Report: NJPW Roster Expecting A "Mass Foreign Exodus" In 2022

Big changes could be on the horizon

Aidan Gibbons smiling in front of a green screen in an Adidas hoodie

May 26, 2021

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There is plenty of frustration amongst the New Japan Pro-Wrestling roster right now.

Recent reports have noted members of NJPW's foreign contingent have grown increasingly frustrated with how the company has handled the COVID-19 pandemic and the hasty rescheduling of the Wrestle Grand Slam tour after it had been postponed was considered a "tipping point."

Poor communication from the NJPW office and the quarantine situation resulted in tensions already being high, and foreigners being told they could go home before being informed at the last minute they would be needed for the rescheduled shows caused frustrations to spill over. When word reached talent, some were already on their way home and others decided to leave Japan anyway, including now-former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Will Ospreay.

Now, a report from Voices Of Wrestling has noted there is talk amongst the Japanese contingent that there will likely be "a mass foreign exodus" in January 2022 when several contracts are due to expire. Past reports had already noted that some members of the New Japan roster were considering their options meaning the landscape of NJPW may undergo a big overhaul early next year.

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