DEVELOPING: Former New Japan Star To WWE?

Following up on a major New Japan story post-Tokyo Dome, there are now UNCONFIRMED reports on US wrestling news/rumor sites that EVIL has signed with WWE. He also reportedly will not be EVIL because WWE likes to have control of wrestler names for money-making purposes which probably means he also won’t be his real name, Takaaki Watanabe. There are also rumors that, despite being 39 and very experienced (15 years in Japan and an excursion to Ring Of Honor), he wants to start in the NXT developmental brand. There are also unconfirmed reports in this article that, outside the ring, EVIL is attached to WWE wrestler Iyo Sky (fka Io Shirai), which would be news to me as last I heard she was at least linked to NOSAWA Rongai.

Anyway, this all is not official yet so we’ll see what happens and if WWE does become EVIL…*pause for mouthing and delayed bad dubbing…* INDEEEEEEEEED! (Where have you gone, Funaki!)

Pro Wrestling NOAH 4/24/2026 Results

Pro Wrestling NOAH ran their monthly Legacy Rise 2036 Tour event today in Tokyo.

Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE. In Japanese & English.

The announced paid attendance was 1021.

Match 1: Manabu Soya, Eita, Super Crazy & Daiki Odashima beat Atsushi Kotoge, Mohammed Yone, Hajime Ohara & Katsumi Inahata. Soya pinned Ohara after Ballistic.

Match 2: Kid Lycos 1 & 2 & Hiroto Tsuruya beat Tetsuya Endo, HAYATA & Yuto Koyanagi. 1 pinned Koyanagi after a swanton bomb.

Match 3: Knull beat Midori Takahashi. Squash (81 seconds).

Match 4: Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows beat Kaito Kiyomiya & Harutoki. Anderson pinned Harutoki after Magic Killer.

Match 5: Naomichi Marufuji & Kenoh beat Masa Kitamiya & Alpha Wolf. Marufuji pinned Wolf with a perfect neck hold.

Match 6: OZAWA, Takashi Sugiura & Jun Masaoka beat Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI & RYUSEI by DQ. BUSHI DQ’d. Mist attack.

Match 7: GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Dragon Bane & Alejandro beat Tadasuke & Kai Fujimura to retain the titles. Alejandro pinned Tadasuke. V2 for the champs.

Main Event: KENTA & Shane Haste beat Yoshiki Inamura & AMAKUSA. Haste pinned Inamura after Bomb valley Death.

The next event is tomorrow at Yamagata Big Wing in Yamagata. There will be no live broadcast. On demand Monday.

Dragon Gate 4/24/2026 Results

Dragon Gate continued The Gate Of Passion 2026 Tour today with a home event in Kobe.

Today’s event was held at Kobe Sambo Hall in Kobe and can be watched on demand on DRAGONGATE NETWORK. You can also watch the first match FOR FREE on YouTube.

The paid attendance has not yet been announced.

Match 1: Genki Horiguchi & Yasushi Kanda beat Naruki Doi (Independent/Freelancer) & Dragon Kid. Horiguchi pinned Doi with Backslide From Heaven.

Match 2: ISHIN beat Jiro Shinbashi.

Match 3: Takashi won a 13 man battle royal, last eliminating @KEY. Also of note-Ryu Fuda returned in this match from injury.

Match 4: Hyo, JACKY KAMEI & Riiita beat YAMATO, Susumu Yokosuka & KAGETORA. KAMEI pinned KAGETORA after JACKY Knife.

Match 5: Yuki Yoshioka & Ryoya Tanaka beat Strong Machine J & Kzy. Tanaka pinned J after Cross Saber.

Main Event: Shun Skywalker, Homare & El Cielo beat Kota Minoura, Jason Lee & Yuki Yoshioka. Cielo pinned Kato after a spinning tombstone piledriver.

The next event is tomorrow at Shimizu Marine Building in Shizuoka. There will be no live or on demand broadcast.

New Japan 4/24/2026 Results

New Japan continued the Road To WRESTLING DONTAKU 2026 Tour today in Ehime with a Yuya Uemura hometown event.

Today’s event was held at Tex Port Imabari in Ehime and can be watched on demand on New Japan World.

The announced paid attendance was 738, a full house/near sellout.

Match 1: Masatora Yasuda, Ryusuke Taguchi & Taichi beat Taisei Nakahara, Togi Makabe & Togi Makabe. Yasuda pinned Nakahara.

Match 2: Jacob Austin Young, Great-O-Khan & HENARE beat Tatsuya Matsunoto, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto. Young pinned Matsumoto after Imperial Prison.

Match 3: Master Wato, Yoh, Toru Yano, Tiger Mask & Shota Umino. vs. Dick Togo, Yoshinobu Kanemaru, Sho, DOUKI & Chase Owens went to a double countout. TM 4 & DOUKI counted out.

Match 4: Hartley Jackson, Ryohei Oiwa, Kosei Fujita & Robbie Eagles beat Gedo, Yota Tsuji, Robbie X & Taiji Ishimori. Jackson pinned Gedo after a senton.

