~With Kenta~

Once I arrived in Phoenix on a private jet, I was taken in a car with no black windows and everything as we rode over to the arena. We were going to keep this as much of a secret as possible.

Luckily, I check my phone every chance I got and all I got was nothing: no news outlets saying "Kenta Yamazaki NXT 2019". I wanted everything to be a surprise and there were to people I've been wanting to see after four straight years: Kaori and Masami.

I missed them so much and yes, we talk on the phone every now and then, but never in person, so my signing with WWE happens to work out quite well since my contract with ROH expired last month.

As I finally got to the arena, I saw Hunter with a smile as he probably knew it was me already.

Now, growing up, I didn't speak that much English, only because my mom became an American citizen around the time I was born and I had trouble speaking it, but thanks to watching a lot of gangster movies like Scarface, Goodfellas, Casino, all the greats, I speak about 85% English, which works in my favor as I can still speak Japanese.

When I was helped out of the car, I signaled Hunter to keep Kaori and Masami in the dark. The plan for me is to surprise Kaori first without Masami around and then once my song and titantron plays, that's when I want Masami to see me come out.

I want her to cry with joy and happiness about the fact that I'm in NXT and the trio's finally back together.

Hunter: Kenta.

Me: How are you, Hunter?

Hunter: Excited, you?

Me: A bit laggy, but I'll make it.

Hunter: Alright. Come to the back with me, I'll lead you to your locker room.

Me: Sounds great, but there's something I wanna ask.

Hunter: Go ahead.

Me: Think you can bring Kaori to my locker room? I wanna talk to her, but as a surprise.

Hunter: You wanna surprise her?

Me: And Masami, but I wanna make sure that Kaori gets it first before Masami, only because I met her first.

Hunter: I don't think I know the story. What happened?

Me: Let's just say she got herself in trouble early on in her career and I sought to help her out. Ever since then, she saw me as her role model and best friend, even though I'm quite younger than her.

Hunter: That makes sense. I'll let you get settled and I'll bring her over once you're ready.

Me: I appreciate that.

Once I was brought to my locker room, I waited for Kaori and I really wanted to see her again. It's been four years since I've seen her and Masami. I've missed them so much and now the trio's gonna be back together, as I'm looking forward to it.

After a while, I got a text from Hunter, saying that she's coming now and I had to hide somewhere.

Luckily, there was a bathroom where I can just change into my gear and I thought it was perfect.

I texted Hunter by saying...

Me: I'll be hiding in the bathroom, so don't let her know that. I'll bring my gear in as well.

Hunter: Sounds good.

When I brought my gear with me into the bathroom, I closed the door, just as the exact time Hunter and Kaori walked in.

Kaori: Hunter, what this?

Hunter: Just wait.

As he said that, he flicked the light off with a smile, and it was my time to come out.

But Kaori had to say this...

Kaori: I afraid of the dark! Turn it back on.

I silently giggled as she had to be so cute to say that.

Hunter: Not yet. Hang on a bit longer, okay?

Kaori: Okay.

Luckily, the lights were off in the bathroom as well, so I slowly opened the door, as quietly as I can be, and once I entered, I quietly closed the door.

I gave Hunter the signal to turn them back on and when he did, Kaori saw me as I smirked, but my eyes were watering, unknown to both of them as she was stunned.

Me: どうしたの、カオリ？ (What's up, Kaori?)

Then, after a few seconds, Kaori screamed at the top of her lungs, ran up, lunged herself into my arms like a monkey, and BAWLED!

She had to be adorable for doing that as I really wanted to see her again. I mean, I wanted to cry too, but Kaori was just so emotional about me being in her presence again after four years. I never had the chance to visit in Japan thanks to my schedule with Ring Of Honor, but this makes it so much better.

Kaori was like a little girl, just crying and sobbing about me being back in her arms again, but it's not just her that I wanna reunite with, it's Masami as well.

