Why WWE And NJPW Working Together Is Reportedly Unlikely

WWE is searching for international partners, but it doesn't appear that New Japan Pro-Wrestling will be one of them. Fightful Select reported that rumors of WWE's interest in working with NJPW aren't expected to manifest into anything, according to sources in both companies, due to the partnership between NJPW and AEW. 

WWE has long maintained an interest in having some form of connection with NJPW, but it is unlikely to become anything. NJPW already has its connection with AEW, which regularly sees each company send wrestlers to the other. Meanwhile, they also work together to run the annual Forbidden Door event. 

However, with new faces at the helm for both companies, a potential partnership is, at the very least, more likely than it has been for a long time. That is because Vince McMahon would usually squash any discussion of a potential partnership, which is a barrier that WWE no longer has to deal with. Rocky Romero, who has played a pivotal role in other deals NJPW has made, did speak with WWE President Nick Khan several years ago; however, that conversation didn't develop into a working relationship between the wrestling companies. 

While a potential partnership between the two might be a ways off, WWE has recently been working with All Japan Pro-Wrestling. Charlie Dempsey recently represented WWE at AJPW shows, and they seem open to continuing that relationship. WWE is reportedly interested in working with Stardom as well, but it remains to be seen whether that will morph into anything official.