It’s been reported for months that former Pro Wrestling NOAH star KENTA is signing with WWE and would be training at the Performance Center this summer.
Japan’s Tokyo Sports is now reporting that WWE will officially announce that KENTA has signed with the company during their tour of Japan next month, with a press conference scheduled for July 12.
Above is the final match and “Goodbye” speech from KENTA at the Pro Wrestling NOAH event from this past weekend. As noted in the past, KENTA is rumored to be heading to the WWE Performance Center this summer to start working in the company’s developmental system.
Thanks to SEScoops.com reader Tara for sending along the following NXT TV taping results for the next four weeks …
Spoilers For June 5, 2014:
– Mojo Rawley kicks off NXT and gets everyone hyped. Aiden English sings and gets beat with Mojo’s finisher in a fairly quick match.
– Bayley comes out and gives her bandana to one of the Special Olympic athletes at ringside. NXT Women’s Champion Charlotte comes out for a match. Charlotte gets the win with Bow Down to the Queen after Summer Rae returned to NXT and distracted Bayley. Sasha Banks, Summer and Charlotte beat down Bayley until Emma and Paige made the save.
– Jason Jordan and Tye Dillinger defeated two indie wrestlers from FIP.
– CJ Parker came out with more Earth friendly signs in protest.
– Tyler Breeze comes out for an in-ring segment and talks about beating Sami Zayn to become the new #1 contender. Breeze promises he will be the new NXT Champion when he gets his shot against Adrian Neville. Breeze shows us a music video he had made which is a compilation of his greatest entrances.
– Adrian Neville defeated Justin Gabriel. After the match, Tyson Kidd came out and apologized for his actions at Takeover. They shook hands and agree to a rematch at a future date that isn’t announced.
Spoilers For June 12, 2014
– Bayley, Emma and Paige defeated Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Summer Rae. The BFF’s argued from the time they came out to the stage. They argued all during the match, allowing Bayley to get the pin on Charlotte. The problems continued after the match as Charlotte and Sasha argued to the back. Summer ended up staying at ringside and taking photos with fans.
– More protesting from CJ Parker.
– Big Cass defeated Sylvester Lefort.
– Bo Dallas comes out under a mask and he’s called Mr. NXT. Sami Zayn comes out and exposes him. After Sami wins the match, he calls for security to escort Bo out of the arena since he was banned from NXT previously. Bo runs around the arena but security catches up with him. Bo begs for someone’s help but they take him away.
– Adrian Neville defeated Tyson Kidd with the NXT Title on the line. Natalya was at ringside. Kidd won the match at one point but the referee didn’t see Neville’s foot on the bottom rope and the match was re-started. The end came when Kidd grabbed a steel chair from Natalya but got caught with a heel kick and Red Arrow. Kidd walked away from Natalya after the match.
Spoilers For June 19, 2014
– There’s an off-camera segment with Bo Dallas running around asking for help from security.
– Alexa Bliss defeated Sasha Banks. Charlotte and Summer Rae were at ringside with Sasha. Sasha lost when there was more arguing among the BFF’s.
– Mojo Rawley defeated Garrett Dylan.
– “The Vaudevillians” Aiden English and Simon Gotch defeated Travis Tyler and Angelo Dawkins.
– Tyler Breeze defeated Kalisto.
– The Ascension defeated Sami Zayn and Tyson Kidd with the NXT Tag Team Titles on the line. Sami got hit with Fall of Man after Kidd walked out on him.
Spoilers For June 26, 2014
– The Vaudevillians defeated two unknown wrestlers.
– CJ Parker comes back out with more Earth friendly signs in protest.
– Bull Dempsey defeated Xavier Woods. Dempsey took the mic and said the business used to be dominated by brawler guys like him. He said he’s the last of a dying breed.
– Becky Lynch defeated Summer Rae when she was distracted by Sasha and Charlotte arguing at ringside.
– Big Cass defeated Sawyer Fulton in a squash match. After the match, Marcus Louis and Sylvester Lefort came out and beat Cass down. Enzo Amore made his return and made the save for Cass. Enzo cut an awesome promo and the crowd was all into it. Cass and Enzo did their schtick and left to a new theme song.
– Tyler Breeze is out next for commentary. Rob Van Dam vs. Adrian Neville in a non-title match is next. Neville gets the win with the Red Arrow. Breeze and Neville stare each other down after the match.
Current plans in WWE call for KENTA, Prince Devitt and Kevin Steen to all report to the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida in August.
In the case of all three guys, there would be hangups with Visas, medicals or other issues, but WWE is currently going with this as the running plan.
(Partial Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
Japanese wrestling star KENTA is rumored to be joining WWE and starting at NXT this summer. During an interview with Tokyo Sports, Kenta said:
“Right now, There is nothing that I can say at this time. I will announce my plans when the time is right for me to announce them.”
Puroresu Spirit reports that Kenta is waiting for his visa to clear before he can make any announcement.
KENTA is expected to hold a press conference in Japan over the next few days regarding his future.
