EVIL is officially part of WWE, but fans are still waiting to see where he will land on the roster.
A new update from PWInsider notes that the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion has not yet been assigned to Raw, SmackDown, or NXT. Internally, he is currently placed on WWE’s miscellaneous roster, a category typically reserved for legends or talent who are not actively competing due to injury.
WWE has also yet to publicly confirm the signing.
EVIL, real name Takaaki Watanabe, exited NJPW in January, with confirmation of his WWE deal surfacing on April 24. There is already talk that he may not keep the EVIL name moving forward, although no official decision on a new ring name has been announced.
Speculation around his debut is already building following a recent segment on NXT. Tony D’Angelo received a mysterious box marked with the Japanese kanji for “war,” leading many to believe EVIL could be behind the message. Others have pointed toward Ulka Sasaki, who is currently gaining experience in NXT, as a possible alternative. At this stage, nothing has been confirmed.
EVIL rose to prominence in NJPW after turning on Los Ingobernables de Japón in 2020 to align with Bullet Club. He quickly reached the top of the card, defeating Tetsuya Naito to become a double champion, holding both the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental Championships at the same time. Outside the ring, he is also known as the partner of WWE Women’s World Champion IYO SKY.
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