EVIL has made his WWE debut, and he wasted no time making his intentions known.
The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion appeared on Tuesday’s episode of NXT from the WWE Performance Center, interrupting NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo and handing him another Japanese symbol of war, one week after D’Angelo had received a mysterious package containing the same symbol. EVIL left without incident, having made his pursuit of the NXT Championship clear.
His debut comes at an interesting moment in the NXT title picture, as D’Angelo was also attacked by the returning Tavion Heights and the debuting Will Kroos in the same segment, creating multiple challengers for the champion simultaneously.
The decision to place EVIL in NXT rather than on the main roster raised immediate questions, given that he is 39 years old. However, according to Cory Hays of Bodyslam, the placement was not a WWE decision at all. EVIL requested to begin his WWE stint in NXT himself.
His WWE name has not yet been formally revealed. On the broadcast, he is described as a very evil wrestler. PWInsider had confirmed on April 24 that EVIL had signed with the company after months of rumors following his NJPW departure.
EVIL spent his entire professional wrestling career in NJPW from 2011 until his contract expired at the end of January 2026, where he rose to being a top performer as the leader of House of Torture after earlier runs with Los Ingobernables de Japon and Bullet Club. In addition to his IWGP Heavyweight Championship reign, he is a former IWGP Intercontinental Champion, four-time NEVER Openweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion alongside SANADA, and six-time NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champion. He is also the partner of WWE’s IYO SKY.
