Naraku debuts tonight on WWE NXT as more than just a new face on the developmental brand, because the man WWE is introducing under that name is former IWGP Heavyweight Champion EVIL, who already signaled his intentions by confronting NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo before his first official match.
WWE formally revealed the Naraku name in a vignette on the May 5 episode and announced his in-ring debut for the May 12 show, making it clear this is being presented as an immediate storyline move rather than a slow-burn introduction.
Legacy in Japan
For fans who did not follow his New Japan Pro-Wrestling run, Naraku arrives in NXT with one of the stronger résumés of any recent newcomer to the brand. Takaaki Watanabe began as an NJPW Young Lion in 2011, returned from excursion in 2015 under the EVIL persona, and aligned himself with Tetsuya Naito and Los Ingobernables de Japon before eventually taking a much darker turn in his career.
In 2020, he betrayed Naito, joined Bullet Club, and later became the central figure in the House of Torture subgroup, a faction that came to define the later stage of his New Japan run.
Reaching the Top of the Mountain
That same year, EVIL reached the peak of his NJPW career when he defeated Naito at Dominion to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, with Dick Togo’s interference playing a key role in the title change.
He also captured the IWGP Intercontinental, IWGP Tag Team, NEVER Openweight, and NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team titles during his time in the promotion, which underscores that WWE is not bringing in an unproven prospect but a decorated veteran with main-event experience.
NJPW announced in January that EVIL would leave the company when his contract expired at the end of that month, and his final stretch there included a loss of the NEVER Openweight title to Aaron Wolf at Wrestle Kingdom 20 before his last match on January 20.
NXT Arrival
What his arrival means for NXT is fairly obvious from the way WWE has handled him so far. Naraku was placed opposite Tony D’Angelo almost immediately, and reports around his debut framed him near the top of the card rather than as a talent expected to spend months finding his footing on television.
That positioning suggests WWE sees him as an instant upper-card heel who can give NXT a more seasoned, internationally accomplished threat in the title picture.
Where He Fits In
As for where he fits on the brand, Naraku looks like the kind of act who slots into the space between featured attraction and immediate contender. NXT often blends homegrown prospects with established names, and Naraku gives the roster a veteran with credibility who can work with champions and top babyfaces without needing an extended rebuilding phase first.
If WWE keeps him focused on D’Angelo and the championship scene, it would reinforce that his role is to raise the stakes at the top of the show rather than develop in public like a traditional newcomer.
What to Expect
Fans unfamiliar with his NJPW work should expect a wrestler whose presentation is rooted in menace, darkness, and disruption. His most notable run in Japan was tied to the House of Torture era after his betrayal of Naito, and even the Naraku name carries a dark meaning that fits the aura WWE is preserving in this rebrand.
In other words, NXT viewers should not expect a fresh-faced recruit trying to win the audience over, but a cold, established antagonist arriving with championship ambition and the résumé to make that threat feel real on night one.