Cal Bloom, the former WWE NXT competitor known as Von Wagner, is headed to Japan for the next stage of his wrestling career. All Japan Pro Wrestling has confirmed that Bloom will make his company debut during the Founding Anniversary Series 2026, with his first scheduled appearance set for October 22 at Tokyo’s Korakuen Hall.
The announcement also established Bloom’s immediate place on the All Japan roster. Rather than arriving as an unaffiliated foreign wrestler, Bloom is joining the HAVOC stable, aligning himself with Oddyssey, Shotaro Ashino and Xyon. A video released by All Japan showed the HAVOC members contacting Bloom, who confirmed that he would be coming into the group.
Bloom’s match assignment for the Korakuen Hall event has not yet been disclosed. It remains unclear whether he will wrestle in a singles bout or team with one or more of his new HAVOC stablemates. That uncertainty gives the October 22 show an added point of intrigue, as All Japan can introduce Bloom either as a featured individual attraction or as a powerful new piece in the faction’s broader plans.
View the referenced post on X
First Japan Appearance for the Former Von Wagner
The All Japan run will mark Bloom’s first appearance in Japan. It is a significant opportunity for the 6-foot-5 heavyweight, whose wrestling career has taken him from WWE developmental television to the independent scene and brief appearances elsewhere in the United States following his WWE release.
For more background on this topic, read Trick Williams to Defend United States Championship Against Baron Corbin in Steel Cage on SmackDown.
Bloom is a second-generation wrestler and the son of Wayne Bloom, who was widely known to wrestling fans as Beau Beverly during the early 1990s. That family background adds another layer to his trip overseas. Japan has long been an important destination for heavyweight wrestlers looking to expand their style, build credibility in a different environment and test themselves against a roster known for physical, hard-hitting competition.
For Bloom, the move also comes at a time when he has been rebuilding his profile under his real name. His WWE identity as Von Wagner made him recognizable to a national television audience, but the All Japan debut offers a chance to establish Cal Bloom as a distinct performer in a new market. Being positioned within HAVOC immediately gives him allies and a clear identity within the company rather than requiring a gradual introduction.
HAVOC Adds Size to Its Lineup
HAVOC’s recruitment of Bloom is notable because of the presence he brings to the group. Oddyssey, Ashino and Xyon have already provided the stable with a varied mix of power, toughness and experience. Bloom adds another physically imposing wrestler to that combination, and his arrival could make HAVOC an even more formidable force in tag team and multi-man competition.
Ashino’s role in the video announcement is particularly fitting given his standing as one of the group’s key figures. The stable’s decision to bring in Bloom signals that the alliance is looking beyond its existing lineup and is willing to make an international addition. Bloom’s first appearance will reveal whether HAVOC intends to use him primarily as a tag team enforcer, a challenger in the singles ranks, or a versatile heavyweight capable of doing both.
All Japan has traditionally made room for major foreign heavyweights, and Korakuen Hall is an ideal venue for Bloom’s introduction. The building’s atmosphere often makes debuts feel immediate and consequential, particularly when a wrestler is entering an established unit. A match alongside HAVOC could quickly show where Bloom fits in the promotion’s in-ring landscape, while a singles encounter would place even more focus on his ability to adapt to a new audience and style.
There is no indication yet of who Bloom might face or team with on October 22. Until the card is finalized, the most concrete takeaway is that he will arrive with a factional connection already in place. That gives All Japan multiple directions to explore from the outset.
From College Football to WWE NXT
Before entering professional wrestling, Bloom played college football at the University of Central Florida. He signed with WWE in March 2019 and made his in-ring debut at a live event that May. His early time in the company was spent developing inside the WWE system before he was introduced to the broader NXT television audience.
Bloom debuted as Von Wagner on NXT television in September 2021, immediately appearing in a high-profile match for the then-vacant NXT Championship. That bout included LA Knight, Pete Dunne and Tommaso Ciampa, placing Wagner in the ring with three prominent names during his first televised presentation under the character.
Over the following years, Wagner became a regular part of the NXT roster. The character was presented as a physically dominant heavyweight, a role that naturally leaned on Bloom’s size and athletic background. His final NXT match came on an April 2024 edition of the program, when he lost to Lexis King. WWE released Bloom a few weeks afterward.
The transition away from WWE opened the door for Bloom to work under his own name and take a broader range of bookings. The upcoming All Japan appearance is one of the clearest signs yet that he is expanding that post-WWE path beyond the American independent circuit.
Recent Work Since Leaving WWE
Bloom returned to active independent wrestling in March 2025. His most recent match took place on March 14, when he defeated Lord Crewe for World Classic Professional Big Time Wrestling. That victory stands as his latest recorded in-ring result heading into the All Japan debut.
His return to wrestling outside WWE has also included appearances connected to other major North American wrestling platforms. Bloom made a brief cameo on AEW Dynamite as a security guard, an appearance that did not develop into a formal AEW wrestling role. In April 2025, he worked for Ring of Honor, teaming with Deonn Rusman in a loss to Bishop Kaun and Toa Liona.
Those appearances demonstrated that Bloom has remained active and visible since his release, even as he has not been tied exclusively to one promotion. The All Japan booking now gives him the chance to add a substantial international chapter to that resurgence. A debut in Japan is different from a one-off independent date or a cameo on American television; it demands adaptation to a new locker room, crowd and match rhythm.
Bloom’s previous experience in WWE may help with the scale of the occasion, but All Japan presents its own challenges and expectations. The company’s audience will be meeting him for the first time, and his work with HAVOC will likely shape the early impression he makes. His size is an obvious asset, yet the longer-term question will be how his style develops within All Japan’s heavyweight scene.
October 22 Could Be the Start of a Larger Role
At this point, All Japan has announced Bloom’s debut and HAVOC affiliation without specifying the length or scope of his stay. There is no confirmation that he is entering for a full tour, a limited run or a single appearance. The October 22 Founding Anniversary Series event is therefore the immediate focus.
Still, the stable announcement suggests an arrival designed to carry more weight than a standard visiting appearance. By associating Bloom with Oddyssey, Shotaro Ashino and Xyon before he has even wrestled in the company, All Japan has given fans a reason to watch how HAVOC changes with its newest member in the fold.
For Bloom, the date represents a first chance to compete in Japan, a chance to introduce his real-name identity to a new fanbase and an opportunity to begin a potentially important international run. For HAVOC, it means another heavyweight has entered the mix. The answers to the remaining questions—his opponent, his partners and the extent of his All Japan schedule—will begin to emerge when Cal Bloom steps into Korakuen Hall on October 22.
In pictures
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.