Report: Huge Japanese Star *POSSIBLY* Signing With WWE

[Jack-Hammer]

According to PWInsider.com, there are rumors circulating about the future of one of the biggest stars in Japan. The sight announced that, as of this morning, Kenta Kobayashi will be leaving Pro Wrestling Noah on May 17th. This has led to rumors circulating that Kenta MIGHT be heading to WWE for a couple of reasons:

1. Kenta has been with Pro Wrestling Noah from the beginning - Kenta began wrestling with All Japan Pro Wrestling as a junior heavyweight but left when Mitsuharu Misawa left the company to form Pro Wrestling Noah. Allegedly, Kenta left because AJPW didn't consider or treat the junior heavyweight division with any degree of relevance in the early 2000s. Misawa stated that it would be a big deal in his, so that's where Kenta's been since 2000. In Pro Wrestling Noah, Kenta has been GHC Heavyweight Champion 1 time, GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion 3 times, GHC Tag Team Champion 1 time and GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion 3 times.

2. Kenta received an "informal tryout" earlier this year with WWE - I'd forgotten about this, but Kenta spent a week at the WWE Performance Center training with some of the NXT talents. Upon his return to Japan, he downplayed his time there, but wrote a blog stating that he'd always wanted a spot in WWE. He informed the media that he wasn't seeking a deal with WWE but he'd be interested if one was offered.

This doesn't automatically mean that he intends to sign or already has signed with WWE. Kenta's been extremely loyal to Pro Wrestling Noah and I'd imagine that he's done pretty well for himself financially. Loyalty is one thing, but you don't stay with a company for nearly 14 years if you're not making a good amount of money. So, one would assume that he's either retiring, though unlikely since he's only turned 33 last month, or someone has made him a big money offer that he just can't say no to.

IF he does sign or already has signed with WWE, however, I'm not sure how happy he'll be. If he left AJPW over dissatisfaction of how they were using their junior heavyweights circa 2000, it couldn't have been any worse than what WWE has done. While a hefty portion of WWE's roster can fit into the Cruiserweight/Light Heavyweight/Junior Heavyweight division, WWE doesn't have one and that's not too likely to change. Even if they did, it's no secret that WWE hasn't exactly treated it as a priority the handful of times the division has been reinstated over the decades.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Can't wait for Kenta Kobayashi to become an authority figure in WWE. That'd rule. Strange signing though, WWE would be better off signing KENTA imo.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

Can't wait for Kenta Kobayashi to become an authority figure in WWE. That'd rule. Strange signing though, WWE would be better off signing KENTA imo.

Da fuq? Who do you think we're talking about here? I think you're confusing Kenta Kobayashi (KENTA) with Kenta Kobashi who's been retired for years.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Yeah, you're right. Still, bring both of them. WWE always handle their Japanese wrestlers well.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

Yeah, you're right. Still, bring both of them. WWE always handle their Japanese wrestlers well.

To be fair, this isn't just any Japanese wrestler. This is the Japanese wrestler CM Punk took most of his WWE move-set off. All they got to do is stick a rub on Pepsi tattoo on his shoulder and come up with a Japanese alternative to "CM Punk". It'll be like he never walked away!

As for KENTA, dude is phenomenal, but he isn't as good as he once was. Hes had a couple injuries over the last few years that have sent him back a little bit. He's not the same KENTA he was in ROH where he was beating the snot out of everyone in legs reach. He is still great though and he already has a good enough grasp of English, so that's good. If they bring him in and push him as a legitimate Japanese wrestling machine, like how they pushed Bryan as a self-made wrestling machine when he debuted on NXT, he'll get over.

And if Bryan vs. KENTA were to happen on a WWE PPV, I'd laugh at people losing their minds. The matches these two had in ROH were incredible.

 

[Trance Metaphor]

Yeah, you're right. Still, bring both of them. WWE always handle their Japanese wrestlers well.

Except for Yoshi Tatsu and to a certain degree Hakushi (although he had some excellent matches with Bret Hart).

I hope KENTA does come to the WWE even if it's for a short-term deal, because I'd love to see him wrestle Daniel Bryan. I'm not sure where he'll fit exactly and how WWE will handle him, but I'm sure he could put on some great matches against quite a few on the WWE roster. It would be different because the last memorable Japanese wrestler in WWE was Tajiri and I loved Tajiri's run.

 

[rwest615]

I would love to see him and Daniel Bryan pick things back up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfcgZ2EJSvs

 

[Pedigree1]

I have seen only clips here and there of this guy.. This guy if he does in fact sign,is the real deal.. Dude is legit and can go.. IF he can come in and get some heat,a match again between him and Daniel Bryan the match will be amazing.

 

[steve storm]

the only issue i have with this is how vince has treated previous japanese wrestlers giving them stupid gimmicks and making them look stupid and not being taken seriously. also what has happened to prince devitt? i was hoping he was going to be joining wwe but looks like thats not going to happen now unfortunately.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

the only issue i have with this is how vince has treated previous japanese wrestlers giving them stupid gimmicks and making them look stupid and not being taken seriously. also what has happened to prince devitt? i was hoping he was going to be joining wwe but looks like thats not going to happen now unfortunately.

He asked for his release from NJPW, he wasn't given it, they are waiting to negotiate. If they can't come to a deal they will release him and then he'll probably sign for WWE. If it's anything I'm from Ireland and follow his UK indy work and he dropped a title out of nowhere last weekend for ICW and made a final appearance for This is PROGRESS against a guy a lot like him called Zak Sabre Jr. So it looks like he is wrapping up dates for something.

