New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) is facing turmoil following the mysterious departure of one of its top stars, EVIL, from the official roster. The situation came to light after EVIL's loss to Hiroshi Tanahashi during the January 4 event at the Tokyo Dome, which ended with him expressing his deep dissatisfaction with the organization.
Following his defeat, EVIL was heard backstage venting, stating emphatically, "こんなクソ会社…やってらんねえよ。もう出ねえわ。ふざけやがって…" (This damn company... I can't go on. I'm done. You've got to be kidding me...). His frustration continued as he withdrew from subsequent events, starting January 6, failing to appear for domestic matches.
On January 11, during NJPW's U.S. event in San Jose, he reiterated his refusal to return to Japan, announcing, "日本には帰らないからな。グッバイ、ニュージャパン。分かったか、よく覚えとけ" (I'm not going back to Japan. Goodbye, New Japan. Understand this and make sure you never forget it.). This bold statement sent ripples of confusion and concern across the wrestling community.
Meanwhile, the faction he leads, the House of Torture (H.O.T), which includes Ren Narita, Yujiro Takahashi, and SHO, managed to pick up the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship on January 30 during the Sendai event without EVIL's presence. This victory raised eyebrows, especially since EVIL has been the stable’s central figure since forming H.O.T. Backstage, SHO mentioned EVIL's absence tersely, saying, "お前らに話すことなんて何一つねえんじゃ" (I've got nothing to say to you.) when asked about the situation.
Further complicity arose when, come February 1, EVIL's name vanished from the NJPW official roster. Observers were left puzzled, questioning what had transpired. After thorough reports, it became evident EVIL failed to attend contract renewal meetings before the expiration of his annual contract on January 31. Adding to the tumult, he allegedly directed officials to remove his name from the roster.
Having made his debut as Naito Tetsuya's partner at the Ryogoku event back in October 2015, EVIL had cultivated his status within the promotion. By July 2020, he left the Los Ingobernables de Japon faction to join the Bullet Club, where he won the premier IWGP World Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles. Under his leadership, H.O.T emerged powerfully, causing widespread disruption on the NJPW scene.
Despite his impressive track record and talent, by February 1, he found himself without contract status and completely uncommunicative with NJPW officials. One anonymous figure within NJPW stated, "引き続きコンタクトが取れるように努める" (We will continue to try to maintain contact with him.), highlighting the organization's keenness to resolve this unexpected fallout.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding EVIL's future, it is expected he will participate on February 16 at the Yasuhiro Oka Pro Wrestling event in Osaka. Yet, the prospect of him departing NJPW looms larger as the days pass, leaving fans and officials alike on edge.
The situation remains fluid, and the wrestling world is abuzz with speculation about the next steps for both EVIL and NJPW. Will he return to the company or forge his path elsewhere? Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure—this development marks another pivotal moment for New Japan Pro-Wrestling.