Slayer_X
04-30-2014, 10:05 PM
New Speculation On A Top Japanese Wrestling Legend Signing With WWE Soon
By Marc Middleton | April 30, 2014 | Comments (260)
Source: PWInsider
It was announced in Japan this morning that Pro Wrestling NOAH star KENTA will be leaving the promotion on May 17th.
We noted earlier this year that KENTA spent a week at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, working an informal tryout and training with some of the NXT talents. KENTA returned to Japan and downplayed his time at the Performance Center. He later wrote a blog about always wanting to get a spot in WWE. KENTA claimed to Japanese media that he wasn't seeking a WWE deal but he would consider it if WWE offered.
Speculation now is that KENTA is headed to WWE but that's not confirmed yet. He's been with NOAH since they launched.
KENTA leaves Pro Wrestling NOAH, likely heading to WWE
By Keith Harris @glasgowkjh on Apr 30 2014, 5:17p m
Will we soon see the GTS in WWE rings again? No, CM Punk isn't returning, but the Japanese originator of the move, KENTA, has announced his imminent departure from Pro Wrestling NOAH and is rumored to be WWE bound.
Three months ago, we reported that Japanese star KENTA had received a WWE tryout at their Performance Center in Orlando.
At the time the news broke I wasn't very bullish on him being signed by WWE, due to the combination of his age, small size, history of major ACL injuries, stiff ring style and his inability to speak fluent English. Indeed, Triple H had apparently decreed that they had enough svelte super workers in NXT and on the main roster already, and instead should concentrate on signing more tall, muscular athletes from other sports like amateur wrestling and college football.
It initially seemed like nothing would come of this story, as KENTA quickly claimed he only visited the WWE Performance Center to work out and wasn't there for a tryout or looking for a contract. At the next major Pro Wrestling NOAH event, he announced that he was devoted to his native company and was staying put in their green ring, which killed all rumors about a move to WWE dead in the water.
Now, the KENTA to WWE speculation is back with a vengeance, after he announced his imminent departure from NOAH earlier today:
"KENTA announced today at a press conference at the NOAH offices that he would be leaving the promotion, with his final show being on 5/17....
The belief in Japan is that he is WWE-bound, but at the press conference, he said that he would say later what the next move in his life would be. But he did say that he has a new challenge ahead of him."
According to Dave Meltzer in his latest subscriber only Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the delay in KENTA potentially joining WWE was because his NOAH contract didn't expire until the end of this month and he wanted to fulfill his commitments before announcing the move.
Of course, like with Prince Devitt, there's no official confirmation that KENTA will definitely be jumping ship to WWE, but given that he's already had a tryout and he's talked about wrestling for WWE being a dream of his, clearly the odds point in that direction. We would be remiss to fail to mention the speculation that New Japan Pro Wrestling could be his final destination instead of WWE, but given that New Japan and NOAH are on friendly terms at the moment and regularly share talent, it seems unlikely they would steal their top star.
At the very least, if we will soon see the GTS in WWE rings again, then chances are it will KENTA delivering it, not CM Punk
Good .WWE is lacking japanese stars right now. -Slayer_x
By Marc Middleton | April 30, 2014 | Comments (260)
Source: PWInsider
It was announced in Japan this morning that Pro Wrestling NOAH star KENTA will be leaving the promotion on May 17th.
We noted earlier this year that KENTA spent a week at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, working an informal tryout and training with some of the NXT talents. KENTA returned to Japan and downplayed his time at the Performance Center. He later wrote a blog about always wanting to get a spot in WWE. KENTA claimed to Japanese media that he wasn't seeking a WWE deal but he would consider it if WWE offered.
Speculation now is that KENTA is headed to WWE but that's not confirmed yet. He's been with NOAH since they launched.
KENTA leaves Pro Wrestling NOAH, likely heading to WWE
By Keith Harris @glasgowkjh on Apr 30 2014, 5:17p m
Will we soon see the GTS in WWE rings again? No, CM Punk isn't returning, but the Japanese originator of the move, KENTA, has announced his imminent departure from Pro Wrestling NOAH and is rumored to be WWE bound.
Three months ago, we reported that Japanese star KENTA had received a WWE tryout at their Performance Center in Orlando.
At the time the news broke I wasn't very bullish on him being signed by WWE, due to the combination of his age, small size, history of major ACL injuries, stiff ring style and his inability to speak fluent English. Indeed, Triple H had apparently decreed that they had enough svelte super workers in NXT and on the main roster already, and instead should concentrate on signing more tall, muscular athletes from other sports like amateur wrestling and college football.
It initially seemed like nothing would come of this story, as KENTA quickly claimed he only visited the WWE Performance Center to work out and wasn't there for a tryout or looking for a contract. At the next major Pro Wrestling NOAH event, he announced that he was devoted to his native company and was staying put in their green ring, which killed all rumors about a move to WWE dead in the water.
Now, the KENTA to WWE speculation is back with a vengeance, after he announced his imminent departure from NOAH earlier today:
"KENTA announced today at a press conference at the NOAH offices that he would be leaving the promotion, with his final show being on 5/17....
The belief in Japan is that he is WWE-bound, but at the press conference, he said that he would say later what the next move in his life would be. But he did say that he has a new challenge ahead of him."
According to Dave Meltzer in his latest subscriber only Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the delay in KENTA potentially joining WWE was because his NOAH contract didn't expire until the end of this month and he wanted to fulfill his commitments before announcing the move.
Of course, like with Prince Devitt, there's no official confirmation that KENTA will definitely be jumping ship to WWE, but given that he's already had a tryout and he's talked about wrestling for WWE being a dream of his, clearly the odds point in that direction. We would be remiss to fail to mention the speculation that New Japan Pro Wrestling could be his final destination instead of WWE, but given that New Japan and NOAH are on friendly terms at the moment and regularly share talent, it seems unlikely they would steal their top star.
At the very least, if we will soon see the GTS in WWE rings again, then chances are it will KENTA delivering it, not CM Punk
Good .WWE is lacking japanese stars right now. -Slayer_x