Big Update on WWE and NJPW Working Together for Wrestle Kingdom 17 Match

WWE and NJPW haven’t worked together to play major matches in the past, but that’s totally changing Wrestling Kingdom 17. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows reunited in WWE in mid-October to assist in AJ Styles’ vendetta against The Judgment Day. This perceived departure has caused friction among some New Japan Wrestling fans. Crown Jewels The premium live event forced Anderson to miss the championship defense scheduled for NJPW. War Autumn. The Japanese wrestling promotion often robs champions who don’t take part in advertised events, but that didn’t result in Anderson. A recent report may shed some light on exactly why NJPW has made a special case for Anderson.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider.com reports: “While Karl Anderson will return to New Japan Pro Wrestling this Wednesday 12/14 to defend the NEVER Openweight Championship against Hikuelo, this is not intended to be his last appearance for the promotion.“This is huge news for the contract WWE superstar.”PWInsider.com has learned from multiple sources that WWE and New Japan have reached an agreement for Anderson to wrestle at the Wrestle Kingdom event at Tokyo Dome on 23.1/2023, making him the first contract talent to work in WWE. NJPW’s biggest event of the year.Johnson states that Anderson has long understood NJPW’s plans. Wrestling Kingdom 17, It’s apparently implying that WWE and NJPW had a deal before The OC returned to North America.

Is the Forbidden Door Squeaking Between WWE and NJPW?

That’s a natural question to ask in light of Johnson’s reports. As he wrote, this will be the first time a contract WWE wrestler has run the NJPW version of NJPW. WrestleMania. It can be a one-off and there is no evidence to suggest it won’t. However, the phone line between WWE and NJPW had to be opened at some point to enable Anderson’s return to Japan. Could this lay the groundwork for the two companies to work together in a forward-looking capacity? Here are a few things to consider.

WWE’s desire to expand into markets outside of North America is well documented at this point. The company is looking to make its way in India and Europe, and in December there were some rumors that WWE was also considering independent Japanese promotions. If WWE is trying to get their wrestlers in front of audiences in Japan, NJPW would be the easiest way to do it. Likewise, before the pandemic and global shutdown, New Japan was trying to gain a foothold in North America. If the promotion wants to introduce Okada or Jay White to viewers in the United States, matches in WWE would be the simplest way to achieve that.

Maybe NJPW and WWE working together for more matches is still a pipe dream, but Anderson is allowed to wrestle. Wrestling Kingdom 17 can not be ignored. These one-time events can snowball into something much more significant, and it has happened recently. Consider the influence of Chris Jericho, who fled to NJPW to wrestle Kenny Omega. Wrestling Kingdom 12. It could be argued that AEW never happened without Alpha Vs. Omega is happening at Tokyo Dome. Anderson isn’t Jericho or Omega, but it could be a harbinger of bigger things to come. WWE and NJPW.