WWE has loosed the locks on its forbidden door. Since Paul “Triple H” Levesque took the creative reins of the company, WWE has been a bit more lenient in allowing crossovers with other promotions. This was exemplified with moments like Shinsuke Nakamura competing for Pro Wrestling NOAH to battle The Great Muta, TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace entering the Women’s Royal Rumble, and Shayna Baszler fighting at . While the exchanges have been minimal thus far, there is said to be renewed interest within WWE when it comes to forging working relationships with professional wrestling promotions across the industry.
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WWE x NJPW Crossover?
Big E wants to see WWE’s forbidden door open to the Far East.
“There’s a ton of great talent in New Japan. I feel like New Japan has greatly influenced a lot of the style of modern US wrestling. At least we all think we can make it in New Japan. A lot of us dream of one day doing a run in Japan, or doing a G1,” Big E said on Fanatics Live. “But it takes a toll, from what I hear. It’d be cool. It’s really cool to see Shayna [Baszler] at Bloodsport. I feel like now we’re in an atmosphere where you might get to see a talent change between New Japan and WWE. That’d be cool.”
WWE had previously entertained working with New Japan Pro Wrestling back in 2021, around the time that AEW had begun its partnership with NJPW. These talks were reportedly born in an effort to retain Daniel Bryan, as WWE was going to allow him to work for NJPW and compete in the G1 Climax while still under contract. Bryan would ultimately take his talents to AEW and has competed there as Bryan Danielson for the past three years.
“About two years ago, there was a rumor I read on the internet that my business partner, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, had gotten a phone call from (WWE’s) Nick Khan about switching over to work with them and I was really just getting started with New Japan,” AEW President Tony Khan said of the rumored WWE x NJPW partnership during a 2023 interview. “We only had been working together a short time.
“I called the New Japan executives and said, ‘Is this true? Did WWE call you and try to get you to turn on me?’ They said, ‘Yeah.’ And I said, ‘Okay, well are we still doing the stuff we have planned?’ They told me, ‘No, we don’t trust them. We wanna work with you and we wanna stay with you.’ Ever since, our relationship has been incredibly positive.”
