EVIL Looking At Options Outside NJPW

EVIL might be on his way out of NJPW after dropping the NEVER Openweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 20. 

Always a divisive worker, EVIL has been with NJPW since 2011 and has since gone on to hold the IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP Intercontinental titles, as well as four reigns as NEVER Openweight Champion, six as NEVER Six-Man Tag Team Champion, and two as IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champion in the almost fifteen years since. EVIL's latest run as NEVER Openweight Champion came to an end on Sunday morning, losing to 2020 Olympic Judo gold medalist Aaron Wolf in his professional wrestling debut in the Tokyo Dome. 

According to Fightful Select's report on the event, there have been rumors that he is considering his options outside of NJPW when his current deal expires. It was not stated who may be interested in signing him if he were to enter free agency, but AEW is not thought to be one of those options, with President Tony Khan amongst those not enamored with EVIL's body of work. 

Per traditional NJPW developmental custom, EVIL was sent on excursion to the USA towards the end of 2013 and listed appearances with ROH, NWA, and HOG among other independent dates. Going along with the note that Khan wasn't a fan of his work, EVIL is one of the only NJPW mainstays not to have made an appearance with AEW through the working relationship, at Forbidden Door or otherwise.