All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling further strengthened their working relationship in 2021 as stars like KENTA, Satoshi Kojima, Rocky Romero, Minoru Suzuki and Yuji Nagata all competed on AEW programming at some point during the year. One of New Japan’s titles even changed hands on an episode of Dynamite over the summer when Lance Archer beat Jon Moxley in a Texas Death Match for the IWGP United States Championship. With KENTA still teasing a match with CM Punk, The Best Friends getting inducted into the Chaos faction (which gave fans more hope of Kazuchika Okada finally arriving to challenge Kenny Omega again) and COVID-19 restrictions on international travel presumably lightening up in 2022, many fans are curious about future potential crossover between the two companies. AEW president Tony Khan addressed that during a media conference call on Thursday.ย
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“It’s a great relationship, I really enjoy working with New Japan. It’s changed a lot, because when AEW first started off I think they were pretty pissed off with me. As wrestling went on I think they saw that I really wasn’t trying to stop them from doing anything and I actually made a lot of friendly gestures along the way,” Khan said, then citing how Jericho continued to wrestle in New Japan while AEW World Champion and even allowed a future title match had Hiroshi Tanahashi beaten him at Wrestle Kingdom 14.
“I think they saw this as a good relationship and I have a good reputation for being an honest person,” Khan continued. “So even though I kind of came out of left field and was a new player in the game, I think I raised their antennas early and made them pretty nervous. And then (as) I built up more of a reputation in this sport I think they wanted to work with me. And so now I talk to them on a regular basis and put matches together.”
He then hinted that there is plenty more to do between the two companies. Khan also brought up the story that popped up earlier this year about WWE trying to form a working relationship with New Japan, which he called “comical” because he already had various plans established with them.
Check out the full card for Saturday’sย Full Gearย event below. The show will take place at the Target Center in Minneapolis:
- AEW World Championship:ย Kenny Omega vs. Hangman Page
- AEW Women’s World Championship:ย Dr. Britt Baker vs. Tay Conti
- AEW World Tag Team Championships:ย Lucha Brothers vs. FTR
- AEW World Championship Eliminator Tournament: Bryan Danielson vs. Miroย
- Darby Allin vs. MJFย
- CM Punk vs. Eddie Kingstonย
- The Inner Circle vs. Men of the Year & American Top Team (Minneapolis Street Fight)
- Christian Cage & Jurassic Express vs. Adam Cole & The Young Bucks (Falls Count Anywhere)
- Cody Rhodes & PAC vs. Malakai Black & Andrade El Idolo
- (Buy-In) Thunder Rosa & Hikaru Shida vs. Jamie Hayter & Nyla Rose
