Due to a neck injury he suffered at an NXT live event earlier this month, Hideo Itami is officially out of the 2016 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
Itami announced the news in a video on Thursday afternoon. He was scheduled to team with Kota Ibushi in the tournament before being forced out of action. No indication was given as to whether Ibushi would be given a replacement partner for the tournament.
NXT is scheduled to tape more episodes of television tonight featuring Dusty Classic tournament matches.
Dave Meltzer reported on Wednesday night that Itami was almost surely out of the Dusty Classic after suffering a serious neck injury when teaming with Shinsuke Nakamura against Tino Sabbatelli and Riddick Moss on October 1st. Itami got spiked on a powerslam by Moss, but made the tag to Nakamura to finish the match.
Itami noted in the video announcement that he wasn’t sure if he would be able to return in time for NXT TakeOver: Toronto next month, but vowed to be back in time for NXT’s first show in his home country of Japan in December.
This is the second time that Itami has been forced out of the ring due to injury since joining WWE. He returned in June after being out for over a year after undergoing shoulder surgery.