IYO SKY Bio
Masami Odate, better known by her WWE ring name IYO SKY, is a Japanese professional wrestler born on May 8, 1990, in Kamakura, Kanagawa, Japan. She is signed to WWE, where she performs on the Raw brand, and is widely regarded as one of the best women’s wrestlers in the world. Over a career that began in 2007, she has captured top titles in Japan and the United States, building a reputation for high-flying offense and fierce in-ring intensity.
Before adopting the IYO SKY name in 2022, she competed for years as Io Shirai in WWE’s NXT brand and in World Wonder Ring Stardom, where she earned the reputation as the promotion’s top star, or “ace.” She has held the WWE Women’s Championship, the Women’s World Championship, the NXT Women’s Championship, and multiple tag team titles, while also making history as a Grand Slam Champion in both Japan and the United States.
Early Life and Background
Masami Odate was raised in Kamakura, a coastal city in Kanagawa Prefecture known for its historic temples and beaches. She grew up alongside her older sister, Mio, who would later also pursue a career in professional wrestling. The two sisters kept much of their private lives, including their real names, out of the public eye for many years.
Her real identity was eventually revealed in May 2012 following an incident at Narita International Airport, when Japanese authorities publicly identified her in connection with a legal matter. Despite that early public attention, she has remained a private person away from the ring, with limited verified information available about her formal education or pre-wrestling training.
From a young age, Odate was drawn to athletic competition, and that interest eventually led her into the world of professional wrestling. Her early interest in the industry laid the foundation for what would become one of the most decorated careers in modern women’s wrestling.
Path to Professional Wrestling
Masami Odate made her professional wrestling debut on March 4, 2007, when she was just 16 years old, teaming with her older sister Mio. Adopting the ring names Io and Mio Shirai, the sisters began working as a tag team while Odate was still in high school, performing part-time before transitioning to full-time work after graduation. Their first year saw them represent Team Makehen, a stable of wrestlers trained by Tomohiko Hashimoto, across several Japanese independent promotions.
In June 2010, the Shirai sisters joined forces with fellow freelancer Kana to form the Triple Tails stable, a group that competed across multiple promotions. The trio wrestled together for about 15 months, but in 2011, Io announced she was leaving the group to pursue a singles career. That decision marked the beginning of her transformation into one of Japan’s top individual stars.
By 2011, Odate had aligned herself with World Wonder Ring Stardom, the promotion that would define her early career. She quickly became the company’s centerpiece, capturing the World of Stardom Championship in April 2013 and going on to hold the title twice, with each reign lasting over a year. Her performances in Stardom cemented her status as a major international talent.
IYO SKY Career
Early Career (2007–2010)
Io Shirai and her sister Mio began their careers representing Team Makehen in promotions including Ibuki, Pro Wrestling Wave, JWP Joshi Puroresu, and Sendai Girls’ Pro Wrestling. On April 29, 2009, the Shirai sisters won their first championship, the TLW World Young Women’s Tag Team Championship, defeating Moeka Haruhi and Tomoka Nakagawa in a tournament final held by Pro Wrestling Wave. That same year, the sisters also made appearances for larger Japanese promotions such as All Japan Pro Wrestling and Pro Wrestling Zero1.
In 2010, the Shirai sisters made their first trips to Mexico, working for International Wrestling Revolution Group and AAA under masked personas. Io wrestled under the name Oyuki during this period, teaming with her sister and other international wrestlers across multiple events. These international experiences helped broaden her in-ring style and prepared her for the global stage she would later command.
Stardom Breakthrough (2011–2018)
After leaving Triple Tails, Io Shirai made World Wonder Ring Stardom her home promotion, debuting in August 2011. She quickly rose through the ranks, winning the World of Stardom Championship in April 2013 and holding the title for over a year. During her time in Stardom, she also became a two-time Wonder of Stardom Champion, a six-time Artist of Stardom Champion, the inaugural SWA World Champion, a one-time Goddesses of Stardom Champion, and a one-time High Speed Champion, making her the company’s first Grand Slam Champion.
Shirai led her own stable, Queen’s Quest, which became one of the most prominent factions in Stardom. She was named the promotion’s “ace” and received the Tokyo Sports Joshi Puroresu Grand Prize in 2015, 2016, and 2017, an award recognizing the best female wrestler in Japan. Her dominance in Stardom established her as one of the most respected wrestlers in the world before she departed for WWE in 2018.
WWE Era (2017–Present)
Shirai signed with WWE and made her in-ring debut in August 2018 at the Mae Young Classic tournament, where she reached the finals before losing to Toni Storm. Assigned to NXT, she turned heel in 2019 and won the NXT Women’s Championship in June 2020 at TakeOver: In Your House, holding the title for 304 days. She also won the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship with Zoey Stark, making her a dual champion in the brand.