 

[BenChillin]

Cool. KENTA could ask Daniel Bryan for his knee strike back and CM Punk for his GTS back.

 

[J.D Lethal]

Now KENTA would be a good sign...but let's be honest here WWE isnt the best spot for Asian wrestlers. Only Taijri imo got a good push in the E, and since no one is talking about it KENTA does has knee issues in the past and he is 33 year old at best he would make raw at the age of 35 at the least.

 

[The Dragon Saga]

If you want some insight on KENTA, here's what Dave Meltzer wrote about him today.

Tokyo Sports reported on 4/30 that KENTA, the company’s biggest star, is leaving the promotion with his final appearance being on the 5/17 show at Korakuen Hall.

The news was confirmed hours later at a press conference at the NOAH offices with KENTA, real name Kenta Kobayashi, and Naomichi Marufuji, the Vice President of the promotion.

“Thank you very much for all the fans who have supported me for the last 14 years. You only live life once and I’m taking a new challenge at 33 years old.”

KENTA said that he can’t reveal what he is doing next and would be making an announcement soon.

The belief is that he is headed to WWE. KENTA had a WWE tryout that started on 1/27, and lasted several days. After he got back, he claimed it wasn’t a tryout and he was just there to see how they did things. There were wrestlers in NOAH who immediately contradicted that privately, noting he took a flight right out of Japan after a show directly to Orlando without any rest, and it was noted to us by various people he was there for a tryout. But nothing was said about it since.

Apparently the quietness was more because KENTA’s contract didn’t expire until 4/30, and was fulfilling those dates before making the announcement.

Those in Japan believe this will lead to a decline in the popularity of an already struggling promotion, that a decade ago was thriving, until losing its weekly network slot on NTV, and in recent years has suffered loss of major talent and significant economic problems, as well as the death of Mitsuharu Misawa and the end of the career of Kenta Kobashi.

KENTA will do two shows on per-show deals, the 5/3 NOAH show at Differ Ariake, and the 5/17 show, as his farewell, and in many ways, that show will be the end of an era for the promotion.

It’s not confirmed it is WWE, although most believe that to be the case. There was New Japan speculation going on as well.

A former kickboxer, Kenta Kobayashi, born March 12, 1981, is only 5-foot-7 and about 180 pounds. For most of the past decade, he was considered one of the best pro wrestlers in the world. Both Daniel Bryan and C.M. Punk heavily took from his style which included hard kicks and submissions, and he popularized Punk’s finisher, the GTS, which in Japan was called the Go 2 sleep.

KENTA became known to American fans by working with ROH, starting off as a special attraction from Japan as part of ROH and NOAH's working agreement before undertaking a full time schedule in 2009. KENTA's consistent booking was one of the reasons for Cary Silkin's money problems running the company in that year as KENTA was expensive to bring over but proved a draw. He wrestled Bryan in both singles and tag matches in Japan, including once winning the GHC jr. heavyweight title from him, with matches in both NOAH and ROH.

His style is based on hard kicks, as he did kickboxing as an amateur before starting pro wrestling in 2000, for All Japan Pro Wrestling. He left as part of the mass exodus that year when Misawa formed Pro Wrestling NOAH. Because his real name was so similar to Kenta Kobashi, who was also his mentor, he went by the name KENTA.

His talent was very quickly noted by fans an he became the most popular wrestler in the junior heavyweight division. It was a slow ascension to the actual top spot in the promotion because in Japan, while smaller guys have been featured for decades, it was usually against other smaller guys. A major league promotion, like NOAH, wouldn’t have a junior heavyweight beat the top heavyweights or hold the heavyweight title.

But in recent years, with the lack of new heavyweight stars and a changing fan base, the old rules were thrown out, although many felt they waited too long to establish KENTA as the group’s top star. KENTA has been dealing with some injury issues over the past couple of years so this could play a part in his potential deal with WWE.

 

[X]

Fuck yeah now there's some news that makes my dick hard if true. Granted I've been let down many times before by the WWE possibly signing incredibly talented indy or international wrestlers, but every once in a while it works out grandly (Punk, Bryan) and KENTA has just that kind of potential to be a huge star. If they just let him get over doing what he does best in the ring, and don't saddle him with a stupid gimmick, this could be amazing. The matches alone that he would have with guys like Bryan, Ziggler, Rollins, Ambrose, shit half the roster really would be incredible.

Seems like a good chance it's true too because I doubt he'd give notice to NOAH unless he had a serious job offer. This could be amazing. I'm going to keep my fingers crossed.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

KENTA vs Bryan Danielson is a great match everytime.

I don't know how they bring him in, or how they book him, but I'm excited. Personally, I'd like to see Authority bring him in as a secret weapon against Daniel Bryan.

 

[James]

Daniel Bryan vs. KENTA at SummerSlam, book it right now. Have KENTA win and watch them global ratings go up higher than my blood pressure after eating ramen noodles.

Nah but this would be amazing in my opinion. Too bad Mr. Fuji is dead or else he would have an amazing manager. Or Paul Heyman could have two clients and he builds KENTA to be a major villain. Daniel Bryan wins the title back at RR which CM Punk will win and they'll face each other at 31 in an ironman match.

 

[MoRtAnDaD]

Im with James, the second i read about KENTA....Paul Heyman came to my mind.

If theres a scenario where you will use 100% Heyman's skill, its this one. KENTA can be the nemsis that DB really needs.