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Just a month ago, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson took the soul of John Cena, now does he plan on consuming the soul of one of WWE's top international competitors? That remains to be seen, but all jokes aside, it appears the former eight-time WWE Champion has a keen eye on New Japan Pro-Wrestling as he was sporting a NJPW shirt in his most recent post on Instagram.
In the video clip, the current TKO board member is shown perplexed, pondering how he can solve the Rubik's cube. He mentions, "Slightly intellectually intimidated, but keeping faith alive." Whether he's actually bewildered by an actual Rubik's cube or if it's metaphor in relation to WWE's desire to build a working relationship with the Bushiroad owned promotion remains unclear. What is known; however, is the fact that the current Chief Content Officer of WWE, Triple H, has been champing at the bit to create partnerships with international companies since taking over.
Earlier this year, reports circulated that WWE "wanted to make another go" at re-establishing a relationship with NJPW following the announcement of Hiroshi Tanahashi's position as the new acting president. While it might be unlikely due to NJPW solidifying a strong working relationship with AEW, never say never, as we've seen within the last year the industry form partnerships that seemed unachievable, like TNA- "WWE NXT," for example. For now, WWE has fostered several working relationships with both independent and commercialized promotions globally, such as All Japan Pro Wrestling and Marigold.
Last night, NJPW held their annual Windy City Riot event in Chicago, Illinois, that saw Tanahashi wrestle his last match in America. "The Ace" will retire fully at Wrestle Kingdom 20, on January 4, 2026.

