Tag: Hiromu Takahashi

Update on Hiromu Takahashi potentially joining WWE

Posted on by Ian Carey

An update is available regarding Hiromu Takahashi potentially joining WWE.

Earlier this year, the Japanese wrestling blog Kakutolog reported that it was “highly likely” both Takahashi and EVIL would end up in WWE.

EVIL debuted in NXT on the April 28 episode by confronting NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo. On Tuesday’s NXT, WWE revealed in a vignette that EVIL, under the name Naraku, will make his in-ring debut next week.

According to a recent report from BodySlam+, the word going around the Performance Center is that Takahashi is expected to land in WWE as well. Another source indicated that some are of the belief that Takahashi will use the Nox Raijin name that WWE filed to trademark on April 28. This follows Bryan Alvarez’s earlier report that the Nox Raijin name will be used by someone else in NXT.

WWE filed to trademark the name Naraku on Tuesday, May 5, 2026.

Hiromu Takahashi

Takahashi is a four-time winner of the Best of the Super Juniors tournament, having won in 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2022. He is a five-time former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and, in 2024, won the World Tag League with Tetsuya Naito. The pair also won the IWGP Tag Team titles together.

In 2020, Takahashi was voted Non-Heavyweight MVP in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Awards. In 2017, he and the other members of Los Ingobernables de Japón were voted Best Gimmick.

Hiromu Takahashi wrestles final NJPW match at New Beginning in Osaka

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Hiromu Takahashi has wrestled his final match in NJPW, at least for the time being.

The multiple time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion wrestled his final match for the company at New Beginning in Osaka on Wednesday, teaming with Taiji Ishimori to defeat United Empire members Jakob Austin Young and Francesco Akira. Hiromu scored the win, submitting JAY.

After the match, Hiromu started to say his goodbyes when he was jumped by Akira, who smashed Hiromu with a steel chair. Robbie X came out for the save and chased away both United Empire members. Both X and Ishimori raised Hiromu’s hand as he got to say his goodbyes before leaving.

However, Yota Tsuji allowed Takahashi to speak at the very end of the show following his IWGP Heavyweight title defense. Hiromu said that despite leaving, his goal is to still win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title, then win the IWGP Heavyweight title. He finished by saying this isn’t goodbye, it is see you later. All of Unbound Company, including an emotional Yuto-Ice, then celebrated with Hiromu to close out the show.

NJPW announced earlier this month that Hiromu, who started with the company as a young lion, would be departing on February 11. His final singles match was on February 8, where he defeated young lion Masatora Yasuda.

During his time in NJPW, Hiromu held the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title on five separate occasions and became the major focal point of that division during his tenure with the company.

Big Audio Nightmare: Hiromu & EVIL’s departures, previews of big NJPW & Stardom shows

Posted on by Adam Summers

The Big Audio Nightmare returns as Adam Summers and Mike Sempervive discuss everything happening in the very busy world of Japanese professional wrestling.

Topics include the departures of EVIL and Hiromu Takahashi from NJPW, the state of the promotion’s rebuild, and previews of the coming week’s big Stardom and NJPW shows.

Subscribers can click here to listen.

Hiromu Takahashi’s final NJPW singles opponent revealed

Posted on by Josh Nason

The final singles match for NJPW star Hiromu Takahashi has been revealed by the promotion as he prepares to enter his final week in the company.

Announced by NJPW on Wednesday, Takahashi will take on Masatora Yasuda this Sunday at Road to New Beginning in a match made “at both competitors’ request.” Yasuda comes in on a four-match losing streak while it will be Takahashi’s first singles match anywhere since January 1. This will be their first-ever singles match against each other.

Takahashi will be wrestling twice in Osaka as he will team with Drilla Moloney, Robbie X & Taiji Ishimori against United Empire (Great-O-Khan, Henare, Jakob Austin Young & Zane Jay) on the same show.

He will then wrap up on February 11 as part of New Beginning in Osaka, teaming with Ishimori against Young & Francesco Akira.

It was officially announced on Monday that Takahashi would be departing NJPW with some speculation that could end up in WWE like EVIL who departed last month.

