WWE has signed with former IWGP Heavyweight Champion EVIL, PWInsider.com has confirmed with multiple sources in Japan. While rumors regarding his destination have been circulating for months, the signing has now been confirmed. According to the same sources, the expectation in Japan is that he will not wear the EVIL ring name upon his WWE debut.
EVIL, whose real name is Takaaki Watanabe, made a name for himself in New Japan Pro Wrestling in 2020 after one of the most talked-about heel turns of that era. Originally a member of the Los Ingobernables de Japon faction, he shocked fans by betraying the group and allying himself with Bullet Club, adopting a darker, intervention-heavy character in the process.
The result was soon rewarded. He defeated Tetsuya Naito to become a double champion, as well as hold the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships, a moment that marked a significant shift in NJPW’s storytelling during that period.
The 39-year-old made his professional wrestling debut in 2011 and built his reputation primarily in Japan, although he also had a long stint in the United States for Ring of Honor. He left NJPW in January, at which time speculation began regarding his next destination.
On this week’s edition of NXT, during a segment with current NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo and Keanu Culver, D’Angelo was given a mystery box. Something written in Japanese language was also visible on the white box. The news of EVIL’s signing will definitely make many people think that Box is connected to him, and that he is headed to the black and gold brand.
His relationship with WWE extends beyond contracts. EVIL is the partner of current WWE star and former Women’s Championship holder IYO SKY, giving them an established connection to the company’s roster. Under what name he will work and when he is expected to debut has not been publicly confirmed yet.
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