smart move by Io Shirai.
>> Both women have to dig down deep now.
A lot of courage here in recent months after losing the NXT UK title to
Kaylee Ray.
>> Shirai unloading with a series of right hands and
then leveling Storm with the Lariat.
The cover and Shirai looking for the victory.
Io Shirai, Toni Storm continue to battle at the NXT arena.
>> [NOISE] >> NXT Champion Rhea Ripley
might want to send Io Shirai a gift card, as Toni Storm goes for the cover,
because Shirai is really taking it to Toni Storm.
And of course, Storm will challenge Ripley for the title Saturday at Worlds Collide.
But right now, it's Shirai's two feet.
The soles of their feet colliding with the midsection of Storm.
>> This is gonna put Storm in a tough place right now.
Has to focus on the genius of the sky who's coming right now.
From the sky with the double knees.
>> And continuing to stomp the breath out of Toni Storm.
>> [APPLAUSE] [NOISE] >> Shirai is winding up.
>> But runs up right into the boot of her nemesis, Toni Storm.
Evasive tactics by Storm.
German suplex with a release.
As Shirai landed hard on the canvas.
Storm levels Shirai with the Lariat, the cover, hooks a leg and
Storm able to put Shirai's shoulder down for a two count.
>> Talking of Shirai's shoulders,
look how they landed here with that released German suplex.
We didn't see it, but following up with a basement clothesline.
Here we go, Storm has the advantage.
>> Looking for a Storm Zero.
Well-scouted by lo Shirai.
A couple of forearms by Shirai and the wind-up uppercut.
Shirai comes off the ropes with momentum and she gets crushed by Storm.
The back press, the cover, and Shirai staves off the pinning attempt.
>> By the skin of her teeth but Toni Storm shaking off the effects.
Take a look at this huge clothesline turns Io Shirai inside out.
I was sure she had her but Shirai survives.
>> Toni Storm became a fan at the age of ten.
She started training in July of 2009,
made her debut later that year at the age of 13.
And now she's rolled up by Shirai for a two count.
But Storm has been competing for
almost half her life as she ate that kick from Shirai.
>> Storm an international sensation.
Her time in Japan paid off for her.
>> Tiger fake kick blocked by Storm.
And let's not forget Shirai started competing in high school and
she gets dropped kicked out of the ring by Storm.
>> There's an example of their experience together.
Storm having the tiger fight kick scouted well in advance.
>> And now Toni Storm looking to take it to the sky.
>> Come on!
>> Bianca Belair, the number one contender, just attacked Toni Storm.
>> She just speared Toni Storm out of her boots!
>> [APPLAUSE] >> Bianca Belair going after Io Shirai.
Who she eliminated in the Women's Battle Royal to become the number one contender.
>> Bianca Belair making it quite clear, Nigel,
she doesn't want Toni Storm to be the one to dethrone Rhea Ripley.
Belair would love to be the one, two weeks from Sunday at TakeOver Portland.
>> She's backing up that sentiment right here.
>> [SOUND] >> Uh-oh.
>> [NOISE] >> The look on Bianca's face sure changed.
>> The NXT Champion Rhea Ripley making her presence known at the NXT arena.
With both of her upcoming rivals in the ring.
>> [NOISE] >> Ripley dethroned
Shayna Baszler last month to become the champion.
>> [NOISE] >> Belair is ready for a fight.
The earrings came off.
>> She is ready to do it right now.
Why wait?
>> Well, Belair the city girl who said if you act up, you're gonna get smashed up
and she is looking like to smash Ripley, but Ripley turning the tables.
And these two are going at it here on the NXT Arena, but
there's the springboard drop kick by Shirai.
And let's not forget about Shirai's designs on one day becoming NXT Champion.
>> Hold on.
>> Wow.
>> [NOISE] >> Genius of the Sky with
an Asai Moonsault.
Tope from Storm.
>> [NOISE] >> Things have never been
more chaotic when it comes to the women of NXT and
it's all about that championship.
>> [NOISE]
>> Storm won the Mae Young Classic,
won the NXT UK Championship and now would love to have her hand
raised Saturday at Worlds Collide when she challenges Rhea Ripley for
the title at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas,
7 Eastern, 4 Pacific, streaming live on WWE Network.