Matt Sydal Released From Japanese Jail
Former WWE star expected back in the U.S. soon.
According to Japanese wrestling journalist Fumi Saito, the jail time of Matt Sydal (formerly Evan Bourne in WWE) has come to an end. The star has been released and is expected to return to the United States shortly.
Sydal was arrested at Kansai Airport on September 23 after trying to enter Japan with 2.12 grams of liquid cannabis in his possession. Though details were slow to emerge regarding his situation, Sydal missed New Japan's Destruction in Kobe show and he, Ricochet, and Satoshi Kojima were subsequently stripped of the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Titles. Sydal soon tweeted that he had been stuck in Hawaii, but it is believed that he never actually left Japan.
According to Saito, Sydal's court date was finally set for this past week, allowing him to plead guilty. Faced with a choice of eighteen months in jail or three years' probation, Sydal will take the probation, then be sent back to the U.S. next week. While his legal troubles will then be over, Sydal (who has been fired from New Japan) is expected to be barred from entering Japan for several years.
Also of note was that Saito mentioned that an unknown source tipped off customs officials that Sydal was bringing a banned substance into the country.