A towering presence from Japan’s wrestling scene may finally be making his first WWE appearance.

Former NJPW standout Hikuleo is expected to be at Friday Night SmackDown in Lexington, Kentucky, according to a report from PWInsiderElite.com. The sighting could mark the official arrival of the 6-foot-8 star, who signed with WWE back in the summer of 2024.

Although he was assigned to the NXT roster upon signing, Hikuleo has yet to appear on WWE programming. With WWE recently pulling the trigger on the storyline split between Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu at Money in the Bank, Hikuleo’s emergence could bring even more depth to the growing family saga.

The 34-year-old is the son of wrestling legend Haku and was trained by The Dudley Boyz. During his NJPW run from 2016 to 2024, Hikuleo captured the IWGP Tag Team Championship with El Phantasmo and held the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship, earning a reputation as a destructive enforcer.

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