Pro Wrestling NOAH: Update On WWE’s Big New Partner In Japan

WWE has been trying to develop solid partnerships for years in the Japanese wrestling space. They would have loved to have worked out something with New Japan Pro Wrestling, but NJPW had some sort of mission to despise WWE. While the NJPW of today is run by more open people, including the new President of the company, Hiroshi Tanahashi, WWE seems to have moved on. It is potentially smart that they did so, as they appear to have formed a partnership with Pro Wrestling NOAH.

Specifically, they partnered with CyberFight, the parent company of both Pro Wrestling NOAH and DDT Pro. Both of which are beloved in Japan, and have been for a long time now. To many Japanese fans as well, NOAH has stepped out as the best of the Big 5 “Major” Wrestling Companies.

The Big 4 are:

• NJPW
• AJPW
• Pro Wrestling NOAH
• Dragon Gate 
• DDT Pro

Technically, CyberFight often promotes DDT Pro & Pro Wrestling NOAH alongside the other. To partner with CyberFight means you get the opportunity to work with both. On top of that, CyberFight also owns and promotes the second-best Joshi promotion in Japan. Called Tokyo Joshi Pro Wrestling, it has been the home of a lot of impressive female Japanese wrestlers.

While they may take advantage of that, WWE seems to be relying on Dream Star Fighting Marigold for Joshi connections. The company was founded and is now run by the World Wonder Ring Stardom Co-Founder Rossy Ogawa.

A lot of these connections are big for WWE. It clearly tells us that they are preparing and planning for something bigger in Japan. What that is, right now, is unknown. Yet having these partners is big for all involved.

CURRENT PLANS FOR WWE & THE JAPANESE PARTNERS

As of now, WWE is not jumping head-first into everything. However, they are most certainly doing some big things. For example, the partnership with Marigold is relatively big. This is huge for Rossy, as Marigold is very new. Yet his connections to Joshi wrestlers are massive, and that’ll likely elevate Marigold to the top Joshi promotion in Japan within a few years. WWE seems to be attempting to help with that.

It was announced last week that Iyo Sky will be returning to Japan for the first time since she left Stardom back in 2018 to sign with WWE. She will be facing off with one of the best Joshi wrestlers on the planet, Utami Hayashishita at the Marigold Summer Destiny 2024 event on July 13th.

WWE seems to be open to giving Rossy his pick of women to work for Marigold, especially since WWE is very high on Iyo still.

Of course, the big partner is Pro Wrestling NOAH. WWE seems to be very open to working out some sort of long-term partnership with them, and CyberFight overall. It has been a focus for the new leadership at CyberFight to create a very solid, strong relationship with WWE. They know it’ll help them, which is a big deal when there is so much competition in Japan. All of this really begins in July.

THE PRO WRESTLING NOAH DEAL

Pro Wrestling NOAH will be getting AJ Styles on the same evening that Marigold will have Iyo Sky. Marigold will hold their event out of the Ryogoku Sumo Hall, while the NOAH Destination 2024 show will take place from the Nippon Budokan Arena in Tokyo. Apparently, it was ABEMA TV that made this happen, according to Tokyo Sports.

ABEMA airs both WWE and Pro Wrestling NOAH shows for Japan. They helped WWE and NOAH work on the deal where CyberFight requested to have Styles come in for the show. Meanwhile, WWE chose for him to work with the impressive Japanese veteran, Naomichi Marufuji. Of course, Marufuji has been all over Japan but NOAH was where he had the most success. He’s a 4-time GHC World Champion, which is tied for the second-most reigns with the title.

Most expect the match to be terrific, knowing that both are incredible wrestlers. On an interesting note, while Styles has performed in Japan often during his wrestling career..most of his work was with NJPW. The former 2-time IWGP World Champion was with NJPW for a few years before signing with WWE.

According to PWInsider, both Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson will likely appear alongside Styles at the NOAH Destination 2024 show too. This would be the first time all three have been in Japan together since they all departed NJPW together in 2016.