Former IWGP champion reportedly gives notice to NJPW, expected to head to WWE
Former IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Intercontinental Champion and Tag Team Champion EVIL has reportedly given his notice to NJPW and appears to be WWE bound.
Seen below, Bryan Alvarez mentioned the news during Wednesday’s Wrestling Observer Live with the Super J-Cast reporting Wednesday that he has indeed given notice, also noting his expected destination.
The 38-year-old fell in defeat to Aaron Wolf at this month’s Wrestle Kingdom 20, losing the NEVER Openweight title in the process. He’s held the IWGP Heavyweight title, the Intercontinental title, the Tag Team titles twice (both with Sanada), the Openweight title four times, the NEVER Openweight Six-Man titles six times, and won the 2020 New Japan Cup in addition to the 2017 and 2018 World Tag League, also with Sanada.
On the Voices of Wrestling Flagship Plus show, it was said that Hiromu Takahashi also may be on his way out of NJPW, creating a potential exodus that has already included Sanada and could also include Gabe Kidd and David Finlay, both of whom are drawing interest from WWE.
Since 2011, Josh has been a contributing editor to Wrestling Observer/F4WOnline.com and also hosts the Punch-Out podcast. He has also written for Fight Magazine, Bloody Elbow, Bleacher Report, and other websites. He's a 2000 graduate of the University of Maine, worked in pro sports, and once was an indie ring announcer.