WWE Stars Who Faced Kyoki (Hiromu Takahashi) Prior To His Debut

WWE

Following months of speculation, Hiromu Takahashi made his first WWE TV appearance on the August 21 edition of SmackDown.

With Takahashi re-introducing himself as “Kyoki” in a vignette featuring Shinsuke Nakamura, WWE appears set to reference these stars’ pasts, as they establish themselves as a tag-team on the blue brand.

WWE’s latest debutant has crossed paths with numerous top stars, including some who are currently active in WWE today.

Here are six current WWE stars who Kyoki (Hiromu Takahashi) shared the ring with prior to his debut for the company.

Tama Tonga

 

Following recent teases, Kyoki was revealed to be Shinsuke Nakamura’s tag-team partner as he attempts to take down The MFTs.

Kyoki has actually shared the ring with Tama Tonga on a number of occasions, most recently in CHAOS vs Los Ingobernables de Japon eight-man tag-team action during the March 2023 New Japan Cup tour.

Tama Tonga has met “Hiromu Takahashi” one-on-one in several matches, most recently at the April 21, 2012 NJPW 40th Anniversary tour event, where Tonga came out on top.

There are several more WWE names who Kyoki has crossed paths with elsewhere, including…

Penta & Rey Fenix – Lucha Brothers

Kyoki wrestled at the 2023, 2024 and 2025 iterations of AEW/NJPW Forbidden Door, with his 2024 outing seeing him face off against two stars who are now with WWE.

“Hiromu Takahashi” teamed with Los Ingobernables de Japon faction members Titan and Yota Tsuji in a losing effort against Mistico, and the Lucha Brothers, consisting of Penta and Rey Fenix.

While Penta and Fenix have only wrestled in dark action in WWE so far, it would make sense for WWE to bring them to TV, with Shinsuke Nakamura and Kyoki also set to join the SmackDown tag-team division.

Naraku

Kyoki and Naraku were faction mates for three and a half years, with “Hiromu Takahashi” joining the Los Ingobernables de Japon faction in December 2016.

Having left the group in July 2020, Naraku – then EVIL – defended his IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental titles against Kyoki at that month’s NJPW Sengoku Lord in Nagoya event.

The former teammates also faced off in the third round of the 2022 New Japan Cup tournament, with “Hiromu Takahashi” victorious in this encounter.

While Naraku currently wrestles for NXT, it would be a missed opportunity to not have the former LIJ members stand face to face in WWE.

Finn Balor

Both Kyoki and Finn Balor are decorated former stars of NJPW’s junior heavyweight division.

The duo faced off numerous times in tag-team action between July 2011 and March 2013, with their most recent match against one another being their only singles encounter.

During the 2013 Best of the Super Juniors tournament, Balor – then Prince Devitt – defeated “Hiromu Takahashi” to earn two points in the A-block.

With Balor and Kyoki now both on SmackDown, a collision between the two NJPW alumni feels inevitable.

Cody Rhodes

Arguably the most notable current WWE star who Kyoki has shared the ring with is the American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes.

“Hiromu Takahashi” and “Cody” battled it out at the May 12, 2018 ROH/NJPW War of the Worlds crossover event, during Rhodes’ stint with the Bullet Club.

The American Nightmare was ultimately victorious, using his underhook piledriver to put Kyoki away, following the Japanese star kicking out of the Cross Rhodes.

With the duo sharing the ring two other times in Los Ingobernables de Japon vs Bullet Club 10-man tag-team bouts in August 2017 and May 2018, it would be fun to see these two stars face off in a WWE ring.

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• Hiromu Takahashi
• Kyoki
• wwe
• NJPW

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