Tetsuya Naito reacts to Hiromu Takahashi leaving NJPW

Posted on by Joseph Currier

In an interview with Tokyo Sports, Tetsuya Naito reacted to the news that Hiromu Takahashi is leaving NJPW.

It was confirmed this week that Takahashi will have his final NJPW match at the New Beginning in Osaka on February 11. He becomes the latest former Los Ingobernables de Japon member to depart the promotion, after Naito, BUSHI, and EVIL have already left. What’s next for Takahashi and EVIL remains to be seen as we await their next move.

Naito and BUSHI are now freelancers and hold the GHC Tag Team titles in Pro Wrestling NOAH. In the Tokyo Sports interview, Naito said he did not tell Takahashi what to do during this process.

“[Takahashi] was deeply committed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling. I never imagined him leaving; it’s sad. Well, maybe I felt that way too,” Naito said. “I had heard that other options were emerging for him. That said, I didn’t tell him anything like ‘You should do this.’ Honestly, my feeling is that he took a step forward. I want to support that step he took.”

Takahashi has described his departure as “super positive” and said it did not result from dissatisfaction with NJPW. He is leaving to pursue a “new dream,” though it is not yet known if he’s heading to an overseas destination like WWE or AEW or becoming a freelancer like Naito.

During the Tokyo Sports interview, Naito questioned why so many wrestlers are leaving NJPW and said he fears the pattern will continue unless NJPW investigates why this is happening. He also expressed optimism that the departures could allow the remaining wrestlers to step up and seize an opportunity that they otherwise might not have gotten.

Hiromu Takahashi comments on ‘super positive’ NJPW departure

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Hiromu Takahashi is departing NJPW, but there is no bad blood between him and the company.

It was announced last night that Takahashi is leaving NJPW and will have his final match for the promotion at the New Beginning in Osaka on February 11. Tokyo Sports has published an article on the situation, writing that Takahashi’s NJPW contract expired at the end of January and he informed NJPW that he would not be renewing. The article includes comments from Takahashi, who described his departure as “super positive” and said he’s leaving to pursue a “new dream.”

“I want to deny the idea that I’m leaving because I’m dissatisfied (with New Japan). I think it’s natural for any working adult to have dissatisfaction with their company. That’s precisely why I don’t want people to think I left for such a simple reason.” Takahashi said. “I’m leaving with ambition. It’s a super positive departure.”

Takahashi’s next destination has not been revealed yet. Tokyo Sports speculates that his “new dream” could be heading overseas to WWE or AEW, though the article also mentions the possibility of Takahashi becoming a freelancer like his mentor Tetsuya Naito. Naito, BUSHI, and EVIL — former stablemates of Takahashi in Los Ingobernables de Japon — are all no longer with NJPW. At the moment, Naito & BUSHI are the GHC Tag Team Champions in Pro Wrestling NOAH.

“This departure was not influenced by the comings and goings of wrestlers he was close to, like Naito or EVIL. It was solely the result of Hiromu personally pursuing a new dream as a wrestler,” Tokyo Sports wrote. “Hiromu emphasized that his actions stemmed from deep internal conflict and careful consideration: ‘The age of 36, when Okada-san and Nakamura-san left, was something that really stuck with me. I wondered if 36 was a kind of line (for taking on new challenges).’ He emphasized this action came after much internal struggle and careful consideration.”

Takahashi is among the greatest junior heavyweight wrestlers in NJPW history. In their statement announcing his departure, NJPW wished Takahashi the best in the future and encouraged fans to show their support for him during the time he has left in the company. His last match at the New Beginning in Osaka will be Takahashi teaming with Taiji Ishimori against Francesco Akira & Jakob Austin Young.

Hiromu Takahashi leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling

Posted on by Bryan Rose

Hiromu Takahashi is leaving NJPW.

The company announced on Monday night that the longtime standout of their junior heavyweight division would be leaving the company. His final scheduled match will be at New Beginning in Osaka on February 11.

