WWE Negotiating With Key NJPW Talents?
Juice Robinson and SANADA on the company's radar following KUSHIDA switch and Kenny Omega rumours?
The wrestling world remains in a state of flux following a wild start to 2019 for all the major organisations, with yet more contract news dominating discussions as WWE and New Japan Pro Wrestling looking keen to tie down talent and/or force through new deals as All Elite Wrestling's potential presence begins to present an intriguing new option.
Kenny Omega's potential move away from NJPW has been the hottest topic, but Dave Meltzer reported on the most recent Wrestling Observer Radio that Juice Robinson was another performer WWE had shown increased interest in before the two-time United States Champion agreed to sign a new three year deal. Meltzer suggested that the company had shown interest in him but never formalised a deal for to consider.
Robinson's forgettable NXT run as CJ Parker resulted in him making the surprisingly successful leap across the Pacific in 2015, but with former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA set to move in the opposite direction, WWE may now step up their efforts to enhance their already-loaded roster with further prospects.
Voices Of Wrestling's Joe Lanza has reported that WWE are "strongly interested" in Los Ingobernables de Japon standout SANADA, and - speculatively perhaps as much due to his global popularity at present - the feeling may be mutual. Lanza noted how SANADA had openly courted the company whilst on excursion several years earlier. His work, gimmick and money-drawing potential has obviously improved exponentially since then.
As of writing, All Elite Wrestling have yet to confirm a single talent contract outside of the crew actually running the company - but with this and countless other rumoured trades, their immediate impact on the market is already being felt.