Simon Inoki Helped Negotiate Charlie Dempsey's Trip To All Japan

The usually insular WWE shocked wrestling fans recently when NXT star Charlie Dempsey made his way to the legendary All Japan Pro Wrestling for a series of matches.

Per a report from Hochi News, the deal to bring Dempsey into AJPW was facilitated by former New Japan Pro Wrestling President Simon Inoki, with WWE allegedly approaching Inoki to make the move happen.

Dempsey wrestled three matches in All Japan between December 31 2023 and January 3 2024, culminating with an unsuccessful shot at Triple Crown Champion Katsuhiko Nakajima. Whilst currently a one time deal between WWE and AJPW, reports have suggested that it could lead to a greater partnership between the two historic promotions, although it has reportedly lead to ‘mixed feelings’ within All Japan.

Historically, WWE have worked closely with New Japan Pro Wrestling, with NJPW founder Antonio Inoki even lifting the WWF Championship in the 1970s in an unrecognised title switch. WWE have also worked with the short lived Super World of Sports promotion in the early 90s for a series of supershows in Japan, and gave Shinsuke Nakamura the green light to wrestle The Great Muta in a Pro Wrestling NOAH ring in early 2023.