Kazuchika Okada Suggests Normalizing Wrestler Transfers Between NJPW, NOAH, And AJPW

In the world of professional wrestling, leaving one company to join another can have negative connotations. Furthermore, it can cause resentment toward a wrestler from fans of the company they are departing from. However, in traditional sports leagues, trades and transfers are frequent occurrences that have become integral to professional competition. New Japan Pro Wrestling star Kazuchika Okada believes a transfer system could benefit the top companies in professional wrestling.

After NJPW, Pro Wrestling NOAH, and All Japan Pro Wrestling cohosted the All Together Again event on June 9, Okada spoke to Tokyo Sports about implementing wrestler transfers amongst Japan's three biggest wrestling companies. Okada mentioned that since the three companies are on better terms than ever, normalizing wrestler transfers among NOAH, NJPW, and AJPW could help reinvigorate their respective rosters.

Transferring wrestlers to and from allied companies is far from a new idea, with Jun Akiyama notably moving from AJPW to DDT in 2020. However, considering NOAH, AJPW, and NJPW are three of the biggest male wrestling companies in Japan, the idea of them having a system in place to trade competitors long-term could drastically change the landscape of wrestling in the country.

For now, however, the three companies are poised to continue their working relationships by occasionally loaning their wrestlers to one another for brief periods instead; This will be the case when NOAH star Kaito Kiyomiya participates in NJPW as part of this year's G1 Climax tournament. 

Meanwhile, Okada called the practice beneficial when asked about the three companies loaning wrestlers to one another. "It would be better [for wrestlers] to transfer," Okada stated. "Since the three organizations are working together, I think it would be interesting if we could try to have that kind of exchange."