NOAH wrestler confirms WWE NXT excursion
Pro Wrestling NOAH star Ulka Sasaki has arrived in the United States to begin his WWE NXT excursion.
At the start of 2026, Sasaki revealed that he would soon be heading to the United States. His excursion destination was not revealed at the time, but Sasaki has now posted a YouTube vlog confirming that he is in Florida for WWE. He will begin training at the Performance Center once he completes the medical process.
The 36-year-old Sasaki is a former UFC fighter and also has MMA experience in Rizin and Shooto. He began his wrestling career for NOAH just over two years ago. In that time, Sasaki has held the GHC National Championship and GHC Tag Team titles. His final match before excursion was against KENTA on January 11.
Sasaki noted in his vlog that WWE star Shinsuke Nakamura, who he once faced for NOAH in January 2025, made sure to come see him after his arrival and give him advice on adjusting to the United States.
The WWE-NOAH partnership has included talent exchanges between the two promotions. Yoshiki Inamura crossed over to NXT for an extended stay before returning to NOAH, while Omos, Hank Walker, Tank Ledger, Charlie Dempsey, Harlem Lewis, Tavion Heights, and Josh Briggs are among the WWE wrestlers who have gotten to compete in Japan.
Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade.
In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.