If Tony Khan Bought NJPW How Would Wrestling Change?

[Chuck Conry]

Everybody we see on AEW television would have a title. Not that most don't now with the ROH ones and the ones from NJPW World.

["Gizzark" Mike Wronglevenay]

It would be probably even worse for the industry than Vince buying WCW and ECW.

Hyper-conglomerates are bad for everyone in every industry except the one executive at the top.

Japanese wrestling is a whole other deal, and is where most of the genuinely innovative wrestling comes from and always has. Westerners getting their fingers in there would be pretty catastrophic.

[cassonova]

I, for one, would enjoy seeing IWGP Champion Jack Perry on AEW television, as I don't have the revamped New Japan World which doesn't include PPV's for $9.99. I also eagerly await EVIL's inclusion into BBC.

[KAMALARAMBO: BOOMSHAKALAKA!!!]

Oct 5, 2023 1:51:29 GMT -5 Mozenrath said:

It would be a bad thing. Buying ROH kept it from just being flat-out defunct, but NJPW's situation is very different. I also simply do not think Khan would have the time or knowledge of the Japanese wrestling landscape to run it effectively, and it'd seriously damage the Japanese wrestling scene across the board to have that happen to what is probably the top Japanese promotion.

Oh there’s no probably about it. NJPW is by far the top Japanese promotion. Absolutely in terms of size, influence, and production value. Unless you’re talking strictly work rate and even then NJPW would probably have more saying they’re the top Japanese promotion in terms of work rate than anyone else (I’m sure hardcore Noah, AJPW, etc fans would argue fiercely to the contrary, but there’s a lot more NJPW fans than them).

I remember I was skimming through the Japan section of the free version of the Observer a few years ago. Literally every story was about NJPW except for the obituaries. You had to go back years to find anything else.

[Fade]

I really didn’t like hearing this rumor. It’s something that’d prbly get me to tap out. Everything seems peachy the way it is now.

[LiamMcDuggle]

Well, AEW would have another 25 titles

[HIM]

I hate the idea of it. The industry would be far worse that's for sure.

[Rave]

It'd likely force AAA and CMLL to settle their issues, but other than that, it'd be awful.

[Fundertaker]

Oct 5, 2023 14:54:43 GMT -5 Rave said:

It'd likely force AAA and CMLL to settle their issues, but other than that, it'd be awful.

They would not settle their issues because of this.

Only if someone owns both companies at the same time will those issues be settled.

[Mochi Lone Wolf]

There is zero upside to this for anyone or anything other than Khan’s ego.

[Oak: Certified Jade Hater]

Oct 5, 2023 9:07:34 GMT -5 cassonova said:

I, for one, would enjoy seeing IWGP Champion Jack Perry on AEW television, as I don't have the revamped New Japan World which doesn't include PPV's for $9.99. I also eagerly await EVIL's inclusion into BBC.[/b

TK getting into a new market with that one.

[Tea & Crumpets]

Oct 4, 2023 17:39:05 GMT -5 @sigmax said:

Know that whole fear about everything media wise being gobbled up by the major entities and killing off the smaller ones.

Yea that would in ways be this , is it interesting on paper? sure but putting that to real life is a very very bad idea.

Agree 100%. Plurality of media(or business in general) is always good.
Plus as others have said the crossover appeal is part of the mystique. A deeper relationship where they do more extensive talent loans might be good but shared ownership is bad for the industry, and for the product creates the same artificiality to talent swaps as WWEs brand split- it's more trouble to enforce than it's worth because it's not a real crossover.
Current spot is good for AEW, probably the best spot for them and definitely for the industry.