Hiroshi Tanahashi Discusses NJPW's Relationship With AEW

The relationship between All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling hasn’t always been a straight-forward one, with the two sides having to put aside some bad blood before becoming allies.

Some critics have suggested that the relationship is one-sided in AEW’s favour, with AEW’s Jon Moxley currently reigning as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion, much to the chagrin of some within NJPW. NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi addressed the nature of the relationship during a meeting with press on June 4, with Tanahashi saying the following about AEW:

"I wrestled in Las Vegas for AEW on May 25, and while I was in America, [NJPW Owner Takaaki] Kidani and I met with Tony Khan to talk about how we can continue to co-operate with one another in the future. On June 30, the third Forbidden Door event will present a lot of exciting matchups that NJPW fans will love to see,” said Tanahashi.

Kidani was also present for the press meeting, and added the following about AEW:

"We have a very positive relationship with AEW right now, and there is room for it to evolve further. There are things we can’t talk about just yet, but I think it’s something that can involve other departments within Bushiroad as well. I think that this relationship has settled into something that’s a lot more stable int he long run, and a lot of that comes from Tony Khan having a deep fandom and appreciation for NJPW. He has a lot of passion for 90s guys like [Hiroshi] Hase, and the Steiners. He’s a fan, and both he and his father have an incredible business acumen. Tony Khan’s father started out making Toyota bumpers, and grew his business eightfold in a ten year span. And the Khans have had all this success not just in wrestling but American Football and the Premier League. With that acumen and their affinity for Japan, there’s a lot that can be done in the future, and I don’t think NJPW could ask for a better partner right now.

“Having said that, there is the perception that NJPW is treated as a sub brand or is looked down on by AEW. Some of that perception of NJPW being behind comes from the economics at the moment. But the truth of the matter is AEW’s strengths and NJPW’s strengths are different. From development of talent from scratch, to a historical and traditional perspective, there’s a lot NJPW can offer that AEW cannot. So there’s a lot that we can do together and while much of it isn’t something we can discuss right now, there’s a lot we will do. But the idea that NJPW is the inferior partner is not correct. We are absolutely on an even footing, and that’s something we’ll prove in the near future.”

AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door III is set for June 30.