A major shake up unfolded at Wrestle Kingdom 20 as the latest version of the United Empire officially took shape.

Returning from injury, Jake Lee resurfaced on the biggest stage of the year and revealed his allegiance to United Empire, standing alongside Callum Newman, Great O Khan, HENARE and Andrade El Idolo. The moment immediately sent shockwaves through the ring, particularly among the Bullet Club War Dogs, who reacted with visible anger as they realised Lee had turned his back on them.

Lee capped off the night by scoring the decisive fall for his team, pinning Hiromu Takahashi and making his return count in emphatic fashion.

The drama did not end there. After the bell, a masked attacker stormed the ring and superkicked Takahashi, adding further chaos to the scene. Moments later, the attacker unmasked to reveal Francesco Akira, who also returned from injury to rejoin United Empire and strengthen the faction even further.

Lee had been sidelined since September 2024 after suffering a foot injury during the Road to Destruction tour. He made his NJPW debut earlier that year after departing Pro Wrestling NOAH, initially aligning himself with Bullet Club War Dogs. He quickly entered the G1 Climax but failed to advance to the knockout stage.

Before arriving in NJPW, Lee built his reputation in AJPW after debuting in 2011. He rose to the top of the promotion, capturing the Triple Crown Championship twice and winning the Champion Carnival in 2021. Following the expiration of his AJPW contract in 2022, he moved to NOAH before ultimately making the jump to New Japan.

With Lee and Akira now officially part of the group, United Empire has emerged from Wrestle Kingdom 20 looking deeper, more dangerous and firmly back in the spotlight.

UNITED EMPIRE New member,
X is @JakeLee19890119 👑

Sign up Now & Stay tuned to https://t.co/CcdQ1X9P52#NJPW #njpwworld #njwk20 #棚橋引退 pic.twitter.com/sUwjHsmeRv

, NJPW WORLD (@njpwworld) January 4, 2026