Masami has said many times in interviews that she saw me as her role model and just someone she aspired to be, even if we come from different backgrounds, so that makes it all the more emotional for me.

After 5 minutes of letting out our tears, we released as Kaori's eyes were red and her face stained with tears, she must've missed me so much because I did as well.

Kaori: マサミに言わなければなりません。 (I have to tell Masami.)

Me: いいえ、まだです。 (No, not yet.)

Kaori: なぜだめですか？ (Why not?)

Me: 今夜デビューした時の彼女の反応が知りたいです。 (I want to know her reaction when I make my debut tonight.)

Kaori: 今夜プロレスしてるの？！ (You're wrestling tonight?!)

Me: 私は。今夜、カシアス・オオノのオープンチャレンジを受けます。入り口として手に入れたものの準備をしてください。 (I am. I'm accepting Kassius Ohno's open challenge tonight. Get ready for what I got as an entrance.)

Kaori: 楽しみにしています。私たちはケータリングでそれを見ているので、うまくいきます。 (Looking forward to it. And we're watching it in catering, so it work out well.)

Me: それでは。準備をしなければいけないので、すぐにあなたと雅美に行きます。 (Alright then. I gotta get ready so I'll you and Masami soon.)

Kaori: わかった。会えて嬉しいよ、ケンタ。 (Okay. Great to see you, Kenta.)

Me: こちらも同じです、カオリさん。とても寂しかったです。 (Same here, Kaori. I missed you so much.)

We hugged once again as she walked out with the biggest smile on her face.

Hunter: Sweet moment for both of you.

Me: It's been four years, Hunter.

Hunter: Four years?

Me: I was coming home to try other companies in the states and I never came back to Japan. We talked every now and then, but my schedule made it hard for me to meet up with them.

Hunter: Well, hey, at least you're gonna reunite with them.

Me: Yeah.

Hunter: I'll let you get dressed and when it's time, I'll come get you.

We shook hands and I started getting into my gear.

It was so nice to see Kaori after four long years, but Masami is next. I just hope that she watches the show for real because I wanna see her reaction while my entrance and everything is going on.

~2nd Match On The Card~

When I was in my gear, I was ready to give everyone a shock as Kassius Ohno was waiting for whoever it was going to be, when clearly I was gonna be his opponent.

He was pacing back and forth until he decided to grab a mic...

Kassius: I don't care who the challenger is, so get your ass out here and fight me!

He threw the mic down until after a while, the lights went out, getting a pop from everyone in the arena, knowing how this is gonna go.

No one knows that I signed with WWE, but I only joined so I can reunite with my best friends, and try something new. I missed my friends so much, and I know that they would be thrilled to see me wrestle again, even if I surprised Kaori earlier today.

~With Kaori~

When I joined Masami for watching Kenta make his NXT debut, even though I didn't tell her, I was still emotionally drained from all the crying and reuniting with him.

I asked Hunter if he could record Kenta's entrance, out of Masami's view, and he was happy to do it while Shawn was working in the gorilla position.

I gave Hunter my phone so we could see her reaction to Kenta's debut, but I know that she's gonna be crying, like I was when I reunited with him not too long ago.

I was really looking forward to how Masami was going to react to Kenta's arrival and the fact that he's now in NXT as us. I also got a sneak peek of Kenta's new ring gear and I thought it was really cool, so let's see how he's being presented.

As we watched, the lights were out, but it seemed interesting, so we kept watching until this song and video played on the screen...

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

...with Kenta's back towards the camera, sitting down in a pretzel, meditating.

Masami: あれはケンタですか？！彼は本当にここにいるのですか？ (Is that Kenta?! Is he really here?)

Me: 引き続き見ていきましょう。 (Let's keep watching.)

Then it showed the Kenta's shadow on a wall, as we heard the speakers say something with the song.

