WWE reportedly signs former IWGP Heavyweight Champion
EVIL has reportedly signed with WWE.
In late January, Dave Meltzer reported that the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion was expected to be WWE-bound. On Friday, PWInsider published a report stating that EVIL is now “signed and sealed” with the company.
It was also noted in the report that the expectation from sources in Japan is that he will not keep the EVIL name in WWE.
Meltzer addressed EVIL potentially heading to WWE in the February 2, 2026, edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, writing:
“Born Takaaki Watanabe, 39, he’s a good worker even though the overuse of his stable often made New Japan mid-cards unwatchable. I know some thinking his leaving will help, but that stable with the constant ref bumps and interference will remain, just with Ren Narita in charge. He’s a good worker, good heel, not off the charts or anything. He did a great job with Aaron Wolf but it’s not like his stuff was anything special and his title reign was terrible.”
Ian Carey is the editing manager at F4WOnline and a writer from Toronto, Ontario, Canada. His work has appeared in award-winning publications including NOW Magazine and The Huffington Post. He joined the F4WOnline team in 2019 and moved into the editing manager role in the summer of 2026. Born in Calgary, Alberta, Ian has covered professional wrestling for more than 15 years.