KENTA, formerly known as Hideo Itami, disclosed that WWE prevented him from performing moves popularized by Bryan Danielson and CM Punk throughout his five-year contract. Despite high expectations upon his debut, including a contract signing officiated by Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Hart, his style was heavily restricted in WWE, forcing him to change his wrestling approach significantly. Currently, KENTA performs for the Japanese promotion NOAH, where he has freedom to use the techniques that originally defined his career.
KENTA Reflects on WWE’s Creative Control and Name Change
In an interview with the Japanese sports outlet Sports Graphic Number, KENTA explained that his WWE journey began with an immediate alteration of his ring identity, which he found unsettling. He stated,
“As soon as I went over there, my ring name was changed to something strange called Hideo Itami, and now I look back at it and think that I wasn’t hooked on it all.”
This change marked the start of a difficult adjustment period where his established style was restricted.
Prohibition of Signature Finishers Led to Forced Adaptation
KENTA was known for his innovative finishers such as the Go 2 Sleep and the Game Over submission hold. However, WWE barred him from using these moves because of their affiliation with other wrestlers. Specifically, CM Punk had a version of the Go 2 Sleep called the GTS, and Bryan Danielson—also known as Daniel Bryan—used the Game Over as the Yes Lock. Due to these restrictions, KENTA was not able to showcase signature techniques that had built his reputation in NOAH and elsewhere.
Conflicted Feelings About WWE’s Decision
The wrestler expressed confusion over WWE’s rationale for signing him despite limiting what made him unique in the ring. He admitted that the company’s stylistic demands did not favor his hard-hitting approach. KENTA elaborated,
“The techniques I’ve been doing so far have been taken away. Stylistically, there wasn’t much demand for hard hits. Well then, I was wondering why they chose me. It was supposed to be a challenge to see how much of what I had cultivated at NOAH would work in WWE, but I gave up what I had built and changed it to a new style from scratch.”
KENTA’s Return to NOAH and Revival of Original Style
After requesting and receiving his release from WWE in 2019, KENTA resumed his career in Japan. Now, he has embarked on his second tenure with NOAH and currently holds the GHC Heavyweight Championship. Freed from WWE’s creative limitations, KENTA has been able to reinstate the striking and submission techniques that had originally set him apart in professional wrestling.