Speakers: Kodou takanaru (My heart beats fast...) Ha ha ha ha

As it now shows Kenta in the distance, in front of an abandoned Japanese temple in Kyoto, but it barely shows his face, him smirking with cockiness.

Speakers: Yara reru mae ni yaru (I'll do it before they defeat me)

An empty UFC octagon is seen with Kenta standing in the middle, but his head is bending down, not showing the face.

Speakers: Kyoukiranbu (Ecstasy flurry)

Another shot of him still meditating, but his head is down, away from the camera, but when the next lyric is said...

Speakers: Itami sono kazu (the number of my wounds)

He looked up with a sadistic, evil smile, making the fans pop in excitement and shock while Masami screamed at the top of her lungs in shock, but she covered her mouth to keep herself from getting embarrassed as I was starting to get emotional again.

Speakers: Ore o ugokasu (Move on!)

It showed him punt kicking the camera into this transition...

When his name came up along with the logo, Masami lost her shit! She started crying immediately and I don't think she would ever see his name in NXT.

The cameras panned to the entranceway and there he was in a black and red haori! Masami couldn't stop crying.

Actually, no, Masami wasn't crying, she was SOBBING.

It's been four long years since she's seen Kenta and now he's in NXT! I know that Masami would want to greet him when he's done with the match, for now, let's watch him compete.

~With Kenta~

When I entered, it lead the fans giving out a pop and me entering for the match, and I'm pretty sure Masami is freaking out by now, and probably crying as well.

Announcer: And his opponent, from Yonkers, New York, weighing at 219lbs, KENTA YAMAZAKI!!!

Renallo: Kenta Yamazaki, the former UFC Lightweight Champion, is here, in NXT!

McGuiness: This man is as bad as they come. The son of future WWE Hall of Famer, one half of the legendary Jumping Bomb Angels, Itsuki Yamazaki, Kenta is here to show what he can do.

Phoenix: Kassius Ohno wanted a challenge, well he's got one right now in the form of Kenta Yamazaki, one of the most sound technical wrestlers in the entire world!

Then, the lyrics were being sung as I walked up the steps...

Speakers: Ikari wo sakebe (Shout your anger)
Kanashimi wo sakebe (Scream your pain)
Tamashii wo sakebe (Scream your soul)

When I got in the ring, and stood in the middle of the mat...

Speakers: Ima koko de sakebe (Shout it out here and now!)

I threw the haori off of me as the lights flickered with red and black around me as I had a smile on my face.

I nodded with agreement from the crowd as they were chanting...

Crowd(chanting): HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT! HOLY SHIT!

When the lights returned to normal, I threw my Haori out of the ring and got into a corner, waiting to wrestle.

Once we were asked if we were ready, I nodded and got into my fighting stance.

I was ready to go as the ref called for the bell.

Ref: RING THE BELL!

The bell rang and before we could start wrestling, the crowd had to chant this next...

Crowd(chanting): YAMAZAKI *CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP* YAMAZAKI *CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP* YAMAZAKI *CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP*

We then circled around the ring, looking to see which one of us will make the first move as we got closer.

He looked to block whatever I had in mind, but I started with a couple kicks to his right leg and see what he could do to retaliate.

Instead, Kassius did nothing and backed up against the ropes. So...

Me: Gotta hit them sit-ups, fatso!

The crowd lost it and he looked to forearm me, but I ducked and gave him a couple of forearms of my own into a corner before I snapmared him in the middle of the ring, ran to the ropes and dropkicked him.

I covered him but he kicked out at 1, letting me know that I gotta keep it moving.

I pulled him up and I looked for the kicks again, this time causing him to scream in pain as I gave him another kick, making him look at me with fear.

I decided to mock him a bit gesturing him to come at me.

He walked over to me with no smile on his face. So, I pushed his head away with a smile, trying to get him annoyed.

It worked because he retaliated with a very strong slap to my mouth.

I looked away for a bit as the ref looked to check on me. I backed him away as I felt something on my bottom lip.