Match 5: Daiki Nagai, OSKAR (The Grouch), Yuto Ice (Ice Baby) & Shingo Takagi beat Zane Jay, Francesco Akira, Jake Lee & Callum Newman. Ice pinned Jay after The Rumbling.

Main Event: Aaron Wolf, Boltin Oleg & Yuya Uemura beat Yujiro Takahashi, Don Fale & Ren Narita. Uemura pinned Takahashi after Lions Shiner. Afterwards, Uemura did the hometown win promo to send the crowd home happy.

The next event is WRESTLING REDZONE in HIROSHIMA, the now-annual late April semi-major regional event, tomorrow at Hiroshima Sun Plaza in Hiroshima with two tag team title matches. Live streaming on New Japan World will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET.

Tokyo Joshi Pro 4/24/2026 Results

After a long & successful trip back to North America and with almost everyone back Tokyo Joshi Pro resumed the spring house show tour today in Tokyo. A few wrestlers (Miyu Yamashita, Shoko Nakajima, Hyper Misao & Yuki Aino) missed this event due to continuing to Europe for more post-US events.

Today’s event was held at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE.

The announced paid attendance was 312, a full house/near sellout.

Match 1: Sakura Hattori beat Kira Summer.

Match 2: Mahiro Kiryu, HIMAWARI & Shino Suzuki beat Raku, Pom Harajuku & Mifu Ashida. Kiryu pinned Ashida after a spinebuster.

Match 3: Yuki Kamifuku beat Chika Nanase.

Match 4: Mizuki & Uta Takami beat Ren Konatsu & Shion Kanzaki. Mizuki pinned Kanzaki after Southern Cross.

Match 5: Rika Tatsumi & Miu Watanabe beat Wakana Uehara & Toga. Watanabe pinned Toga after Daydream Eternity.

Main Event: Suzume & Arisu Endo beat Yuki Arai & Haru Kazashiro. Suzume pinned Kazashiro after Ring A Bell.

The next event is Wednesday at Itabashi Green Hall for a WRESTLE UNIVERSE members-only event. Tickets are only available for WRESTLE UNIVERSE members (if you subscribe to the streaming service you are a member). There will be no live broadcast. On demand on 5/2.

All-Japan 4/23/2026 Results

All-Japan continued the Champions Carnival today in Tokyo.

Today’s event was held at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on AJPW.TV.

The announced paid attendance was 520, a legit advance sellout with standing room overflow tickets sold. The venue’s full capacity for wrestling is 500.

There were last-minute changes to the card due to Jun Saito being pulled off the event. Right eye injury. Out of the tournament as he will not be cleared by doctors until afterwards meaning he is out at least a few weeks. All remaining matches are forfeits.

Match 1: Daisuke Sekimoto beat Shota Kofuji.

Match 2: Shotaro Ashino, Kumaarashi, MUSASHI & Yuya Aoki (Independent/Freelancer) beat Yuma & Atsuki Aoyagi, Rising Hayato & Ryo Inoue. Aoki pinned Inoue after a Cassock slashing chop.

Champions Carnival Block B:
Match 3: Madoka Kimuta (Dragon Gate) vs. Xyon went to a double countout. No points.
Match 4: Hideki Suzuki beat Ryuki Honda by ref stoppage (technical submission).

Match 5: Dan Tamura, Ren Ayabe & Talos beat Seigo Tachibana, Hokuto Omori & Seiki Yoshioka. Tamura pinned Tachibana after Dunrock.

Champions Carnival Block A:
Match 6: Yuma Anzai beat Kengo Mashimo.
Match 7: Rei Saito beat Go Shiozaki.
Main Event: Kento Miyahara beat Odyssey.

Standings:
Block A:
1-Rei Saito, 2-1, 4 pts
2-Odyssey, 2-1, 4 pts
3-Shiozaki, 2-2, 4 pts
4-Miyahara, 1-0-1, 3 pts
5-Anzai, 1-1-1, 3 pts
6-Mashimo, 1-1, 2 pts
7-Talos, 1-1, 2 pts
8-Kumaarashi, 0-2, 0 pts

Block B:
1-Sekimoto, 3-0, 6 pts
2-Suzuki, 3-2, 6 pts
3-Kikuta, 2-0-1 NP (no points), 4 pts
4-Xyon, 2-1-1 NP, 4 pts
5-Ayabe, 2-1, 4 pts
6-Honda, 2-2, 4 pts
7-Yuma Aoyagi, 1-2, 2 pts
8-Jun Saito, 0-7, 0 pts (OUT-injured)

Block B totals include all forfeits for remaining Jun Saito matches.

The next event is Saturday at Kasukabe Fureai Cube in Saitama. The event is a legit advance sellout. There will be no live broadcast. On demand at 6 PM PT/9 PM ET. (No live broadcasts for the next 4 events)

Stardom 4/23/2026 Results

Stardom tan their final pre-PPV event today in Tokyo, which also saw Saki Kashima’s final career match as she retires.