“After careful consideration and discussions with NJPW management, Hiromu Takahashi, who has been a long standing member of the NJPW roster will leave New Japan Pro-Wrestling,” they wrote. “We apologise to fans for the sudden nature of this announcement. Hiromu’s final scheduled appearance with NJPW will be at New Beginning in Osaka on February 11. New Japan Pro-Wrestling wishes Hiromu Takahashi the very best in his future activities and invites fans to show their support on his remaining appearances with NJPW.”

Takahashi started as a young lion in 2010, and upon returning from excursion quickly became the focal point of NJPW’s junior heavyweight division, winning the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title on five occasions and won the Best of the Super Juniors tournament four times. He also held the IWGP Tag Team titles with Tetsuya Naito.

Last month, NJPW announced that EVIL was leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling, with reports indicating he may be heading to WWE.

Former IWGP champion reportedly gives notice to NJPW, expected to head to WWE

Posted on by Josh Nason

Former IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Intercontinental Champion and Tag Team Champion EVIL has reportedly given his notice to NJPW and appears to be WWE bound.

Seen below, Bryan Alvarez mentioned the news during Wednesday’s Wrestling Observer Live with the Super J-Cast reporting Wednesday that he has indeed given notice, also noting his expected destination.

The 38-year-old fell in defeat to Aaron Wolf at this month’s Wrestle Kingdom 20, losing the NEVER Openweight title in the process. He’s held the IWGP Heavyweight title, the Intercontinental title, the Tag Team titles twice (both with Sanada), the Openweight title four times, the NEVER Openweight Six-Man titles six times, and won the 2020 New Japan Cup in addition to the 2017 and 2018 World Tag League, also with Sanada.

On the Voices of Wrestling Flagship Plus show, it was said that Hiromu Takahashi also may be on his way out of NJPW, creating a potential exodus that has already included Sanada and could also include Gabe Kidd and David Finlay, both of whom are drawing interest from WWE.

NOAH title to be defended at NJPW Destruction in Kobe

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Junior Heavyweight Championship will be on the line this weekend at an NJPW event.

NJPW star Hiromu Takahashi became the new GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion earlier this month. He’s now set to make his first defense at NJPW Destruction in Kobe this Sunday, where he will face off against Taiji Ishimori. The match was made after Ishimori scored the fall over Takahashi in a six-man tag on NJPW’s Road to Destruction tour.

“The bout represents the first time the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship has been defended in an NJPW ring since April 27, 2004, when then champion Jushin Thunder Liger defended against Kotaro Suzuki in Hiroshima,” NJPW wrote.

“Hiromu already had a first defense scheduled against NOAH’s Eita for the promotion’s October 11 Ryogoku card. Addressing the impromptu title bout, Hiromu said that the winner of himself and Ishimori would be the one to face Eita, yet Ishimori has accepted this title match on the condition that should he win, he will only defend the belt in New Japan. Hiromu’s capturing of the gold was already controversial, and his unilateral actions have drawn sharp criticism from the NOAH roster online.”

Ishimori, a star for NOAH before he joined NJPW, has held the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship three times. His most recent reign took place in 2017.

As far as NJPW’s Junior Heavyweight title is concerned, DOUKI has set his sights on a future match against champion El Desperado. They will meet in 10-man tag team action at Destruction in Kobe.

Destruction in Kobe will stream live on NJPW World starting at 3 a.m. Eastern time on Sunday. Here is the updated card

NJPW Destruction in Kobe (Sunday, September 28) —

  • IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Zack Sabre Jr. defends against Ren Narita
  • IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion Gabe Kidd defends against Shingo Takagi
  • Yota Tsuji vs. David Finlay
  • GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi defends against Taiji Ishimori
  • IWGP Tag Team Champions Tomohiro Ishii & Taichi defend against OSKAR & Yuto-Ice
  • NEVER Openweight Champion Oleg Boltin defends against Don Fale
  • Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Great-O-Khan
  • El Desperado, YOH, Shota Umino, Yuya Uemura & YOSHI-HASHI vs. DOUKI, SHO, EVIL, SANADA & Dick Togo

NJPW wrestler wins GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship

Posted on by Ian Carey

Hiromu Takahashi is the new GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion.

