7 More NJPW Stars To Sign With WWE

In April 2026, EVIL made his WWE debut and has become a regular part of the NXT brand under the new name of Naraku.

Over the years, there have been various stars from New Japan Pro Wrestling make their way to WWE as significant acquisitions.

From Finn Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura to Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga of The MFTs, these stars have paved the way for other NJPW stars to make a similar move in the future.

Here are seven more NJPW stars to potentially sign with WWE.

7. Hiromu Takahashi

In February 2026, Hiromu Takahashi became the latest NJPW star to announce their departure from the promotion.

After a 15-year run with the company, Takahashi’s exit was a surprise to some and could see him show up in any promotion out there.

‘The Ticking Time Bomb’ is someone who has firmly solidified himself as one of the greatest junior heavyweights in the history of New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Following recent rumors and reports indicating that he is interested in heading to the company, it feels like Hiromu might follow in the footsteps of his former Los Ingobernables de Japan stablemate Naraku by jumping to WWE.

6. SANADA

Speaking of former Los Ingobernables de Japon members, SANADA is another NJPW star that many fans speculated was leaving.

However, the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion made his return to the company at Wrestling Dontaku and challenged Konosuke Takeshita for the NJPW World TV Championship.

If SANADA is unable to win the gold, fans could potentially see the House of Torture member leave New Japan for good.

With his resume and accomplishments, SANADA feels like someone WWE could look at as a significant acquisition for the company.

5. Zane Jay

Considering that WWE has been looking to sign young talent as prospects, the promotion would be wise to look at talent getting their start in the New Japan dojo.

After spending time at the NJPW Academy in the United States, Zane Jay made the transition to the New Japan dojo in the company’s home country.

Having the size and look, Jay feels like an individual who might fit in better in WWE than he does in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Getting guidance from Callum Newman and the rest of United Empire, Zane Jay could gain experience and knowledge from NJPW before making the move to WWE in the near future.

4. Drilla Moloney

At the start of 2026, there were a variety of NJPW stars who saw their contracts set to expire.

Among those names was the members of the then-Bullet Club War Dogs led by David Finlay.

While Finlay along with Gabe Kidd and Clark Connors signed with All Elite Wrestling, Drilla Moloney remained with New Japan.

The former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion is someone who made the transition to the heavyweight scene over the past year, bulked up and could become a major star for WWE sooner rather than later.

3. Aaron Wolf

At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20, Aaron Wolf made his professional wrestling debut with a win over EVIL to win the NEVER Openweight Championship.

Wolf came in with a ton of potential thanks to his background as an Olympic Gold Medalist in judo.

During his time training for in-ring competition, Wolf learned from EVIL, which made him the ideal first opponent.

Now, Wolf can continue to learn from the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion by following the newly dubbed Naraku to WWE in the future.

2. Boltin Oleg

When looking at the NJPW roster, there are not many stars on the roster who have the look that fits in with WWE quite like Boltin Oleg.

The NJPW dojo alum has been one of the rising talents on the roster, becoming a double champion in 2026.

With memorable bouts against the likes of Konosuke Takeshita, Tomohiro Ishii and Yuya Uemura, Oleg feels more than ready for the next stage in his career.

Boltin has the size and strength to truly become a force to be reckoned with under the WWE banner and might find himself there down the line.

1. Knockout Brothers (Yuto-Ice & OSKAR)

At the beginning of 2026, rumors started to circulate that The Knockout Brothers were on WWE’s radar to come in as potential free agents.

Having made a name for themselves in the New Japan tag team division, Yuto-Ice and OSKAR have been firmly established as the top duo in the entire promotion.

With their popularity soaring, The Knockout Brothers decided to re-sign with NJPW, but there is no guarantee that they would not make the jump to WWE down the road.

Considering their rapid rise and success in their first year back after excursion, The Knockout Brothers feel like they could make the jump and find instant success in WWE just like they did in NJPW.

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