Question about tna x njpw

10 comments

1. I would guess probably not. With NJPW working with AEW and TNA working with NXT/WWE the two federations are sort of in different camps these days. It could happen, but it seems highly unlikely at the moment.

2. That’s likely done, tho KUSHIDA is still appearing there (they need to pull him out of there soon).

3. With the president of njpw wanting to strengthen the relationship with AEW. As others mentioned tna works with wwe I wouldn’t hold my breath but it’s not impossible either.

4. Kevin Knight and Kushida are both under dual contracts with both companies, so yes, most likely.

5. On social media, when promoting the AXS show, they promote it sometimes with captions saying it’s airing after TNA but that’s about it, they haven’t crossed over in forever it seems. Kidani and Tanahashi themselves have been adamant in saying they want to ‘strength’ the AEW partnership so I would say the TNA partnership either has or is going to be phased out. Which now leaves guys like KUSHIDA and Kevin Knight having to make a choice. They technically have dual contracts right now but lines are starting to be drawn with these American companies.

   If you wanna have a temperature check on where things stand with NJPW and TNA, NJPW never promotes their matches on TNA anymore.

6. Don’t think so but at the same time don’t think it’s on some “We can NEVER work together” deal either. Honestly think it’s more like two indies that might both use the same folks now and then vs a partnership.

7. There’s three-to-four things that are still trying them together:

   – KUSHIDA has contracts with both NJPW and TNA.

   – People are saying Kevin Knight also got a TNA deal at one point, but I don’t remember hearing that and can’t find any news about it. He also hasn’t had a match there since March.

   – AFAIK Chris Bey and Ace Austin do still use some BC iconography on their gear, and in June they released a new version of their [BC logo shirt](https://x.com/dashingchrisbey/status/1797038106547478818?).

   – NJPW still has the show on AXS, which is the TV channel that owns TNA.

   I do think that if the TNA/WWE relationship stays strong/keeps growing then NJPW will cut all ties with the TNA partnership (I don’t think they would choose to drop the AXS show, but if they end the TNA relationship ends AXS might decide to drop them). For guys like KUSHIDA and Knight that could mean they have to decide between one or the other, but I guess I could see NJPW being okay with them still working for TNA as long as they don’t appear on NXT/WWE or take part in any major angles with WWE involvement.

8. Probably but I wouldn’t expect a show anytime soon

9. If anything its more likely that TNA will end up with some form of relationship with Noah in the future. They previously had one around 2017 I think, then had one earlier than that around 2013/14 with Wrestle 1 – with Sanada completing excursion over in TNA (then Impact). With Noah pretty much getting half the Wrestle 1 roster after their closure and Muto still getting a paycheck for “talent scouting” I wouldn’t be surprised.

   Both companies also have loose relationships with WWE at the moment (AJ vs Marufuji & NXT guys in the N1 for Noah) so I could see it possibly happening. Noah have a small gap in their rookies at the moment so could be beneficial to bring some people over from TNA for a bit – I mean hell Eddie Edwards was the first western wrestler to hold the GHC. Also always beneficial for Noah to have somewhere to send guys on excursion other than Progress or WXW in Europe.

10. The amount of stuff that New Japan was doing with TNA dropped off drastically after Scott D’Amore was fired by TNA. I don’t think that New Japan is dropping the idea of working with TNA at this point as there are still minor things linking the two companies with no effort being made by either party to remove them. Having said that, it seems like D’Amore was the driving force behind that close relationship New Japan and TNA had for a time, and I’m not sure there’s anyone on on TNA’s end that is looking to continue it to the same extent.