Tag: ulka sasaki

Two matches added to Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The card for Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV is starting to take shape with a couple of new matches added.

Barnett revealed two new additions to the lineup today, announcing that Ulka Sasaki vs. Joe Dashou and Angel Verduzco vs. Matt Mako will take place at the WrestleMania week indie show. It’s set for April 17 and will be broadcast live on TrillerTV+ with a start time of 3 p.m. Pacific/6 p.m. Eastern.

Sasaki — a NOAH wrestler and former MMA fighter — is currently on excursion to the United States and training at the WWE Performance Center. Along with that training, he’s wrestled at some NXT house shows. This will be his Bloodsport debut.

Dashou and Verduzco both have experience competing in and coaching amateur-style wrestling. In pro wrestling, Dashou is a graduate of the NJPW dojo.

The Bloodsport card now has four officially announced matches:

Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV (Friday, April 17) —

  • Pete Dunne vs. Masashi Takeda
  • Charlie Dempsey vs. Timothy Thatcher
  • Ulka Sasaki vs. Joe Dashou
  • Angel Verduzco vs. Matt Mako
  • Also set to compete: Josh Barnett, Nattie, Zack Sabre Jr., Yuji Nagata, Shayna Baszler, Erick Stevens, Fuminori Abe, Ray Jaz, Royce Isaacs, Miyu Yamashita

NOAH’s Ulka Sasaki works dark match prior to WWE NXT

Posted on by Shounak Chakrabarti

On Tuesday, February 24 edition of WWE NXT, fans witnessed Pro Wrestling NOAH’s Ulka Sasaki in a dark match.

Sasaki, 36, made his WWE NXT debut in a dark match before the February 24 episode of NXT against Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo.

A part of Pro Wrestling NOAH, Sasaki is currently on an excursion and training at the WWE Performance Center, which he recently confirmed on one of his YouTube vlogs.

Sasaki is a former MMA fighter and has competed for UFC as well as Rizin. He made his debut for NOAH in 2024 and has wrestled a total of 176 matches (as per Cagematch), with his latest being a loss against KENTA on January 11, 2026.

NOAH and WWE currently have a working relationship, where Yoshiki Inamura competed in NXT before returning to NOAH. Several WWE wrestlers, such as Omos, Hank Walker, Tank Ledger, Charlie Dempsey, Tavion Heights, Josh Briggs, and many more, have competed in the Japanese promotion NOAH.

NOAH wrestler confirms WWE NXT excursion

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Pro Wrestling NOAH star Ulka Sasaki has arrived in the United States to begin his WWE NXT excursion.

At the start of 2026, Sasaki revealed that he would soon be heading to the United States. His excursion destination was not revealed at the time, but Sasaki has now posted a YouTube vlog confirming that he is in Florida for WWE. He will begin training at the Performance Center once he completes the medical process.

The 36-year-old Sasaki is a former UFC fighter and also has MMA experience in Rizin and Shooto. He began his wrestling career for NOAH just over two years ago. In that time, Sasaki has held the GHC National Championship and GHC Tag Team titles. His final match before excursion was against KENTA on January 11.

Sasaki noted in his vlog that WWE star Shinsuke Nakamura, who he once faced for NOAH in January 2025, made sure to come see him after his arrival and give him advice on adjusting to the United States.

The WWE-NOAH partnership has included talent exchanges between the two promotions. Yoshiki Inamura crossed over to NXT for an extended stay before returning to NOAH, while Omos, Hank Walker, Tank Ledger, Charlie Dempsey, Harlem Lewis, Tavion Heights, and Josh Briggs are among the WWE wrestlers who have gotten to compete in Japan.

NOAH’s Ulka Sasaki announces United States excursion

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Ulka Sasaki — a Pro Wrestling NOAH star and former UFC fighter — is heading on excursion to the United States.

At NOAH’s January 2 event in Tokyo, Sasaki revealed that he will soon be heading to the U.S. for an excursion. He did not reveal his destination, but NXT would seem to be the most likely option given the relationship NOAH has with WWE. Yoshiki Inamura debuted for NXT in 2024 and spent much of 2025 in the U.S. before returning to NOAH and winning the GHC Heavyweight Championship.

Sasaki will face off against KENTA at NOAH’s Korakuen Hall event on January 11 before heading off on excursion. Both are members of the newly formed NOAH faction White Raven Squad.

As an MMA fighter, Sasaki has experience competing for UFC, Rizin, and Shooto. He’s held the GHC National Championship and GHC Tag Team titles while with NOAH. Fans who watched NOAH The Year 2025 will remember Sasaki as Shinsuke Nakamura’s opponent from the show.

The WWE-NOAH relationship has also seen some NXT wrestlers pick up experience wrestling in Japan, with Hank Walker, Tank Ledger, Charlie Dempsey, Harlem Lewis, Tavion Heights, and Josh Briggs having spent time overseas.