Overview
- Reports published Friday say the former IWGP heavyweight champion signed with WWE, citing PWInsider and sources in Japan.
- The same reporting says he is not expected to keep the EVIL ring name once he debuts.
- WWE has not announced the signing, a debut date, or a brand assignment.
- A recent NXT segment showed a box with Japanese writing, prompting speculation about an NXT debut that remains unconfirmed.
- Watanabe left New Japan in January after more than a decade, and sources told Fightful he plans to relocate to the United States rather than join AEW.