In July 2022, she debuted on the main roster at SummerSlam under the new ring name IYO SKY, joining Bayley and Dakota Kai to form the faction Damage CTRL. Sky and Kai became two-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, and Sky went on to win the Money in the Bank contract in 2023. She cashed in the briefcase to win the WWE Women’s Championship at SummerSlam in August 2023, holding the title for 246 days before losing it to Bayley at WrestleMania XL in April 2024.
In March 2025, IYO SKY defeated Rhea Ripley to win the Women’s World Championship, becoming the seventh Women’s Grand Slam Champion and tenth Triple Crown Champion in WWE history. She is also the first Japanese wrestler, male or female, to become a Grand Slam Champion in both Japan and the United States. She successfully defended the title at WrestleMania 41 in a match that received a five-star rating from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the first women’s match in WWE history to earn that honor. She later lost the title to Naomi at Evolution in July 2025.
Style and Strengths
IYO SKY is known for her high-flying, athletic style, often executing moonsaults and other aerial maneuvers from the top rope. Her in-ring versatility allows her to adapt to opponents of all sizes, and her striking ability makes her dangerous in any setting. She combines technical wrestling with strong striking and creative offense, which has earned her praise from peers and critics worldwide.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the most defining moments of her career came in March 2025, when she defeated Rhea Ripley to win the Women’s World Championship and became the first Japanese wrestler to achieve Grand Slam status in both Japan and the United States. Her WrestleMania 41 title defense in April 2025 was rated five stars by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, a historic first for a women’s match in WWE. She has also been a multi-time champion in Japan, the inaugural SWA World Champion, and a three-time Tokyo Sports Joshi Puroresu Grand Prize winner.
IYO SKY Career Wins
IYO SKY has built a championship résumé that spans two continents and multiple major wrestling promotions, establishing her as one of the most decorated women’s wrestlers of her generation. Her titles include reigns as World of Stardom Champion, NXT Women’s Champion, WWE Women’s Champion, and Women’s World Champion, along with multiple tag team championships in both Japan and the United States.
WWE Highlights
In WWE, IYO SKY is a former NXT Women’s Champion, a former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion with Zoey Stark, a two-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion with Dakota Kai, a former WWE Women’s Champion, and a former Women’s World Champion. Her 246-day reign as WWE Women’s Champion in 2023–2024 was one of the longest in recent history, and her 304-day reign as NXT Women’s Champion ranks among the most successful title runs in that brand’s history.
Other Wins & Performances
In World Wonder Ring Stardom, IYO SKY was a two-time World of Stardom Champion, a two-time Wonder of Stardom Champion, a six-time Artist of Stardom Champion, the inaugural SWA World Champion, a one-time Goddesses of Stardom Champion, and a one-time High Speed Champion, making her the company’s first Grand Slam Champion. She was also a three-time winner of the Tokyo Sports Joshi Puroresu Grand Prize, an honor recognizing the best female wrestler in Japan, in 2015, 2016, and 2017.
IYO SKY Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Masami Odate comes from a family with a strong connection to professional wrestling through her older sister, Mio Shirai, who is also a professional wrestler. The two sisters began their careers together, debuting as a tag team in March 2007, and they worked side by side across multiple Japanese and Mexican promotions. Their partnership laid the foundation for both of their careers and helped establish them as one of the most notable sibling duos in women’s wrestling history.
Personal Life
Odate is a fan of fellow professional wrestler Hiroshi Tanahashi and the Japanese idol group Momoiro Clover Z. She was previously in a relationship with fellow professional wrestler Kazushige Nosawa, and the two lived together in Koto, Tokyo. Odate has generally kept her personal life private, and limited verified information is available about her current relationship status or family beyond her sister.
2025 Season Performance
IYO SKY began 2025 on a high note, capturing the Women’s World Championship on the March 3, 2025 episode of Raw by defeating Rhea Ripley. The win made her the seventh Women’s Grand Slam Champion, the tenth Women’s Triple Crown Champion in WWE, and the first wrestler ever to achieve Grand Slam status in both Japan and the United States. She successfully defended the title against Ripley in a rematch on March 31, though the match ended in a double disqualification.
At WrestleMania 41 in April 2025, IYO SKY retained the Women’s World Championship in a triple threat match against Ripley and Belair, a performance that earned a rare five-star rating from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The match was the first women’s match in WWE history to receive such a rating, cementing her legacy as one of the all-time greats. However, her momentum was interrupted at Evolution in July, where she lost the title to Naomi after Naomi cashed in her Money in the Bank briefcase.
Following the title loss, IYO SKY failed to recapture the Women’s World Championship at SummerSlam and at Wrestlepalooza in September 2025. With Damage CTRL quietly disbanding in May 2025 after the release of Dakota Kai, she has since shifted her focus to tag team competition, teaming with Rhea Ripley to defeat The Kabuki Warriors at Crown Jewel in October 2025. Looking ahead, she remains one of the top stars on Raw and a central figure in WWE’s women’s division.
