Report: EVIL’s new WWE NXT name revealed
One week after his debut, EVIL’s WWE NXT name looks to have been revealed.
Fightful Select reports that, while EVIL is listed internally under his real name Takaaki Watanabe, the expectation is that he will be going by the name “Nox Raijin” in NXT. WWE filed a trademark for that name on April 28 with the intention of using it for EVIL. The “Raijin” part of the name refers to a Japanese god of thunder and lightning.
April 28 is the same day that EVIL debuted on NXT by confronting NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo. He was not referred to by name, but commentator Vic Joseph called the debuting star a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion and made sure to use the term “pure evil.”
To build up EVIL’s debut, NXT ran an angle where D’Angelo received a mysterious gift with the Japanese symbol of war on it. EVIL then officially arrived the following week.
EVIL departed NJPW this January after having been a mainstay of the company for more than a decade. He was the leader of House of Torture in NJPW and was once a member of Los Ingobernables de Japon.
It remains to be seen whether Hiromu Takahashi, also a former LIJ member, will follow EVIL into WWE/NXT. Takahashi finished up with NJPW back in February.
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.