He defeated YO-HEY to win the title on the first night of Pro Wrestling NOAH’s N-1 Victory tournament today at Korakuen Hall.

“Hiromu has done it! Hiromu Takahashi is the NEW @noahglobal GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion!” NJPW wrote on X.

Following YO-HEY’s successful title defense at NOAH New Departure in July, Takahashi came out and challenged the champion to a future title match. The bout was originally scheduled for August 11 in Kawasaki, but was postponed after YO-HEY suffered an orbital fracture.

Leading up to the bout, Takahashi had said that if he failed to win the title, he’d remain full-time in NOAH, even potentially reducing his NJPW schedule.

“I’ll stay in NOAH. I’ll be here full-time, and it would even be to the point where I’d have to take a break from New Japan’s series,” Takahashi said to Monthly Puroresu.

Takahashi is now the 59th champion in the title’s lineage and the 29th wrestler to ever win the belt. YO-HEY’s title reign concludes after 124 days and four successful title defenses.

Following Takahashi’s win, he was confronted by several members of NOAH’s Junior Heavyweight division, who Takahashi assumed had come out to be his seconds.

“Everyone, you came as seconds, right? Isn’t your job to put the belt on the champion? Kotoge-san? Odajima-san! …What was your name again? Could you please leave for today? There’s someone I want to face.”

Takahashi was later confronted backstage by Eita, seemingly establishing him as Takahashi’s first challenger.

TNT title match official for AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door

Posted on by Josh Nason

Image: AEW

Kyle Fletcher’s TNT title challenger for this month’s AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door is now official following Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite: NJPW’s Hiromu Takahashi.

Days ago on Collision, Fletcher defended his title for the first time against Tomohiro Ishii and then he & Don Callis (in separate segments) challenged NJPW to send their best to confront him on Dynamite.

On Wednesday, Fletcher joined the Young Bucks and Josh Alexander against Ishii, Hologram, Brody King and the surprise addition of Takahashi who picked up the win by pinning Alexander.

It will be Takahashi’s third-ever Forbidden Door and first-ever singles match at the event. Including Wednesday, the two have shared the ring three times prior, but never in singles action. One of those came at 2023’s Forbidden Door.

Current AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door card | Sunday, August 24 | London, England

  • AEW World Champion Hangman Page defends against MJF
  • AEW Unified Champion Kazuchika Okada defends against Swerve Strickland
  • AEW Tag Team Champions The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley & Shelton Benjamin) defend against winner of Tag Team title eliminator tournament
  • Adam Copeland & Christian Cage vs. Nick Wayne & Kip Sabian
  • AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm defends against Athena
  • TBS Women’s Champion Mercedes Mone defends against Alex Windsor, CMLL TBD and Stardom TBD
  • TNT Champion Kyle Fletcher defends against Hiromu Takahashi
  • Lights out steel cage match: Darby Allin, Will Ospreay, Kenny Omega, Hiroshi Tanahashi & Kota Ibushi vs. The Death Riders (Jon Moxley & Claudio Castagnoli), Gabe Kidd & The Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson)

New champions crowned at NJPW New Beginning in Osaka

Posted on by Bryan Rose

After years of trying, Hirooki Goto finally accomplished the goal that has always eluded him.

In the main event of NJPW’s New Beginning in Osaka on Tuesday morning, Goto defeated Zack Sabre Jr. with two GTRs to win the championship for the first time. Prior to the match, a montage of Goto’s previous attempts to win NJPW’s top heavyweight title were shown, always coming up short until Tuesday’s victory.

After the match, Goto said that he knew his father was watching, and the title win was for him. He also celebrated in the ring with his children, who got into the ring with him to celebrate. After praising his children, he said he had been doing this for 22 years and thanked the fans, declaring that the Goto Revolution has just begun.

Meanwhile, The Young Bucks lost the IWGP Tag Team titles to Hiromu Takahashi and Tetsuya Naito, with the latter scoring the win on Nicholas following the destino. They had only held the titles for 35 days, defeating Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan as well as Naito & Takahashi for the vacant titles at Wrestle Dynasty back on January 5.