I touched my lip and it turned out that he busted my lip open and I was bleeding.

Whenever I bleed, I don't let it get to me, so I turned back around to show that I wasn't intimidated with a smile on my face.

Ohno became horrified that I was gonna be more dangerous than he thought I would be.

He looked to run away, but I caught him with a dropkick as he rolled under the ropes.

However, I got onto the top turnbuckle, flew off, and crossbodied him on the outside.

I then smiled, just letting him know that I'm really here to kill anyone who tries to fight or run away from me.

I picked him up and threw him in the ring as I slid into the ring as I saw that he was sitting up, so I hit the ropes two times and gave him a sharp punt kick to his chest.

I covered him, but he kicked out at two.

As he kicked out, I locked in the cross armbreaker.

He yelled out in pain and it looked like he wanted to tap out, but he blocked me, lifted me up, and powerbombed me, but I kept it locked in.

I was smiling at the fans and nodding as fast as I wanted to be.

Eventually, Kassius tried again, but this time, I released the hold. He covered me, but I kicked out at one and stood up, much to the shock of the fans and Ohno.

I then fired myself up by lightly punching my cheek with a dumb grin, telling him to hit me as I spread my arms out with a yell...

Me: Come on! Try to hit me!

Then, the dumbass had to try as I caught him with a punch to his gut, and then a kick to his leg as he sits in the corner.

I pointed up first and then I pointed at him.

I took my left knee pad down, ran to the ropes, and then kneed the top of his forehead as it was time to end it.

I pulled him in the middle of the ring, his head underneath my legs, wrapped my arms around his, I lifted him up and performed a Tiger Driver!

I covered him with both his legs...

Crowd: ONE! TWO! THREE!

The bell rang as I flipped over onto my feet with a smile and my theme played.

Announcer: Here is your winner, KENTA YAMAZAKI!!!

Renallo: What a debut for that young man!

Phoenix: Yamazaki just sent a message, to not just Kassius Ohno, but the entire NXT division.

McGuiness: An absolute beast of a competitor, just someone you do not want to trifle with as Ohno did just that here tonight at Takeover.

I looked over Kassius and I did think about doing more, but I'm not that cruel when I'm wrestling, so I left the ring and letting him live another day.

I grabbed my haori, put it on, and walked up the ramp as fans were extending their hands at me. I basically slapped them to show my appreciation as I walked to the back, but when I got to the back, through the curtain, Masami and Kaori were the first ones to greet me, but Masami was stunned by the sight of me actually standing in front of her.

After a while, she broke down into tears as I walked over to her and hugged her as tight as I could.

All of a sudden, the entire roster applauded and were emotional about the two of us reuniting because their eyes were watering. Kaori did the same with the roster, although with a tear in her eye, as Masami buried her head into my chest, just crying away.

I couldn't blame her because I missed her a lot these past four years and I, myself, wanted to start crying. She was the very first person I helped during a dark time and it's very special to me.

However, Kassius came through the curtain, but he saw what was going on. It seemed like he didn't like what was happening, so instead of interrupting, he walked on, as if it never happened.

After a few minutes, Masami and I released as her eyes were so red that I'm really happy to be around her again.

Instead of staying where we are, we all walked back to catering as Kaori, Masami, and myself caught up for the rest of the night, but Masami was still emotional about me being near her again, wiping away any loose tears.

Masami: 本当にここにいるんですね。 (You're really here.)

Me: 私は。つまり、皆さんがいなくてとても寂しかったです。 ROHに、休暇をとって皆さんのところに行ってもいいかとお願いできればよかったのですが、それはできませんでした。その時は色々なことがありました。 (I am. I mean, I missed you guys so much. I wish I could've asked ROH if I could take a break and visit you guys, but I couldn't. I had a lot going at that time.)

Kaori: でも、あなたは今ここにいるのです。それが重要なのです。 (But you're here now. That's what matters.)

