Report: NJPW veteran EVIL wants to start WWE run in NXT
EVIL (real name Takaaki Watanabe) could be headed to WWE soon and reportedly would like to start in NXT.
While there is no official confirmation on EVIL’s WWE signing, Voices of Wrestling reports discussions between the two sides are ongoing. The New Japan Pro-Wrestling veteran is said to have expressed interest in potentially beginning his WWE run in NXT rather than moving to the main roster directly, feeling it would help him adapt to the WWE style.
The report also notes he would prefer to maintain his already established EVIL persona in WWE.
Watanabe made his wrestling debut in 2011 in NJPW as a young lion. Following an excursion to ROH in 2014 for a year, he returned to the promotion as EVIL.
After wrestling as a member of Los Ingobernables de Japon, Watanabe joined Bullet Club in July 2020. He defeated Tetsuya Naito at Dominion on July 12, 2020 in Osaka-jo Hall to win both the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships.
Rosanne Raphael is a wrestling writer with over three and a half years of experience covering all things related to the industry. From a kindergarten teacher to PR Associate to turning her lifelong passion for the industry into a career, Rosanne is currently writing for F4W Online where she focuses on wrestling news, analysis, and storytelling.
Rosanne previously contributed to Sportskeeda as an Assistant Content Manager.
When not consumed by wrestling, Rosanne is a musician and an aspiring artist.