WWE History Vol. 20: 10 Moments from 2019 we can't forget

#9 It's Kushida time

Kushida was allowed to keep his name, character, and ring gear when he debuted in WWE--a rare honor indeed.

Yujiro Kushida once had a wildly different dream than competing in the squared circle; he wanted to fight in a cage as a Mixed Martial Artist.

Kushida began to hear the siren's call of pro wrestling in 2006. He could make more money and perform more often than he could in MMA. He soon became one of the standout light heavyweights in Japan and formed a popular tag team with Alex Shelley - The Time Splitters.

Rumors began to circulate that Kushida was looking to wrestle for an American promotion. Would he choose Ring of Honor, the fledgling AEW, or would he go to the largest pro wrestling promotion in the world, WWE? Most pundits and fans seemed to think that he would join AEW.

But he chose WWE, and fans rejoiced as he made his glorious NXT debut, without being watered down or changed from his original character. Kushida was victorious right out of the gate, defeating legend Kassius Ohno and igniting the crowd at Full Sail University.

Now that Kushida's former time Splitter Alex Shelley has been announced as his partner for the Dusty Rhodes Classic, fans are more excited than ever about Kushida in the WWE.