Jon Moxley Almost Forced Into Tough AEW/NJPW Choice

Jon Moxley is one of AEW’s top stars and the current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion – something that at one time, didn’t seem possible.

AEW and NJPW have a working relationship that has seen stars from both sides cross through the forbidden door on several occasions. Since leaving WWE in 2019, Jon Moxley has typified the working agreement between the two promotions but things weren’t always so cordial.

In the early days of AEW, there seemed to be a lot of ill-feeling between the promotions, perhaps as many of NJPW’s US-based stars jumped to Tony Khan’s upstart company leaving their own dreams of global expansion in tatters. However, following then-NJPW President Harold Meij’s exit, things began to thaw very quickly and it seems Jon Moxley may have played a part in that.

Jon Moxley Neutral During AEW/NJPW Woes

Speaking to Sports Illustrated, Jon Moxley revealed he signed his deal with NJPW before his AEW one and at one point thought he was going to have to pick between the two companies as their relationship remained frosty:

That’s true, I signed a contract with New Japan before I signed one with AEW,” said Moxley. “Japan is the first direction my compass was pointed. New Japan is all about the action in the ring. There’s pageantry and big characters, but it’s all about the action in the ring, which is so high level. It always spoke to me.

There was an icy relationship back then between AEW and New Japan. I was completely neutral. For a moment, it seemed like I was going to have to pick one or the other, but I said, f— that, I’m going to do both. And now the two sides have this wonderful working relationship. I hope I helped play a role in facilitating that.

Jon Moxley also responded to questions about WrestleMania 40 as The Shield’s music hit and Roman Reigns saw a ghost in his WWE Universal Title match against Cody Rhodes.