What’s the story?
Whilst the promotion themselves are yet to confirm the news, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has stated on Twitter that New Japan Pro Wrestling will be coming to Australia later in the year.
This represents the latest step in NJPW’s desire to become a truly international organisation, following on from the confirmation of two NJPW shows in the USA this coming July.
The news comes hot on the heels of another fantastic Wrestle Kingdom event, headlined by what many are calling the greatest professional wrestling match in history between Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega.
In case you didn’t know
NJPW’s international expansion has already begun, and in late 2016 the company dipped their toes into global waters with shows in New Zealand and Singapore.
The success of these, combined with the growing reputation and international fanbase that New Japan is attracting, makes further shows in new countries almost inevitable.
Also read: NJPW News: New Japan Pro Wrestling coming to USA
The United States’ shows have been confirmed for July 1 and 2, and wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer left his followers in no doubt as to whether Australia would get to see New Japan live in 2017.
The heart of the matter
New Japan’s 2016 New Zealand shows were delivered by Sakura Events, a company that the current NJPW star Bad Luck Fale is Vice President of. Fale was also given the green light to open up a New Japan-affiliated dojo in New Zealand recently, which is further proof of NJPW’s widening horizons.
2017 is promising to be the year that WWE’s monopoly on worldwide professional wrestling is truly challenged, with World of Sport making a comeback in the UK and New Japan Pro Wrestling looking to take their critically acclaimed product worldwide.
What’s next?
The Australia shows are yet to be confirmed by New Japan themselves, but the eventual announcement will come as little surprise.
Wrestle Kingdom 11 has focused the international eyes of professional wrestling squarely on Okada, Omega and the rest, and now is the right time to capitalise on what have been a fantastic few years for NJPW.
One can only assume that this will mean shows in other pro wrestling mad countries, so can we expect New Japan shows in UK, Mexico and the rest sooner rather than later, hopefully.
Sportskeeda’s take
New Japan Pro Wrestling is on an incredible roll right now, and with increasing numbers of WWE fans growing tired of the oft-mediocre product put out by Vince McMahon and co., the time to strike is now.
The world may not be ready for Ishii, Shibata, Honma and the rest, but the world will have little choice.
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