WWE responds to rumors of top NJPW stars being singed, backstage news on negotiations
The rumors of New Japan Pro Wrestling superstars Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ Styles and the Bullet Club (Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows) jumping ship to WWE have taken the internet by storm.
In a very rare occurrence, WWE – through their website – have come out and addressed the rumors, promising noteworthy updates about the huge development. A note was released on WWE website that acknowledged the reports, adding that Triple H declined to comment on the same.
Below is what they published on their website:
Are AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows coming to WWE?
The sports-entertainment world has been buzzing this week with speculation that WWE has signed four massive international Superstars.
Numerous media outlets reported Monday that AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Karl Anderson and Luke “Doc” Gallows — most recently of New Japan Pro Wrestling — are in negotiations to compete under the WWE banner.
The office of WWE COO and EVP of Talent Relations, Triple H, declined to comment on the rumors for WWE.com.
Reports began circulating late Sunday that all four had reportedly given their notices to New Japan management. Fueling the rumors that Styles, Nakamura, Anderson and Gallows were WWE-bound was a series of tweets involving reigning NXT Champion Finn Bálor.
Until recently, Styles, Gallows, and Anderson were all part of New Japan’s Bullet Club faction, a stable formerly led by Bálor when he wrestled in Japan under the alias Prince Devitt. For months, Bálor has made it clear that he’s still tight with the Bullet Club members, even tweeting photos of them wearing his “Bálor Club” T-Shirts. On Monday, Bálor stirred the pot again, tweeting an image of Anderson sporting trunks that bore Finn’s “demon” design. Additionally, the official Twitter account for the Bullet Club tweeted the NXT Champion Monday, telling him to keep more Bálor Club shirts on hand in case they need them. That tweet has since been deleted.
WWE covering the reports pretty much confirms the possibility of the NJPW megastars leaving the Japanese promotion for the WWE. It has to be noted that – as of January 5th – Styles, Nakamura, Anderson, and Gallows have not yet signed a contract with the WWE, reports PWInsider.
Another glaring piece of information is that, while Gallows and Styles have outrun their NJPW contracts, Anderson and Nakamura are still contracted by NJPW. This bars Nakamura and Anderson from holding negotiations or talks with WWE.
In spite of that, this contradicts WWE’s claim that the company is in negotiations with all four stars at the moment and eventually, the four are set to be part of the WWE.
From reports coming in from NJPW’s recent event, four stars gave their notice to the promotion’s booker Gedo.
NJPW’s latest WrestleKingdom event saw Bullet Club turn on AJ Styles and in turn, paving the way for a WWE deal. Below is the video from the event – in the end of which – Styles is seen potentially paying his final respects to the Japenese fans.
Stay tuned for more updates on the same.