Dissent From Top NJPW Talent Towards New Ownership Regime?
Pointed public complaints from Hiroshi Tanahashi continue subtle backlash against Harold Meij's team
The New Japan Pro Wrestling roster may have had mixed emotions flying home from Long Beach, California's Fighting Spirit Unleashed on Sunday after a strong card over-delivered in front of an under-sized audience, but it's an all-too-familiar feeling according to reports on backstage morale in this week's Wrestling Observer.
Dutch President Harold Meij took the reigns in May 2018, with a view of continuing the exceptional work done over the last few years to transfer some of NJPW's domestic success into their global reach. Anecdotally, product interest outside of Japan still seems high, but some questionable booking in the G1 Climax in particular kickstarted some concern amongst outsiders that the robust booking and star-making mechanisms may be compromised as a result.
The rumoured backstage upheaval reported first by Dave Meltzer marries up with criticisms company 'Ace' Hiroshi Tanahashi recently levied at the organisation. He spoke on the booking of the last Long Beach card, questioning "Was that [The Golden Lovers Vs The Young Bucks] really a New Japan main event?!?" before noting that “I really felt then that if NJPW was going to keep going to America, we needed to stop trying to alter things to try and make them more American. It should be New Japan Pro Wrestling, as is, in the States. We really need to show that ‘Made In Japan’ aspect, I think.”