WWE Set To Bring In Major International Star

AJ Styles could be about to retire from WWE, but his place on the roster might be filled by a top international star.

At the Royal Rumble, AJ Styles will put his career on the line against Gunther, as The Ring General looks to make it a hat trick of retiring WWE legends after seeing off Goldberg and John Cena.

Should Styles lose, that would open up a hole in the roster for a top star, and WWE could already have plans to fill it with a top New Japan Pro Wrestling star.

WWE About To Get EVIL

NJPW released a statement on the company’s website, confirming that EVIL is leaving the promotion at the end of January:

After careful consideration and discussions with NJPW management, EVIL, who has been a long standing member of the NJPW roster will leave New Japan Pro-Wrestling at the expiry of his contract at the end of January 2026.

We apologise to fans for the sudden nature of this announcement. New Japan Pro-Wrestling wishes EVIL the very best in his future activities.

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer all but confirmed that EVIL’s next destination in WWE, but he’s not sure how well the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion will fit in there:

EVIL’s a good wrestler, but he’s not a great wrestler. It’s not like his ability is so far above others that he’s going to make a huge difference. I don’t see him being another Penta or anything like that—you know, not that type of charisma.

EVIL’s former tag team partner SANADA also said goodbye to NJPW recently, raising questions about his own future plans. The two stars were previously part of Los Ingobernables de Japon, led by Tetsuya Naito. Naito and fellow LIJ member BUSHI left NJPW in 2025. Whether a whole group reunion is part of bigger plans remains to be seen.