The 5/17 Korakuen Hall show, with KENTA’s final appearance, sold out about ten days in advance, which is no surprise. It was reported in Tokyo Sports, using Takashi Sugiura as the source, that KENTA will debut with WWE in Orlando over the summer.
As far as Prince Devitt is concerned, he is expected in the late summer, with a tentative projection of August.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
According to reports, Japanese wrestler Sakamoto has been re-signed by WWE. Sakamoto once appeared as Tensai’s assistance, but was released from the company in May of 2013. He was in attendance at last night’s NXT event in Orlando, and has been in the area for several days now.
Additionally, some insist that Sakamoto was brought in to help translate for KENTA when he arrives. As previously reported, it’s still up in the air as to whether or not KENTA will be coming in to WWE.
– Japanese wrestling star KENTA leaving Pro Wrestling NOAH came as a huge shock to everyone in the Japanese wrestling community. KENTA, who has been wrestling a stiff style for years, realizes that now is the time to transition to WWE, if he ever plans to do it. KENTA’s close friend, Japanese wrestler Katsuyori Shibata, recently stated that it was KENTA’s lifelong dream to be a WWE Superstar.
– The following is a preview for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT on the WWE Network:
* Emma vs. Charlotte in a Women’s Title tournament match
* Alicia Fox vs. Alexa Bliss in a tournament match
* Camacho vs. Captain Comic (one of Adam Rose’s Rosebuds)
* Kalisto & El Local vs. Sylvester Lefort & Marcus Louis
* Battle Royal to crown a new #1 contender to Adrian Neville’s NXT Title.
(Partial Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
Pro Wrestling Noah star KENTA posted a blog about his training at the WWE Performance Center this week. Here’s an English translation from yottsumepuroresu.blogspot.jp:
“I am sorry for having you all confused over the various information about my visit in the US.
As a matter of fact, I am in the States and enjoying the WWE training. But as for now, it’s not about getting a tryout or a contract.
It is indeed true that I have always been yearning for a spot in WWE, and I’ve always wanted to give it a try sometime. After all, you only live once. “I should have given it a try.” “I should have chosen another way.” I’ve had those regrets when I was in my middle and high school, and even after I got in to this business. I just did not want to regret later about something I haven’t tried, so I used my time off to participate in the WWE workout. The executives were at the workout, so perhaps I may have left a mark.
The place is full of competition and hungry guys. It’s not as simple as being good at Puroresu or having strength. There are so many guys with monster physique and guys who are way athletically superior to me. And even they don’t get into the big league. That’s how tough this place could be. I can easily imagine that surviving in this environment could be severe. And spending a few days in that environment became a really good experience for me.
I’m sorry to have caused the confusion, but one thing I can say for sure is that “I’m glad I came”. I would like to work even harder making use of this experience.
And lastly, I would like to thank [NOAH] President [Akira] Taue for letting me take this chance.”
– Jake “the Snake” Roberts will be returning to the ring in February on two shows for Jersey Championship Wrestling. Roberts is advertised for a six-man tag match on 2/21 (Union, NJ) and a singles match on 2/22 (Union City, NJ).
– Japanese wrestling star KENTA, who was training at the WWE Performance Center this week, will make a big announcement about the future of his career on Monday in Japan. KENTA was rumored for Thursday night’s NXT tapings but did not appear.
– A petition at WhiteHouse.gov pushing for Daniel Bryan to receive a WWE World Heavyweight championship shot at WrestleMania XXX has been removed due to a violation of their “Terms of Participation.” The petition had approximately 100,000 signatures before being pulled.
– The ‘retired Jersey banner’ for NBA great Austin Carr disappeared some time during or after WWE’s Monday Night RAW taping from the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio.
Officials from the Cleveland Cavaliers are investigating the theft, according to CleveScene.com.
– Japanese wrestling star KENTA is rumored to be attending tonight’s WWE NXT TV tapings from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. KENTA was training at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando this week and is booked for next week’s Pro Wrestling NOAH show in Japan.
According to Daily Sports in Japan, WWE has offered a contract to the Pro Wrestling NOAH-based Japanese star KENTA. While the report claims that the NOAH promotion will be doing a “farewell show” for KENTA, some claim that those reports are premature.
As previously reported, KENTA was confirmed to be at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida this past week for an official WWE tryout.
(Credit: Wrestling Observer Newsletter)
– WWE Superstar Sheamus turns 36 years old today.
– WWE Composer Jim Johnston is Steve Austin’s guest on this week’s Steve Austin Show podcast. Listen now at PodcastOne.com.
WWE composer Jim Johnston joins Steve to talk about some of their favorite entrance themes. Hear what inspired the themes for Stone Cold, The Undertaker, Bret Hart, D-Generation X, and Shawn Michaels.
– Pro Wrestling NOAH star KENTA was at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando on Monday, according to PWInsider.com. William Regal reportedly set up the tryout and he’s expected to continue training in the ring there this week.
Check out this video highlighting KENTA’s epic feud with Daniel Bryan (formerly Bryan Danielson) in Pro Wrestling NOAH:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=CfcgZ2EJSvs