NJPW Power Struggle saw the card for Wrestle Kingdom 21 emerge, with multiple AEW stars featured in matches on January 4, 2027.
While crossovers between AEW and NJPW are not a rare thing, the upcoming event could mark an evolution in that relationship, with a number of stars signing under Tony Khan:
The NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 21 card
Following Power Struggle, the Wrestle Kingdom 21 card currently features:
Kenny Omega vs. Yota Tsuji for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship
Will Ospreay vs. Callum Newman
MJF vs. Ryohei Oiwa
Jon Moxley vs. Shingo Takagi
Gabe Kidd defending the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship against Yuya Uemura
YOH putting the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship on the line against SHO, with the stipulation that a loss for the champion sees him leave NJPW, while a loss for SHO would see him leave House of Torture and reform Roppongi 3K.
The vacant IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship will have a new champion determined from Mistico & a mystery partner, Unbound Co. (Robbie X & Taiji Ishimori), and Ichiban Sweet Boys (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita).
Tony Khan on a signing spree
Tony Khan clearly keeps a close eye on what is happening over in New Japan and has, on multiple occasions across the year, brought NJPW stars into AEW, as well as sending his talent to compete over there.
Wrestle Kingdom 21 is likely to offer the same opportunity, with Khan no doubt eager to use talent he has signed to push NJPW and AEW storylines forward.
Earlier this year, Will Ospreay praised Robbie X as “the best jr heavyweight for the last 4 years.” Now two years into his NJPW tenure, Robbie X won the Super Jr. Tag League with Ishimori and heads to Wrestle Kingdom 21 with a chance to be a two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion. Such prominence makes Robbie X an ideal target for Khan to bring into AEW on a more formal basis.
Although not yet confirmed for a Wrestle Kingdom 21 match, Drilla Moloney is another star who has rose to new heights in NJPW, refining an undeniable raw talent into something that has to be witnessed. Earlier this year, it was reported by Fightful that Moloney had “politely rejected interest from American companies”, re-signing with NJPW for one year. Highly confident on the mic, a look that screams “money”, and an in-ring ability that defines him as a performer, Tony Khan must have his eyes on Moloney for a multitude of reasons.
Jeff Cobb may have had a disappointing run in WWE as JC Mateo but his return to NJPW has reminded fans as to the sheer talent of the star. A former member of United Empire, Cobb is another star who wouldn’t look out of place in AEW, being the archetype of a powerhouse. A former NEVER Openweight and NJPW World Television Champion, Cobb has also seen multi-man success as a three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion and being the current NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champion.
All under NJPW contract
The aforementioned stars are all under NJPW contract, and it’s unlikely any will be up around the time of Wrestle Kingdom, but Khan has employed dual contract statuses in the past, with Kevin Knight being one such name and Konosuke Takeshita going even further with a deal that also sees him signed to DDT Pro-Wrestling.
Khan has previously used NJPW talent on his own shows, and will continue to do so given the relationship between both companies, but offering stars a more formal arrangement between both homes would likely offer increased financial security and greater opportunities at exposure on an international scale.
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