The WWE run of Timothy Thatcher on the NXT brand feels like a distant memory at this point. A gritty and violent character like Thatcher was right at home during the Black & Gold era of NXT’s history, but just over a year later with the NXT 2.0 rebranding, he’d have stood out like a sore thumb. This was never an issue, as WWE had released Thatcher in 2021, and since then – Thatcher has found his way to Japan.
Hideki Suzuki Brought Timothy Thatcher Into NOAH
During a recent interview with Nick Hausman of WrestlingInc, Thatcher would explain that former Diamond Mine member Hideki Suzuki was the one who took him to Japan for Pro Wrestling NOAH. Thatcher had the following to say.
“I ended up with Pro Wrestling NOAH rather quickly because Hideki Suzuki asked me. After we both got fired, he made the decision that he was going to go back to Japan and work for NOAH. And he asked me, ‘Would you like to do it?’ And Hideki’s a good friend of mine and I told him yes. So after that everything else becomes null and void because I told my friend that this is what I was going to do.”
Thatcher has been an instant hit in the promotion, already having claimed the GHC Tag Team Championships alongside Suzuki, and recently challenging for the promotions top title – currently held by Kaito Kitomiya. His hard hitting and submission focused in-ring style was an instant fit for the company, and many fans are hoping that whatever is left in his career is spent in the promotion.
Thatcher was even set to be part of their annual N1 Victory tournament, but was pulled at the last moment due to visa issues. It’s expected he will be in the tournament next year, with Thatcher as a very early favorite to dominate the field. Had he stuck around in WWE until Triple H took charge following the retirement of Vince McMahon, it’s likely Thatcher would have found success on Monday Night RAW or Smackdown Live – but might have not been as perfect of a fit as he has been in Japan.
Have you seen any of Thatcher’s matches in Pro Wrestling NOAH? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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