Another NJPW Star Expected to Sign With WWE After EVIL’s NXT Debut

WWE’s name switch for the former EVIL might not have been the end of “Nox Raijin” — it could just be getting reassigned to former NJPW star Hiromu Takahashi, who’s expected to sign with WWE.

After weeks of speculation surrounding EVIL’s WWE identity, the company officially revealed his new name as “Naraku” during the May 5 edition of WWE NXT. That reveal came after reports that WWE had originally planned to use the trademarked name “Nox Raijin” before pivoting at the last minute.

Now there’s another twist to the story. According to BodySlam.net, Hiromu Takahashi’s name has started circulating around the WWE Performance Center, with word going around internally that the longtime NJPW star is expected by some to eventually end up in WWE as well.

A separate source indicated that some people within WWE believe Takahashi could potentially end up using the “Nox Raijin” name — the exact name originally trademarked and internally attached to Naraku before WWE changed directions shortly before his official NXT reveal.

That detail suddenly gives WWE’s last-minute switch from Nox Raijin to Naraku more context, especially since the company had already filed a trademark for Nox Raijin on April 28 and continued using it internally until just days before Tuesday’s NXT episode.

Instead, WWE pivoted and officially introduced the former EVIL as Naraku — a Japanese term associated with “hell” and underground theatrical staging — while potentially leaving Nox Raijin available for someone else entirely.

And if Takahashi does eventually arrive in WWE, the connection already exists. Takahashi and Naraku, formerly EVIL, were both longtime members of Los Ingobernables de Japon in New Japan Pro-Wrestling before EVIL famously betrayed the faction in 2020 and aligned himself with Bullet Club.

So, WWE’s late switch from Nox Raijin to Naraku may not have been random after all. With Hiromu Takahashi now being discussed internally and some believing he could inherit the unused name, the company may already be thinking beyond Naraku’s debut and toward bringing another major NJPW name into the mix.

Do you think Hiromu Takahashi would thrive in WWE, and should the company pair him back up with Naraku after their history in Los Ingobernables de Japon? Let us know your thoughts.