A day after Evil won the 2020 version of the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) Cup, turned on Los Ingobernables de Japon (LIJ), and joined Bullet Club — he went on to do what was unthinkable when the New Japan Cup brackets were announced.
Throughout the New Japan Cup, Evil would show unnerving aggression and would not hesitate to blatantly break the rules, even going as far as using low blows to defeat his former Cold Darkness tag team partner, Sanada.
He would dive even further into his bag of unethical tactics, using the help of his new Bullet Club unit mates and further low blows to defeat former five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Kazuchika Okada in the New Japan Cup finals.
His match against ‘Double Champion’ Tetsuya Naito went on for thirty-eight minutes and one second, telling a story of Evil going after Naito’s leg and effectively using the Sasori-Gatame (Scorpion Hold) to nearly gain the submission.
Naito was able to gain the advantage over Evil, who now dawns all-black gear, symbolizing his complete descent into darkness. However, Evil was able to kick out of two Destino variations, frustrating Naito. Yet, interference from former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori and Jedo gave Evil second life, until reigning IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Hiromu Takahashi was able to neutralize them.
Naito would be able to resist until the returning Dick Togo (dressed as Bushi) interfered in the match, leading until Evil hitting EVIL and defeating Naito to the shock of the house audience and those watching around the world.
The victory for Evil brings a scenario not seen in NJPW and will be a major topic of discussion during the NJPW Landscape series being published this week.
With the win, Evil becomes the IWGP Heavyweight Champion, IWGP Intercontinental Champion, while still being one-third of the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Champions with LIJ members Bushi and NEVER Openweight Champion Shingo Takagi. He also joins Naito as being only an IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship reign away from completing the heavyweight singles championship grand slam in NJPW.
