The landscape of NJPW is facing a potential seismic shift as reports indicate that former IWGP Heavyweight Champion EVIL has given his notice to the promotion and is expected to join WWE.
Following the historic Wrestle Kingdom 20 event, where EVIL lost the NEVER Openweight Championship to Olympic gold medalist Aaron Wolf, speculation has intensified regarding the “King of Darkness” and his future outside of Japan.
The transition appears to be more than just rumor, as Wrestling Observer Live’s Bryan Alvarez recently stated: “By the way, EVIL might be on his way out of New Japan, and it is strongly rumored that he is on his way to WWE.”
While EVIL’s signature House of Torture interference and “shenanigans” have often drawn backlash from traditionalist audiences, his resume as a former triple-crown champion in NJPW makes him a significant acquisition for WWE’s global expansion efforts.
Interestingly, AEW was reportedly not a major factor in the running. AEW President Tony Khan is said to be unimpressed with EVIL’s specific brand of high-interference wrestling.
EVIL is likely not the only NJPW star heading toward a WWE debut. Internal interest has reportedly spiked for several members of the Bullet Club War Dogs (now transitioning into the Unbound Company faction), David Finlay, the current IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion, has been a frequent topic of conversation within WWE—particularly for the NXT brand—as his contract nears its end and he looks to spend more time in the United States in 2026.
Similarly, Gabe Kidd is drawing “massive interest” from both WWE and AEW as his NJPW deal is expected to expire at the end of January. While AEW has already utilized Kidd as an associate of Jon Moxley’s Death Riders, WWE’s pursuit of the “War Dogs” leader, alongside teammates like Drilla Moloney, signals a potential raid on NJPW’s top gaijin talent to kick off the new year.
