The May 12, 2026, episode of WWE NXT saw Naraku make his official WWE in-ring debut. The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion faced Lince Dorado and picked up a dominant win that immediately got fans talking.
WWE had been teasing Naraku’s arrival for weeks. During the match, commentary highlighted his successful past in NJPW. On the other hand, Dorado earned the match after winning a Triple Threat contest on AAA programming a few days earlier. But once the bell rang, the match quickly became all about Naraku’s power.
Naraku defeated Lince Dorado in his first WWE NXT match
Dorado had a few moments early in the match, including a crossbody and some sharp strikes, but Naraku soon took over completely. He threw Dorado around the ring, landed heavy attacks, and controlled most of the match.
WWE leaned hard into the character’s mysterious and dangerous aura throughout the match. Commentary even renamed Naraku’s finisher “Everything is Evil” to “Entering the Abyss” as he finished the match by pinfall.
After the match, Naraku looked directly into the camera and sent a message to the NXT locker room. “Naraku is not a man of Honor. I am pure EVIL,” he said.
The line was a clear reference to his NJPW past while also introducing remanants of his new identity. WWE clearly wanted the debut to feel important, and fans online reacted very positively.
One fan agreed that it was a squash, which also played out as a decisive statement.
Many fans focused on WWE’s presentation of the former NJPW star, with many fans saying they already loved Naraku’s new character and aura.
The timing of the debut is also interesting for NXT, especially after several major stars recently moved up to WWE’s main roster. Naraku already feels like an important addition to the brand and could quickly become a serious contender for the NXT Championship if WWE continues to build him in similar fashion.
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