NJPW Talent Exodus: Former IWGP Champion To WWE, Another HUGE Name Possibly Departing (WWE News)
Several major NJPW names look set to leave the company.
Following recent rumblings that EVIL could be on his way out of NJPW, it looks as if the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion could be heading to WWE.
Speaking on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alvarez said that EVIL is indeed leaving New Japan, and that it's strongly believed that he'll land in WWE. The Super J-Cast has since added that EVIL has given notice to NJPW, reiterating that WWE is his expected destination. The House of Torture man dropped the NEVER Openweight Title to the debuting Aaron Wolf at Wrestle Kingdom 20 earlier this month, and he's since worked a handful of tag matches, the most recent being this past Tuesday at the second day of Road to the New Beginning.
It's not just EVIL who could be leaving NJPW, though, with Voices of Wrestling Flagship Plus reporting that several other notable New Japan names are also weighing up their options, with Gabe Kidd, David Finlay, and Hiromu Takahashi three talents who could be bringing an end to their time with the King of Sports.
In the case of Kidd and Finlay, these two Bullet Club War Dogs are said to have interest from WWE. Of course, Kidd has previously worked plenty of times for AEW, often as an ally of the Death Riders. As for David Finlay, he's wrestled two matches under the AEW banner as part of the relationship between Tony Khan's promotion and New Japan. Finlay is the son of WWE trainer Fit Finlay and the brother of NXT's Uriah Connors, aka Brogan Finlay.
Where Hiromu Takahashi is concerned, the five-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion is believed to have pushed back against NJPW's wish to push him as a heavyweight, instead preferring to remain a junior heavyweight rather than changing weight class.
Additionally, former IWGP Heavyweight Champion SANADA is on an indefinite leave of absence from NJPW after it was announced that he needs neck fusion surgery. And so, with SANADA out of action, New Japan could soon likewise lose EVIL, Gabe Kidd, David Finlay, and Hiromu Takahashi, which would be quite the blow for the promotion, particularly with the iconic Hiroshi Tanahashi having called time on his legendary career earlier this month.