WWE still seems to be adjusting its plans for the name of its newest NXT signing after some confusion around a trademark filing and a sudden change on TV. Before EVIL debuted in NXT, reports said he would be called Nox Raijin. WWE even filed a trademark for that name on April 28. This was the same day he appeared on NXT for the first time and confronted NXT Champion Tony D’Angelo.
But things changed. On the May 5, 2026 episode of NXT, it was revealed that he would now go by the name Naraku.
WWE’s original name change plans for EVIL not dead yet
According to Wrestling Observer‘s Bryan Alvarez, the change wasn’t meant to be a storyline twist. He said the original plan really was Nox Raijin, and the switch happened internally instead of being part of a planned reveal.
He also noted that the “Nox Raijin” trademark is still active and could be used for someone else later. “This was weird because I and several others were told he was going to be NOX RAIJIN. Whatever happened, that name wasn’t a swerve, someone is going to be Nox, just not EVIL,” Alvarez said.
Another report from Bodyslam said that WWE reportedly included full branding and vignettes for the name Nox Raijin, but those were changed at the last moment.
On the May 5 episode, a video aired where Naraku directly sent a message to Tony D’Angelo, teasing a future challenge for the NXT Championship.
The name “Naraku” also fits the darker style WWE seems to be going for. In Japanese, it means “hell,” and it also connects to underground theater settings. The original “Raijin” part of the first name refers to the Japanese god of thunder. Nevertheless, this shows both versions were designed to feel powerful and myth-based.
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