A week after his NXT debut, the ring name former NJPW star EVIL will use in WWE has been revealed. According to Fightful Select, he is expected to move to NXT under the name Nox Raijin. WWE filed a trademark for the name on April 28, the same day he debuted on the brand.
The “Raijin” part of the name holds a specific meaning, referring to the Japanese god of thunder and lightning. It appears that WWE is creating a character based on both his Japanese origins and the heel persona he developed during his NJPW run. EVIL is currently listed internally under his real name, Takaaki Watanabe, while branding is finalized.
His debut on the April 28 episode of NXT saw him take on NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo in a no-name match. Commentator Vic Joseph identified him as the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion and deliberately used the phrase “pure evil” during the segment.
The beginning followed weeks of production in which D’Angelo received a mysterious gift containing the Japanese symbol for war, a piece of foreshadowing that directly pointed to the arrival of EVIL.
EVIL left NJPW in January after more than a decade with the promotion, during which he served as the leader of House of Torture and was previously a member of Los Ingobernables de Japon. His signing was confirmed by PWInsider in late April.
Fightful Select also reports that another former LIJ member, Hiromu Takahashi, who finished with NJPW in February, remains a name to watch in terms of potential WWE signings.
#EVILs #WWE #NXT #ring #revealed #Heres #means
