AJPW General Manager Jun Akiyama To Be A Guest Coach At WWE Performance Center, Hinting At Closer Relations Between The Two Promotions

In recent years, WWE COO Triple H has tried to promote the “global localisation” of WWE, in which the wrestling behemoth will establish regional subsidiaries across the world. After establishing NXT UK, The Game set his sights on Japan as the company tried to purchase Pro Wrestling NOAH back in October 2019 to use the promotion as the launchpad for NXT Japan. However, their offer was quickly rejected and NOAH has since been purchased by CyberAgent. 

With WWE running out of options, they have seemingly turned their gaze to All Japan Pro-Wrestling as the Japanese promotion announced yesterday on Twitter that their General Manager, Jun Akiyama, will travel to Orlando, Florida in May to work as a guest coach at the WWE Performance Center. During his 10-day visit, Akiyama will also watch an episode of NXT and have a sit-down meeting with Triple H.

According to Tokyo Sports, the two promotions have been in talks since June 2019, and while their relationship only extends to a guest coaching stint for now, AJPW President Takeki Fukuda said he hadn’t made any decisions on a future relationship between the two promotions, but was hoping Akiyama’s visit was mutually beneficial.

Fukuda said: "I haven't decided anything yet, and I'm looking forward to the future. I hope this visit will have a positive impact on each other."