Report: NJPW star rumored to be ‘looking for options’ outside company
According to a new report, a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion may be considering options outside of New Japan Pro Wrestling.
On Sunday, Fightful Select reported that EVIL is believed to be exploring potential options in the near future. The report noted that AEW is not expected to be among those options, as Tony Khan is said to not be a fan of EVIL’s work.
The House of Torture leader lost the NEVER Openweight Championship at the Tokyo Dome during Wrestle Kingdom 20 on Sunday. EVIL was defeated by Olympic gold medalist judoka Aaron Wolf, who was making his in-ring debut.
The 38-year-old entered the NJPW Dojo system in 2011 and later went on excursion to Ring of Honor in 2014 and 2015 before returning under the EVIL persona in October 2015. He is a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Intercontinental Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion with SANADA, and four-time NEVER Openweight Champion.
Ian Carey is a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada, whose work has appeared in award-winning publications such as NOW Magazine and The Huffington Post. He joined the F4WOnline team in 2019 and was named managing editor in the summer of 2026. Born in Calgary, Alberta, Ian has covered professional wrestling for more than 15 years.