At Summerslam 2022, Io Shirai received her call-up to WWE’s main roster, appearing alongside Bayley and Dakota Kai.
Upon her call-up, Shirai was given the name IYO SKY, and has picked up tag-team victories so far on Monday Night Raw.
The Name Change
When WWE changed Io Shirai to IYO SKY, some fans were confused as to why the change took place.
Given that the Raw Superstar’s real name is Masami Odate, it is certain that the change wasn’t due to WWE’s policy of banning real names, which has led to Gunther, Butch and others having their names altered.
Speaking to Tokyo Sports, SKY explained why the change made perfect sense to her (via Cageside Seats and Google Translate.)
“I think that the image of the former ‘Shirai’ is conveyed in kanji to Japanese people, but that’s not the case in the United States. I think it’s a good name because the image is conveyed by adding ‘Sky’ there.”
SKY added that changing Io to IYO also makes things easier for those reading her name.
“Some people misread it because it looked like a lowercase letter L and O (lo), or it looked like a number. I think it became easier to understand with ‘IYO’ in all capital letters.”
What’s next for IYO SKY?
Earlier this year, it was reported that SKY (then Shirai) was expected to leave the company when her contract was set to expire.
Now, not only is that not the case, but she and Dakota Kai will face Aliyah and Raquel Rodriguez on next week’s Raw to crown the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.
Bayley, SKY, and Kai will face Alexa Bliss, Asuka, and Raw Women’s Championship Bianca Belair at WWE Clash at the Castle next week.