Three-way match for IWGP Tag Team titles proposed for Wrestle Dynasty

Posted on by Bryan Rose

The Tag Team match for Wrestle Dynasty could now be a three-way.

After Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi wrestled one another at Wrestle Kingdom 19 on Saturday, they were confronted backstage by The Great-O-Khan and Jeff Cobb. Naito & Takahashi proposed being added into the United Empire/Young Bucks match at Wrestle Dynasty to determine new IWGP Tag Team Champions. Although the challenge was issued, the three-way has yet to be made official by New Japan Pro Wrestling.

In their post detailing what had happened backstage, NJPW confirmed that Jeff Cobb would be teaming with Great-O-Khan on Sunday. The IWGP Tag Team titles were vacated in December when Great-O-Khan’s partner Henare suffered an injury that forced him out of action.

At Saturday’s show in the Tokyo Dome, Naito defeated Takahashi in the co-main event following a Destino. After the match, Naito extended his fist out to Takahashi. After bowing in a sign of respect, Takahashi fist bumped Naito and the two walked out of the arena together.

Hiromu Takahashi teaming with Mayu Iwatani at NJPW Battle in the Valley

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Hiromu Takahashi has revealed his first partner for NJPW Battle in the Valley 2025.

At the January 11 event, Takahashi and Sumie Sakai will be facing off in a six-person tag team bout. It’s Sakai’s retirement match and will feature her teaming with one male partner and one female partner against Takahashi and two female partners. He announced last night that Stardom ace Mayu Iwatani will be one of the members of Team Hiromu.

Sakai, 53, is stepping away from in-ring competition after a nearly three-decade international career. She’s best known for the time she spent in ROH, where she was involved in the promotion’s first-ever women’s match in 2002 and later became the inaugural ROH Women of Honor Champion in 2018.

This match was set up following NJPW’s Strong Style Evolved event last weekend. Sakai approached Takahashi and asked him to be the opponent for her retirement bout. Takahashi said he’d be delighted, but he suggested a six-person tag instead of a singles match so more people could be involved. The other members of Team Sumie have not been confirmed yet.

Battle in the Valley is being held in San Jose, California and will include fallout from Wrestle Kingdom 19 and Wrestle Dynasty. Two matches are now official for the show:

NJPW Battle in the Valley (Saturday, January 11) —

  • Strong Openweight Champion Gabe Kidd defends against Tomohiro Ishii
  • Sumie Sakai’s retirement match: Team Sumie (Sumie Sakai, TBD & TBD) vs. Team Hiromu (Hiromu Takahashi, Mayu Iwatani & TBD)

Gabe Kidd issues challenge for NJPW Battle in the Valley, Sumie Sakai retirement match set

Posted on by Bryan Rose

The card for Battle in the Valley started to shape up on Sunday.

After retaining the NJPW Strong Championship against Ryohei Oiwa at NJPW Strong Style Evolved, he cut a promo running down Kenny Omega before focusing on NJPW Battle in the Valley, which takes place on January 11. He singled out Tomohiro Ishii, calling him out for the San Jose event.

Kidd is set for a busy 2025, already taking on Kenny Omega at Wrestle Dynasty on January 5. Ishii meanwhile is scheduled to face the winner between Shingo Takagi and Konosuke Takeshita the previous night at Wrestle Kingdom 19. If Takeshita remains champion up to January 4, the match would be for both the NEVER and AEW international titles.

Following the show, Sumie Sakai asked Hiromu Takahashi to be in her retirement match that will take place at Battle in the Valley. Takahashi agreed, but suggested a mixed tag match, with himself teaming with two women and Sakai teaming with one man and one woman.

Another title match was seemingly agreed to for Battle in the Valley earlier on Sunday. After Royce Issacs and Jorel Nelson captured the NJPW Strong Tag Team titles, they were met by Rocky Romero. He issued the challenge for next month, saying his former Roppongi 3K partner YOH would be teaming with him. The new champions responded by taking out Romero.