10 Wrestlers Who Should Never Have Signed With WWE
5. KENTA
By 2013, KENTA was a top name in Pro Wrestling Noah, a decorated multi-time champion in singles and tag competition. In 2014 he signed with WWE. In 2019 he was telling Japan’s Weekly Pro Wrestling Magazine that, “no good memories come to mind,” of his time in 205 Live. Things had taken a turn...
Like Jon Moxley, KENTA has been shooting on WWE since being granted his release earlier this year. Like Moxley, KENTA has entered this year’s New Japan Pro Wrestling G1 Climax.
It is there that their stories diverge. Unlike Moxley, the erstwhile Hideo Itami was already big in Japan before joining WWE. Unlike Moxley, he had an inspiring NXT run dogged by injuries before being squirrelled away on 205 Live. Unlike Moxley his reputation was diminished rather than enhanced by his time in McMahon’s company.
There’s a photo of KENTA that you’ve probably already seen. He’s stood next to fellow NXT signee Finn Bálor in full Demon paint. He looks a little bewildered, maybe slightly overwhelmed. It’s not a photo befitting of an illustrious former GHC heavyweight champion and star of Pro Wrestling Noah. It does, however unfairly, seem to neatly summarise his time spent in WWE.