Report: WWE's Plans To Establish NXT Japan "Dead In The Water"

One of Triple H's ambitions for 2020 was to take the next steps in his "global localisation" strategy and expand into the Japanese wrestling market with NXT Japan. WWE made an effort to put plans in motion in 2019 when they tried to purchase Pro Wrestling NOAH, but the promotion rejected the company's offer. 

WWE has since struck up a relationship with All Japan Pro-Wrestling and the Japanese promotion's General Manager Jun Akiyama was scheduled to visit the WWE Performance Center for a meeting with Paul Levesque in April, but the coronavirus pandemic caused the plans to be cancelled. 

Plans to expand into the Japanese market are now "dead in the water" because of the pandemic according to Dave Meltzer. He reported on Wrestling Observer Radio that any plans for global expansion have been scrapped because of the recent cutbacks in the company, in which 33 Superstars were released.

Tokyo Sports also spoke to a source in WWE who confirmed the recent cost-cutting measures have put the company's plans on hold for the time being.