After NXT Takeover: Vengeance Day

Capital Wrestling Center - February 24, 2021

The NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai stands tall in the middle of the ring after her surprisingly hard fought victory over the newcomer Zoey Starks. Io puts her championship belt over her shoulder as Zoey stumbles to her feet. Both women realize how close that match truly was, and Io shows a sign of respect by sticking her hand out. Zoey is quick to shake Io’s hand, then the two come together to embrace in a hug.

But just when they break apart, “Lightning Thunder” starts playing in the Capital Wrestling Center signaling the arrival of none other than Toni Storm! Toni attacked Io Shirai last week during the middle of her promotional photoshoot, which was to celebrate her win at Takeover: Vengeance Day over Mercedes Martinez and Toni Storm just days before. The fans boo when Toni makes her way to the stage dressed in all black with her shirt, glove, backwards hat, and jean shorts that show off her tanned thighs.

“Oh Io… Io… Io,” begins Toni, “Look at you, willing to fight literally anyone in this division besides me.” Toni chuckles to herself as she pauses. “But I’m no Zoey Stark or whatever, no, I’m Toni Storm and last week I kicked your head off and you didn’t do a damn thing about it!”

Zoey looks offended in the ring while Io stays calm, cool, and collected while listening to her rival.

Toni continues, “You know, there’s a reason why you pinned Mercedes at Takeover and not me, and it’s because you can’t beat me.” Toni laughs at herself again, feeling that she believes what she is saying 100%.

Io is handed a microphone by Alicia Taylor, NXT’s ring announcer, and lifts it up. “I will fight you anytime, anyplace, anywhere!”

“Will you though? Will you?” Toni says while looking confused. “Because if you thought you could beat me one-on-one surely by now you would have gone to Mr. Regal and you would have asked for a match, but you haven’t done that, no, cause you’re scared. You know it, I know it. But please, Io, please prove me wrong… prove me wrong. Go find Regal, make the match happen.”

“I will make the match, but…” Io walks over to the ropes closest to the ramp and raises her championship in the air as she stares down Toni, “You get this if you can strip me!”

Toni chuckles at first but then smiles, “Hold on… you are seriously asking for a… Bra and Panties match?! Is that like your speciality match now or something? Io, you can ask for it to be whatever type of match you want it to be. It can be a Bra and Panties match, a Street Fight, a Title on a Pole match, a Ladder match, I don’t care. The fact is every time we have faced I’ve beat you inside a WWE ring. Whether it is pinning you, making you tap out, or ripping your clothes off I don’t care. If you want me to not only beat you but embarrass you too, so be it. I’m gonna take your clothes and then pin you in that ring for a three count just to show that I will always be better than you. Next time you and I are in that ring: it’s Toni Time.”

Io climbs onto the ropes and begins shouting “You’re on! You’re on!” as her own entrance music begins to play. Toni smiles at Io, pointing at the champion while making a motion of her ripping off Io’s top. The scene quickly fades out to The Way’s Austin Theory, Indi Hartwell, Candice LeRae, and North American Champion Johnny Gargano being chased backstage by McKenzie Mitchell.

...

Later on in the night, we see Io Shirai talking to William Regal in the parking lot. Mr. Regal has been in and out of the building all night waiting for the arrival of Legado del Fantasma, and seems to be looking off in the distance as Io speaks. He clearly has a lot going on his mind with the Escobar and Kross No Disqualification match later tonight, the Undisputed Era situation, Xia Li injuring Kacy Catanzaro earlier... along with much more so needless to say Regal is a busy man in the middle of chaos on his brand. She has a clipboard in her hand, which he is quick to take and sign his name on without really looking at it. The champion and General Manager shakes hands before Io enters the building again. Later on in the night, we get the official graphic and announcement that Io Shirai will defend her NXT Women’s Championship against Toni Storm in two weeks in a Bra and Panties match on March 10th, 2021! Mr. Regal must have been too busy focusing on Legado del Fantasma at the moment that he might not have realized what Io was asking him to sign!