Heading into 2024, it was known to be an interesting time in the wrestling business due to WWE and AEW’s television deals coming due as well as contracts of countless wrestlers expiring across the world, including NJPW.
Current landscape
AEW and WWE are expected to be active in acquiring and keeping talent. AEW has shown that by bringing in Deonna Purazso and the front runners to sign Mercedes Mone.
For NJPW, several of their stars will have their deals expire this month now that Wrestle Kingdom 18 is in the books. At the event today, several titles changed hands including Catch 2/2 (TJP and Francesco Akira) beating Bullet Club War Dogs (Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney) to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships.
The contract
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported that Connors worked New Japan Wrestle Kingdom this week without a contract and was told his contract actually expired with NJPW while he was still IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion.
Per the report, the two sides have been in active talks, although it’s unclear whether they came to terms for a new deal this week.
Connors signed with NJPW in 2018 as he was a part of NJPW’s first class of the LA Dojo. He broke into the business in 2017, where he worked for DEFY Wrestling and other independent promotions.
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