NO LIMITS:
WHAT COULD BE FOR NEW JAPAN AND AEW
By Jasmine Olan
In September of 2018, a small group of friends made the impossible seem plausible when they bet on themselves and put on a hugely successful and critically acclaimed show they called ALL IN. By years end, a new announcement was made. What began with ALL IN would continue with the formation of a brand new promotion. That group of friends is the ELITE. That promotion is All ELITE Wrestling. With AEW’s DOUBLE OR NOTHING having already sold out in minutes exciting times lie ahead in the world of professional wrestling. This was all born from a promise between the ELITE to stick together and keep changing the world. The formation of AEW now has many wondering about a future working relationship between them an New Japan ProWrestling. If this were to happen it could mean a lot for both promotions.
AEW’s goal is to essentially blow the doors off the entire industry. A solid working relationship with NJPW could help them do exactly that. New Japan already has a very successful partnership with Ring Of Honor and CMLL so this possibility could easily become reality depending on how both sides decide to play their cards. Both companies could benefit a lot from this. For AEW it could mean added exposure and momentum. For New Japan it could mean an opportunity to keep their product fresh as well as provide new options for big tournaments like Best Of The Super Juniors and the G1 CLIMAX. It would also allow NJPW to continue popular storylines like the Golden Lovers story. It would be a situation where anything can and probably will happen.
With it written into Kenny Omega’s contract that he can still work dates for New Japan, we may soon see the first steps being taken toward a working relationship between the two promotions. He and the rest of the ELITE could act as the link. The big question here however is whether or not New Japan is ready to play ball on the business front. That remains to be seen, but in the meantime, fans can enjoy the buzz and excitement surrounding what lay ahead for both companies. There is no doubt that both AEW and NJPW can deliver in spades both individually and collectively. Each has the roster and creative elements to make that happen. With Kenny Omega, the Young Bucks, and Cody at the helm of the ship for AEW, their future looks very bright.
It would be incredibly interesting to see how any of this plays out. On one side you have New Japan Pro Wrestling, a legendary promotion built on old school tradition. On the other you have All ELITE Wrestling, a still relatively unproven company built on taking chances. This can play out any number of ways. AEW took their first steps in making their mark in the industry with the massive success of ALL IN and will be taking their next steps with DOUBLE OR NOTHING. New Japan has managed to become the number two promotion in the world by producing a successful product that is pretty much unmatched in terms of overall quality. This could most definitely make for a winning combination.
The common link between them is that both companies were born from a deep passion for wrestling. Working together, they can affect change within the industry as a whole especially in regards to how it is perceived. It could help show NJPW in a new light as one of AEW’s big goals is to be a symbol of progress in pro wrestling by implementing a policy of acceptance and inclusivity. This can be seen in AEW signing talented performers from the LGBTQ community like Sonny Kiss and Nyla Rose. It would be a great show of NJPW’s willingness to step outside the box. The success or failure of the whole thing would be hinged entirely on a willingness to take chances. The result could very easily end up being an industry where there are no limits to what is possible.
