Strong WWE Relationship Wanted By Surprising Promotion
The forbidden door in wrestling has been broken down in recent years and now once company wants to get closer to WWE.
When AEW was formed in 2019, Tony Khan’s company had a frosty reception from New Japan Pro Wrestling as the upstart promotion may have harmed NJPW’s ambitions of global expansion. However, a change of president in NJPW led to a strengthening of ties that ended up in them hosting the joint Forbidden Door show for the first time in 2022. That event has now become an annual spectacle and in 2024 is expected to include both CMLL and Stardom.
Tony Khan celebrated Stardom founder Rossy Ogawa’s firing from the company as it became apparent Ogawa was trying to forge links with WWE. Ogawa was present over WrestleMania weekend with new WWE star Giulia. Giulia will help Ogawa launch his new Marigold promotion which could have a working relationship with WWE but now another Japanese promotion is looking to do the same.
Pro Wrestling NOAH Wants WWE Relationship
Pro Wrestling NOAH and DDT’s parent company CyberFight has a new president in Yasuaki Okamoto and speaking in a press conference, Okamoto revealed one of his key aims is to strengthen their relationship with WWE.
New announcement regarding the appointment of the new president! ①
Target – “Strengthen relationship with WWE”#CyberFight#noah_ghc#WWEpic.twitter.com/LIcVUjaQw4
— Pro Wrestling NOAH Global (@noahglobal) May 16, 2024
Pro Wrestling NOAH and WWE have worked together in the past, most notably when Shinsuke Nakamura was allowed to return to Japan to take part in one of The Great Muta’s final matches in 2023. Muta – otherwise known as Keiji Muto was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2023 and has now been named as an official scouting advisor for Pro Wrestling NOAH.
The parent company of CyberFight – CyberAgent – owns ABEMA which is the streaming service that currently shows WWE content in Japan.