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The working relationship between AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling has seen a number of top stars from both companies make appearances in the United States and Japan since it was established in 2021, and that will continue this Spring when two of AEW's youngest talents will travel to NJPW for the annual Best of the Super Juniors tournament.
Making his debut in Japan for NJPW is Nick Wayne, who will be entering his first Best of the Super Juniors tournament. Wayne has only ever made one appearance for NJPW in the past, that being at the 2023 All Star Junior Festival in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he teamed up with his East Coast Express partner Jordan Oliver in a losing effort against El Desperado and MAO.
The other AEW star will actually be returning to NJPW not long after leaving the promotion earlier this year. The man in question is none other than "The Jet" Kevin Knight, the former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion who was announced as AEW's newest signing at the end of March after his NJPW contract expired in January. Knight has previously entered two Best of the Super Juniors tournaments in 2023 and 2024 respectively, earning six points in his first campaign and eight points in his second, with the latter seeing Knight defeat eventual winner, the aforementioned El Desperado, in the block stage.
The tournament, which acts as the Junior Heavyweight equivalent of the annual G1 Climax competition, will begin on May 10 in Chiba, and will run until June 1, with the final taking place in Tokyo. As is tradition, the winner of the tournament will earn themselves a shot at the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship, currently held by El Desperado, at the company's Dominion 6.15 event in Osaka-jo Hall on June 15.

