KENTA Signs With Pro Wrestling NOAH

The prodigal son has returned , with KENTA departing New Japan Pro-Wrestling to return to Pro Wrestling NOAH full-time.

KENTA departs NJPW after a six-year run in the promotion, with the former Bullet Club member’s profile removed from the official roster page on February 12 after announcing his planned departure earlier this year. In a press conference held later on February 12, NOAH EVP and ‘Ace’ Naomichi Marufuji announced the return of his former rival.

One of the foundational pieces of NOAH’s Jr. Heavyweight Division in the early 2000s, KENTA was part of the company for 14 years, eventually holding the promotion’s top prize, the GHC Heavyweight Championship, for 343 days in 2013 before departing for WWE NXT in early 2014.

The creator of the Go2Sleep would have an injury-ravaged time in NXT as Hideo Itami before exiting in 2017, landing in NJPW in 2019. In NJPW, KENTA would reign as a one-time IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion, one-time NEVER Openweight Champion, two-time IWGP Tag Team Champion with Chase Owens, and two-time STRONG Openweight Champion.

KENTA last wrestled for NJPW at New Year Dash on January 6, and would return to a NOAH ring on February 11

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