Since reopening the LA Dojo, New Japan Pro Wrestling has had a steady supply of new faces rising through the ranks of their roster. The first class contained the likes of Alex Coughlin & Clark Connors, both of whom has found big tournament spots in Japan following their graduation from Young Lion status. One name who got tired of waiting around was Karl Fredericks, which led him to leave the company at the end of August 2022 – looking to become a star elsewhere, and seems to have found a spot on the WWE roster as a result.
Karl Fredericks Reportedly Signs With WWE To Join NXT Brand
It was reported earlier today that Fredericks has signed a WWE contract, and will be part of the NXT brand going forward. This comes after Fredericks was spotted leaving the WWE Performance Center this past September, which was likely when he had his tryout to join the company. Alongside Dragon Lee, this is another big signing for the brand – giving a TV ready name who can hang with the best of the best in the brand without needing extra training.
His ring work is top notch, having been trained by Katsuyori Shibata after already having years of experience working around the United States on the indies. The only thing Fredericks really lacks for an easy step into WWE was a defined character, only having a loose “Alpha Wolf” persona to call his own following his years as a Young Lion. That is likely why he’s been put to the NXT brand first, as that is a fantastic place to develop a new character.
A New Years Evil Debut Coming Tonight?
There’s a good chance we see Fredericks or Dragon Lee show up on tonight’s big “New Years Evil” episode of WWE NXT, given that WWE are expecting higher than average viewership for the episode. Some have predicted Fredericks or Lee will be the next challenger for NXT Champion Bron Breakker, provided he’s not defeated by Grayson Waller tonight.
Needless to say, this is a good fit for Fredericks. He has the right look and attitude to go far in WWE, and it is good to see his choice to bet on himself and leave the safety of the NJPW roster behind. It’s unclear how high he would have rised in NJPW, but the path to the top in WWE can be much quicker.
Do you think Karl Fredericks will be a good fit in NXT? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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