General Manager Michael Craven Reported To Have Left New Japan Pro Wrestling

Craven was responsible for overseeing NJPW's international expansion.

By Andrew Pollard /

NJPW

In a shake-up to New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael Craven has seemingly been removed from his position as NJPW’s General Manager of the International Department.

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The Super J-cast podcast broke the news, taking to Twitter with the following:

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Craven’s key responsibilities were to look at ways of expanding New Japan outside of Japan – most notably in markets such as the UK and Australia.

In recent months, Craven has gone public with his thoughts on how NJPW should remain loyal to their ongoing relationships with the likes of Ring of Honor, RevPro, and CMLL. More specifically, those same comments have often been followed up by him stating how New Japan has no interest in working with All Elite Wrestling due to these already-established links elsewhere.

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Of course, this will get some people talking up the possibility that Michael Craven was let go because New Japan Pro Wrestling really does want to start working alongside AEW, but that’s all just online scuttlebutt and rumour at this stage.

In the history of NJPW, Craven was the first native English speaker to become a part of the company’s upper management.

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For what it's worth, New Japan has yet to make any official comment on the reported departure of Michael Craven.