Another former NJPW star could reportedly be heading to WWE following Naraku’s (formerly known as Evil in NJPW) recent NXT debut.
According to Bodyslam+, Hiromu Takahashi’s name has recently been discussed within WWE circles, with word reportedly spreading around the WWE Performance Center that Takahashi is expected to eventually join the company.
The report also noted that some within WWE believe Takahashi could potentially use the ring name Nox Raijin, a trademark WWE filed on April 28. The name was originally believed to be intended for Naraku before WWE reportedly made a late decision to change Evil’s NXT identity shortly before Tuesday’s reveal.
Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp previously reported that WWE internal documents still listed Naraku under the Nox Raijin name as recently as May 3, suggesting the switch happened very late in the process.
When Did Hiromu Takahashi Leave NJPW?
Hiromu Takahashi recently departed NJPW on February 11 after a 16-year run with the promotion. During his career, he became a five-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and won the Best of the Super Juniors tournament a record four times between 2018 and 2022.
Outside NJPW, Takahashi also wrestled in Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre under the name Kamaitachi, winning the CMLL World Lightweight Championship. He additionally made appearances for Ring of Honor, AEW and Pro Wrestling Noah.
Takahashi and Naraku were longtime stablemates in Los Ingobernables de Japon before Evil turned on the faction in 2020 to join Bullet Club. A reunion between the two in NXT would add another layer to Naraku’s developing storyline involving Tony D’Angelo.
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