All of the talk about New Japan Pro Wrestling’s working relationship was cleared up earlier today.
On Monday’s Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that New Japan Pro Wrestling will continue their relationship with ROH and they will not be working with AEW, at least not right now. Meltzer said, “New Japan has made the decision that they are going to work with Ring Of Honor and right now, at least, for now, they are not working with All Elite.”
“As late as a couple of days ago, All Elite was thinking that maybe Kenny Omega would work for New Japan and All Elite … All Elite wanted to keep their talent working in New Japan and wanted to partner with New Japan on events and that’s not gonna happen, at least for right now. Who knows what happens in the future. That may have cost them [NJPW] Kenny Omega.”
NJPW’s decision is interesting because they have big plans to run more shows in the United States this year and they plan on running in the Tokyo Dome for two nights in a row next year (January 4 and 5) so you have to wonder how they plan on selling out their big shows without one of their biggest names. Omega is their biggest star outside of Japan and losing him, Cody Rhodes, Hangman Page and The Young Bucks is a major blow to them.
Meltzer added, “[NJPW] can’t go against Ring Of Honor because they have the contract in place for the Madison Square Garden show so perhaps after that, maybe things will change or maybe they won’t.”
