12-Time Champion Wrestles His First Ever WWE Match Before RAW This Week

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Kyoki left New Japan Pro-Wrestling earlier this year. He wrestled his final NJPW match on February 11 before beginning the next chapter of his career. Therefore, his debut with the promotion against Wilson was his first match in more than six months.

Kyoki’s impressive wrestling resume before joining WWE

Before joining the Stamford-based promotion, he was widely regarded as one of Japan’s most accomplished junior heavyweight wrestlers. Under his former name Hiromu Takahashi, he captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship five times and became the only four-time winner of NJPW’s Best of the Super Juniors tournament. He also won the IWGP Tag Team Championship with Tetsuya Naito and the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship.

His championship credentials also include the GHC Junior Heavyweight Championship in Pro Wrestling NOAH, the CMLL World Lightweight Championship, and multiple reigns with DDT’s Ironman Heavymetalweight Championship. Thus, the 12-time champion label reflects his decorated career across promotions, not 12 championships won exclusively in Japan.

Now, Kyoki’s WWE journey is officially underway. After winning his first match, fans will be eagerly watching to see when the former Hiromu Takahashi makes his full television in-ring debut.