Exclusive: Hideo Itami Asks For WWE Release

The hits keep on coming for WWE. Hideo Itami has asked for his WWE release.

In weeks following Mike and Maria Kanellis, The Revival, and Dean Ambrose all informing WWE of their desires to leave the company, FightfulWrestling.com has learned that Hideo Itami asked for his WWE release this past week. He finished up on Tuesday night’s episode of 205 Live in a losing effort to Akira Tozawa. The talk backstage was that Itami will actually be granted his release, pending a 90-day no compete clause. 

Fightful was told that Itami, much like the other wrestlers who had asked for a release was unsatisfied creatively.

Itami changed his twitter handle back to KENTA in recent days and sent out the following tweet late Tuesday night:

THANK YOU.

— KENTA (@HideoItami) January 30, 2019

Itami made his NXT debut on September 11, 2014 at NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way when he was introduced to the crowd by NXT General Manager William Regal. He would go on to team with Finn Balor in a feud with The Ascension before feuding with Tyler Breeze throughout early 2015. 

Itami was entered into the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal at WrestleMania 31 after defeating Neville and Balor in a NXT tournament at WrestleMania Axxess. 

His NXT career was derailed in May 2015 when he suffered a shoulder injury that kept him out of action until June 2016. Four months after his return, he suffered a neck injury that kept him out of action until April 2017. 

Upon returning to the brand, Itami feuded with Bobby Roode over the NXT World Title. Itami would go on to feud with Kassius Ohno and Aleister Black before getting lost in the shuffle at the end of 2017. On November 21, 2017, it was announced that he would be part of the 205 Live brand. Itami made his main roster debut on the December 18, 2017 episode of Raw, helping Balor against Bo Dallas and Curtis Axel. 

Itami entered the 2017 Cruiserweight Championship tournament but was defeated by Roderick Strong in the first round. He had been a mainstay on 205 Live but never gained traction on the brand. He would wrap up his WWE career by eating the pinfall in Sunday’s 4-way Royal Rumble Cruiserweight Title match to Buddy Murphy, and losing to Tozawa on Tuesday night.