New Japan Pro Wrestling announced on Monday night that AEW star Jon Moxley would not appear at the opening day of the G1 Climax 29 tournament at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas on July 6. The announcement came as a surprise, given that Moxley would be a major draw for the Japanese promotion as they continue to extend their reach into the United States.
“Jon Moxley has been confirmed as a participant of G1 CLIMAX 29,” the company stated in a press release. “Unfortunately, Moxley will miss the G1 CLIMAX 29 Opening Day taking place at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX on July 6, 2019. Additionally, he will not be in attendance at the G1 CLIMAX 29 Press Conference taking place on July 5, 2019. Moxley will join the G1 tour on July 13 in Tokyo. We appreciate your understanding.”
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Based on a report from Wrestling Observer‘s Dave Meltzer, we may now know why Moxley won’t make the show. According to him, AEW blocked Moxley from working the event as they reportedly retain his rights to appear in other companies in the United States. He added that they have no problem with him appearing at the smaller shows, but don’t want him on a US television broadcast under another company’s banner.
The former WWE Champion (then known as Dean Ambrose) signed a multi-year deal with All Elite Wrestling in May, but his contract won’t kick in until this fall when AEW’s weekly television show on TNT starts. In the meantime, Moxley has been allowed to work for various small American independent promotions as well as New Japan shows over in Japan. He won the IWGP United States Championship in his debut at the Best of Super Juniors 26 finale, then several days later he announced that he’d be competing in the G1 Climax month-long round robin tournment.
Neither Moxley nor AEW have commented on Meltzer’s report.
In a recent interview with ComicBook.com, Cody Rhodes spoke about Moxley’s arrival in the company.
“I think he kind of brought himself in,” Rhodes said. “I think he had heard one line from me about playing your music how you want to play it. The wrestlers we hire, we trust they know how to play their own song and we will not tell them how to play their song. I think when he heard that he was sold on the type of wrestling we want to showcase. Really it’s his journey. All I’m hoping to do is turn on the red light for this story because Jon Moxley is a worldwide star.”
Photo: All Elite Wrestling
