EVIL Expected to Sign with WWE After NJPW Exit

EVIL isn’t done with NJPW just yet—but he will be in a matter of days, and all signs point to WWE as his next move.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling confirmed that EVIL’s contract expires at the end of January 2026. He’s not renewing. That means the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion is wrapping up his time in Japan—and WWE is widely expected to be his landing spot.

Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez broke it down on Wrestling Observer Radio, with Meltzer making it clear WWE might be the destination—but not necessarily a major upgrade.

“EVIL’s a good wrestler, but he’s not a great wrestler. It’s not like his ability is so far above others that he's going to make a huge difference. I don’t see him being another Penta or anything like that—you know, not that type of charisma.”

Meltzer compared EVIL’s ceiling to that of Rusev—someone who was brought into WWE with hype but fizzled out fast.

“They brought him in to be a monster. He didn’t get over. They had big plans—King of the Ring final, title match with Jey Uso—and none of it happened.”

With House of Torture being one of NJPW’s most divisive factions, you’d think EVIL was the mastermind behind all the interference and chaos. Not according to Meltzer.

“It’s not like he’s this expert on interference. Dick Togo and SHO were the ones doing that. EVIL was usually the guy in the ring not doing the interference.”

And then there’s the personal reason why a move to the U.S. makes even more sense. Meltzer pointed to EVIL’s relationship with WWE star IYO SKY.

“I’m under the impression that he and IYO SKY are together. I know they were engaged at one point. She’s living in the U.S., he’s in Japan. That has to be tough. At some point, especially at this stage in their lives, you want to be together.”

EVIL’s NJPW clock is ticking, the WWE door appears wide open, and even the people closest to the situation are split on how far he’ll actually go if he makes the jump. The move feels real, the timing lines up, and the speculation isn’t slowing down—but until that first WWE appearance happens, everything sits in that dangerous space between likely and unproven.

Do you think EVIL will make a real impact in WWE, or is this another midcard name that’ll quietly fade away? Drop your thoughts in the comments—who should he feud with first if he shows up?n. EVIL’s time in Japan is ending—and the road ahead leads straight to WWE.

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