WWE has signed former IWGP Heavyweight Champion EVIL. PWInsider.com reported the news today.
EVIL, whose real name is Takaaki Watanabe, departed NJPW this past January after more than a decade with the promotion. While rumors about his next destination had circulated for months, PWInsider can now confirm he is signed with WWE. The expectation in Japan is that he will not keep the EVIL ring name going forward.
Watanabe first debuted in 2011 and spent the majority of his career in New Japan, where he rose to being a member of Los Ingobernables de Japón before shocking fans by betraying the faction and aligning himself with Bullet Club in 2020. The heel turn launched him to the top of the card and resulted in him defeating Tetsuya Naito to become a double champion, holding both the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships simultaneously.
His reign was notable for its dark character work and controversial, interference-heavy finishes that represented a significant shift in NJPW storytelling during that period.
Beyond his New Japan work, Watanabe had an extended run in the United States for Ring of Honor. He is the partner of WWE’s IYO SKY, who currently competes on the main roster. WWE has yet to confirm the news.
