bah..was hoping it would be Takeshi Morishima ;)

Another new signing this time from Japan:

(Credit: puroresufan.com)

Since November 12th, 2007, Naofumi Yamamoto has been away from New Japan on a learning excursion overseas. He's spent much of his time in FCW in Florida, a WWE "farm" base. Yamamoto returned to New Japan offices today to announce that he was leaving New Japan Pro-Wrestling to formally joined Vince McMahon's WWE. Yamamoto said he had actually left in February after not having a new contract, then passed an official WWE tryout in April. Yamamoto was thinking of returning, but then saw Nakamura defeat Kurt Angle in February, and knew he wouldn't be able to return until he reached Nakamura's level anyway. Yamamoto said he would start from the bottom in WWE, he knew, but his target was to fight on a Wrestlemania show. Yamamoto says he has no regrets in Japan, and hopes to make WWE his final home, as it is the biggest promotion in the world. Yamamoto spoke about Goto's G1 Climax victory and smiled bitterly as he recalled his first G1 in 2006, where he lost every match. His style in the United States is going to to be fundementally the same - black shorts, black shin guards, and a kick-based offense.



President Sugabayashi wished Yamamoto luck in America and told him he will always be welcome back in New Japan if he decides to return to Japanese wrestling. As one of the gifted class of 2002 - featuring Nakamura, Goto, and Taguchi - he has finally made it somewhere after a sluggish spell, and looks to conquer the peak of American professional wrestling. Yamamoto said that he would prove the strength and ability of New Japan Pro-Wrestling to the world, and apologized to fans because he would not be returning to New Japan, but asked for their support in this new phase of his career.


It's a shame Yamamoto couldn't find his feet in New Japan but he was eclipsed by his fellow 2002 rookie classmates (Shinsuke Nakamura Former IWGP champion; Ryusuke Taguchi former IWGP Jr Heavyweight champion; Hirooki Goto 2008 G1 Climax winner) and this seemed to affect him and his in-ring progression was rather stultified. Japan likes to send their workers overseas to improve their skills: Goto for instance spent a large chunk of last year in Mexico and came back a better worker; NOAH's Go Shiozaki is currently tearing it up in ROH so it's a worthwhile and productive practice

I shudder to think what Vince will do with him though. They'll no doubt change his name and give him a stereotyped gimmick to appeal to the kiddies they are now booking for.

But good luck to Yamamoto anyway. If he does get used on TV, he'll always be able to return to Japan as a "former WWE star" which will improve his cache.

-- Edited by Man In Black at 12:59, 2008-09-12