標籤: Evil

Hiromu Takahashi’s name has begun to circulate in WWE circles following the NXT debut of his former Los Ingobernables de Japan partner EVIL, who is now performing under the name Naraku.

According to BodySlam, news has been circulating around the WWE Performance Center that Takahashi is expected to end up in WWE, with a separate source saying that some within the company believe he could use the name Knox Raijin – the trademark that originally stood for EVIL before a last-minute name change.

Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp previously reported that EVIL is still listed as Nox Raijin in WWE’s internal materials, as recently as Sunday, confirming that the switch to Naraku was a late decision ahead of the NXT name reveal on Tuesday night.

WWE filed a trademark for the name Nox Ryjin with the USPTO on April 28 – the same day as EVIL’s NXT debut – which now raises the possibility that the name was always meant for a different artist entirely rather than EVIL.

Takahashi spent 16 years with NJPW after debuting in August 2010, becoming one of the promotion’s best performers during that time. He is a five-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and a record four-time Best of the Super Juniors tournament winner, having won it in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022. During the CMLL tour, he competed under the name Kamaitachi and won the CMLL World Lightweight Championship. He also worked in ROH, AEW, and Pro Wrestling NOAH during his career before leaving NJPW earlier this year.

Both Takahashi and Naraku were longtime members of Los Ingobernables de Japon in New Japan before EVIL’s betrayal of the faction to join up with Bullet Club in 2020. A potential WWE reunion of the two former LIJ teammates on NXT would add a layer to Naraku’s ongoing program with NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo.

Whether Takahashi comes under the Knox Raijin name or another identity entirely, his expected arrival gives NXT another important NJPW-affiliated signing to build on.

While WWE has signed former IWGP Heavyweight Champion EVIL, the company has yet to determine where he fits into its programming. According to PWInsider, EVIL is currently listed internally on the company’s diverse roster rather than being associated with Raw, SmackDown or NXT, placing him in the same internal category as veterans and injured talent while WWE figures out its plans for him.

PWInsider reported: “Former IWGP Champion EVIL is not officially assigned to any WWE brand and is listed internally on the company’s ‘Miscellaneous’ roster, where legends and injured talent reside internally.

The Miscellaneous listing reveals that, despite the signing being confirmed, creative plans to introduce EVIL to WWE audiences have not yet been finalized. Adding to the uncertainty, WWE has not publicly acknowledged the signing at all, keeping his arrival a secret, while reports from sources in Japan have confirmed that the deal has been completed.

The signing was first confirmed after months of speculation following EVIL’s departure from NJPW in January. PWInsider confirmed at the time: “World Wrestling Entertainment has signed former IWGP Heavyweight Champion EVIL, PWInsider.com has confirmed with multiple sources in Japan. While rumors have been circulating about his appointment for months, PWInsider.com can confirm that he has signed and sealed a contract with WWE.”

The mystery surrounding his debut is further heightened as the expectation in Japan is that he will not use the EVIL ring name once he appears on WWE programming. A name change of that nature usually signals a character repackage, which may be part of why WWE is taking its time before assigning him to a specific show. Whether that debut comes as a way to relaunch his character in NXT, or directly under a new identity on Raw or SmackDown, remains to be seen.

EVIL, whose real name is Takaaki Watanabe, became a top star in NJPW in 2020 when he betrayed Los Ingobernables de Japon to team up with Bullet Club and defeated Tetsuya Naito to simultaneously hold both the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships. He is the partner of WWE’s IYO SKY.