KUSHIDA returns to NJPW at New Japan Road

Two months after departing WWE, KUSHIDA has returned to New Japan Pro Wrestling.

KUSHIDA made his return to NJPW by confronting IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion Taiji Ishimori at Tuesday’s New Japan Road event in Tokyo. Ishimori had defeated Hiromu Takahashi in the main event of the show before being confronted by KUSHIDA.

KUSHIDA announced that he’s signed an NJPW contract and promised to spend the rest of his pro wrestling life in an NJPW ring.

KUSHIDA said that Ishimori may think he has no challengers left, but he’s wrong because KUSHIDA is back. Ishimori told KUSHIDA that he’ll need to prove himself before getting a title shot.

During his first stint with NJPW, KUSHIDA held the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship six times.

KUSHIDA left NJPW in January 2019 and officially joined WWE in April of that year. He was part of the NXT roster for three years until departing WWE when his contract expired this April.

KUSHIDA was a one-time NXT Cruiserweight Champion while with WWE.

Dave Meltzer reported after KUSHIDA’s WWE departure that he was expected to return to NJPW in June.