The only wrestler in NJPW history to hold three titles at once
In short: In the world of professional wrestling, few athletes manage to balance multiple championships simultaneously. Takaaki Watanabe, known as Evil, achieved a feat never before seen in New Japan Pro-Wrestling history, holding three major titles at once before a shocking betrayal redefined his career.
Takaaki Watanabe first debuted for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in 2011 as a 'Young Lion.' After a learning excursion to the United States between 2014 and 2015, he returned to Japan and was revealed as the 'King of Darkness' Evil. He quickly became a cornerstone of the promotion, eventually forming a dominant tag team with Sanada. They won the World Tag League twice and held the IWGP Tag Team Championship on two occasions. During his time as a Young Lion, he primarily competed in the lower cards of the shows. His initial return in 2015 saw him revealed as an associate of Tetsuya Naito. He also achieved a record of five wins and one loss in the World Tag League with Naito in 2015.
Evil's career reached a historic peak in 2020. After winning the New Japan Cup, he turned on his stablemate Tetsuya Naito to join the Bullet Club. By defeating Naito at Dominion, he captured both the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships. Because he was already holding the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship, he became the first wrestler in NJPW history to hold all three titles simultaneously from July to August 2020. His victory over Naito was secured with the help of the Bullet Club. He notably displayed a more aggressive attitude during the tournament by cheating and injuring opponents. He eventually vacated the 6-Man title in August 2020 because he claimed he had no interest in defending it with his former teammates.
His tenure is marked by high-stakes aggression and record-breaking achievements. With ten total NJPW titles, he holds a record six NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championships. In 2026, he departed the promotion to sign with WWE, where he currently performs under the new moniker Naraku. His journey from a trainee to a triple champion highlights a career defined by strategic betrayals and championship dominance. He also held the NEVER Openweight Championship for a total of 117 days during his second reign. In early 2026, he officially left the promotion before moving to the United States. He currently performs on the NXT brand in his new role.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Evil (wrestler)
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