News has broken that former NXT Cruiserweight Champion Kushida has left WWE. Kushida has been with WWE since April of 2019, first appearing in the crowd during NXT TakeOver: New York before making his in-ring debut with a victory over Kassius Ohno (better known as Chris Hero) in May that same year.
During his time with the company, the former New Japan standout struggled to find his place on the card. While he had great matches and feuds against the likes of Johnny Gargano and Pete Dunne, Kushida never got the run fans had hoped for when he signed with the company.
He would gain some momentum after capturing the NXT Cruiserweight Championship from Santos Escobar. He put on great matches against Oney Lorcan, Carmelo Hayes, and Trey Baxter before dropping the belt to Roderick Strong.
It’s reported that Kushida allowed his contract to run out, which means he will not have to deal with the no-compete clause. This is great news for any Kushida fan, as this means he can show up anywhere at any time. Given that the Best of the Super Juniors is right around the corner, most will hope the “Ace of the Juniors” makes an appearance.
Given his talent and experience, Kushida will be a valuable member to any roster and I can’t wait to see where he pops up next.
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