Today’s event was held at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on Stardom World. You can also watch THE FULL EVENT FOR FREE on YouTube.

The paid attendance was not announced.

Pre-show match: Kiyoka Kokatsu & Matoi Hamabe beat Momo Kohgo & Anne Kanaya. Kokatsu beat Kanaya.

Match 1: Miyu Amasaki, Starlight Kid & Mei seria beat Natsuko Tora, Ruaka & Fukigen. Seira pinned Fukigen after Shooking Star.

Match 2: Ranna Yagami, Hina & Tabata (CMLL) beat Aya Sakura, Rian & Ema Maishima. Hina pinned Rian after a modified jackhammer.

Match 3: Hazuki & Koguma beat Lady C & Tomoka Inaba, Xena & Waka Tsukiyama and Rina & Azusa Inaba in a 4-way when Koguma pinned Taukiyama.

Match 4: Maika, HANAKO, Saya Iida & Bea Priestley beat Suzu Suzuki, Rina Yamashita, Itsuki Aoki & Akira Kurogame. Priestley pinned Kurogame after Plan Bea.

Match 5: Natsupoi, Saori Anou & Yuna Mizumori beat Maki Itoh, Kikyo Furusawa & Fuwa-chan. Mizumori pinned Furusawa after Kumamoto’s Unsinkable Ship.

Match 6: Saki Kashima Final Match: Syuri & Saki Kashima beat AZM & Momo Watanabe in 11 seconds. Kashima pinned AZM. Which led to…
Match 6 (again): Saki Kashima Final Match (again): Syuri & Saki Kashima beat AZM & Momo Watanabe. Kashima pinned Watanabe.

Main Event: Hanan & Sayaka Kurara beat Saya Kamitani & Konami. Hanan pinned Konami with a backdrop hold.

The next event is STARDOM GRAND QUEENDOM 2026, their next annual tentpole biggest event of the year, Sunday at Yokohama Arena in Yokohama. Live streaming as a PPV on Stardom World will begin Saturday at 11 PM PT/2 AM ET. The PPV is available worldwide for 4400 Japanese yen (currently around $27.60 US) then will be un-paywalled on Stardom World in mid-May. It was also announced that, in addition to comedy duo Razor Ramon HG & RG, New Japan President Hiroshi Tanahashi will be a special guest on commentary for the event.

Injury Report: Ben(t and not o)-K

While not related to his and other Dragon Gate members’ entertaining recent sumo experiences at Otake Beya when they were training in Osaka for the March Tournament (you can watch this on YouTube), Ben-K did apparently suffer an injury last week while in the US for WrestleMania Week events. Neck bone contusion. Out indefinitely but at least this weekend including Sunday’s blowout event. He was to have teamed with Hyo & Luis Mante to face Jason Lee, KAI & ISHIN. Kazuma Kimura is the replacement. It’s not yet known how long Ben-K may be out.

More as it becomes available.

BREAKING: Free Stardom Event Broadcast Tomorrow

Stardom has just announced an emergency change of plans for tomorrow’s Korakuen Hall event, the last one before their next tentpole PPV this weekend…you will now be able to watxh tomorrow’s ENTIRE EVENT FOR FREE on YouTube! It should also be available on demand afterwards on YouTube. The broadcast is scheduled to begin at 2:10 AM PT/5:10 AM ET.

DDT 4/22/2026 Results (Updated)

In addition to press conferences today, DDT continued the build to the KING OF DDT 2026 Tournament today with an event in Tokyo.

Today’s event was held at Shinjuku Face in Tokyo and can be watched on demand on WRESTLE UNIVERSE.

The paid attendance was not announced.

Match 1: Hideki Okatani & MJ Paul beat Naomi Yoshimura & Akito and Danshoku Dieno & Kazuki Hirata in a 3-way when Okatani pinned Hirata.

Match 2: Junta Miyawaki beat Antonio Honda.

Match 3: MAO, KANON, Yuki Iino & Viente Maligno beat Kazuma Sumi, O-MENZ Kumadori, Rukiya & Hinata Kasai. Iino pinned Kasai after a lariat.

Match 4: Minoru Suzuki & HARASHIMA beat Yukio Naya & Yuki Ishida. Suzuki pinned Ishida after a Gotch-style piledriver.

Match 5: Yuki Ueno, Shinya Aoki, Shunma Katsumata & To-y beat Takeshi Masada, Yoya Koroku, Daichi Sato & Masami Inahata. Aoki pinned Inahata with European Clutch

Main Event: Chris Brookes beat Illusion.

The next event is Saturday at Yokohama Radiant Hall in Yokohama. Live streaming on WRESTLE UNIVERSE will begin at 1 AM PT/4 AM ET.

UPDATE: Injury Report-Illusion was injured during the main event. Concussion-like symptoms. Out indefinitely but at least 2 weeks. A decision on returning will be made around or shortly after the 5/6 event. Updates to follow.