Top NJPW star Yota Tsuji recently made headlines in the pro wrestling industry with his comments about NJPW's working relationship with AEW. Tsuji expressed his discontent, stating, “I don’t like AEW. In all honesty, with the relationship between us the way it is, I’d like us to cut ties with them.”
According to Fightful Select, sources within NJPW believe Tsuji's remarks were not meant to be taken from an in-character perspective. They noted that he has voiced his opinions on this relationship in the past and, while he has participated in U.S.-based shows before, he has generally been hesitant about doing so.
In a report from 2024, it was mentioned that Tsuji was considered for an AEW World Championship match against Swerve Strickland at Forbidden Door 2024. However, Will Ospreay volunteered to lose to Strickland at the event in order to help elevate Strickland's status.
Currently, Tsuji is the IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion and will defend his title against the reigning IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Konosuke Takeshita in a Winners Take All Double Title Match at Wrestle Kingdom 20 this weekend.
