Tajiri Rumored To Have Signed With WWE

Last month, long-time WWE fans were surprised by the news that former United States Champion Tajiri would be taking part in the company's Cruiserweight Classic tournament. Now, multiple sites are reporting that the star has agreed to come back to the company full time.

The signing, if true, comes on the heels of reports that the company is reaching out to former stars in order to grow the roster prior to the upcoming brand split. Tajiri would be an ideal candidate for a comeback, as the star left WWE on good terms and has kept wrestling in Japan since his departure.

Yoshihiro Tajiri first came to prominence in the U.S. in 1998 as part of the ECW roster. Then a clean-cut babyface, the star soon adopted the "Japanese Buzzsaw" persona and never looked back, holding the company's Television and World Tag Team Titles.

After ECW folded, Tajiri came to WWE. He remained loyal to the company during the Alliance storyline, winning the United States Title from Chris Kanyon and establishing an on-screen relationship with William Regal. He would go on to hold several more titles during his tenure in the company - including the World Tag Team Championship with Regal - eventually leaving in 2005 due to a desire to be closer to his family in Japan.

Last week, Tajiri left Japanese promotion Wrestle-1 following the expiration of his contract.