Masami: 私もあなたがいなくて寂しかったよ、ケンタ。私たちと一緒に戻ってきましたね。 (I missed you too, Kenta. You're back with us.)

I could tell that Masami was taking in the fact that I'm in her presence once again. I decided to give her a side hug and let her say what she wants.

Masami: 本当にそうでした。もしあの時あなたに出会わなかったら、今の私は決していなかったでしょう。 (I really did. If I had not met you back then, I would never be the person I am today.)

Me: ねえ、私はできる限りのお手伝いをしただけです。 (Hey, I was only doing what I can to help.)

Kaori: あなたが入ったものは何でしたか、その音楽は何でしたか？ (What was that you entered to, and what was that music?)

Me: そうですね、私がかつて暴力団員だったということは知っていますよね？ (Well, you know that I used to be a gang member, right?)

Masami/Kaori: うん。 (Yeah.)

Me: それと、『高低』という映画シリーズからインスピレーションを受けました。おそらくご存知でしょう? (I got inspired by that as well as a movie franchise called High&Low. You're probably familiar with it, right?)

Kaori: 必ず行います。 (Sure do.)

Masami: そう思います。 (I think so.)

Me: 私はギャングのリーダーの一人、日向紀久のほうが私にとって親しみやすいと感じました。私が刑務所にいた時期があり、彼は間違いを正そうとしていたことを考えると。文脈のために、彼の外見は次のとおりです。 (I felt like one of the gang leaders, Norihisa Hyuga was more relatable to me, considering that I was in jail at one point and he wanted to right his wrong. Here's what he looks like, for some context.)

I pulled out my phone, pulled this up for both of them to see, and this was what I was inspired by...

...but replacing the sandals with all black converse high tops and no pipe, of course.

Masami: 彼はヤバそうだよ！ (He looks badass!)

Kaori: 彼はあなたを殺すことができそうです! (He looks like he could kill you!)

Me: 彼は。つまり、もし私がコーナーか何かで衣装を着るつもりなら、私は彼を見て、もっと良くしようと思っていました。 (He is. I mean, if I'm gonna be in an outfit for a segment or whatever, I looked at him and I was gonna make it better.)

Masami: そうですね、確かにそうですよね。 (Well, you definitely have.)

Me: 私が計画した衣装を見るまで待ってください。プロモーションなどをカットする予定があるときだけです。 (Wait until you see the outfit I got planned. It's only for when I'm scheduled to cut a promo or whatever.)

Kaori: 待てません。 (Can't wait.)

Once the show was over, we went all the way back to the hotel where everyone was staying.

Kaori and Masami were being roommates, so I didn't mind that they were in another room, and conveniently, we were on the same floor, so it works out in a way.

Before we went out separate ways, Kaori went in their room as Masami and I hugged one more time, but this time it was emotional.

It's been four years since we were separated from different companies. I don't think anyone but a few people could ever understand how much that impacted my mental state, your longtime friends in one company while you're in another, far away from them, not having the chance to take a break and see them. It was heart wrenching.

When we finally released, Masami had a tear in her eye as she smiled with such happiness that I felt so happy.

Masami: ケンタさん、また会えて嬉しかったです。もっと一緒に過ごすことができればいいですね。 (It was great to see you again, Kenta. Hopefully we can hang out more.)

Me: おい、NXTと3年契約を結んだんだ。つまり、もっとたくさん一緒に過ごすことになるでしょう。 (Hey, I signed a three year contract with NXT. That means we'll get to hang out a lot more.)

Masami: 本当に？ (Really?)

Me: うん。今月初めに契約したんだけど、それはトリオが再び一緒にいることを意味する。 (Yeah. I signed earlier this month, and that means the trio is back together.)

She smiled and hugged me again as I did as well. Knowing that we're gonna be hanging out more, it's just the best feeling in the world right now.