The rumors from a few weeks ago in the Japanese media have proven true…New Japan has announced Tetsuya Naito is done with the promotion. His contract will not be renewed by mutual agreement. The promotion says on their English website Naito is leaving on the best possible terms and will finish up with the promotion on 5/4 at the second day of WRESTLING DONTAKU 2025 in Fukuoka. Naito turns 43 this summer and has just short of 19 years in the ring but of course his future is a big question mark due to injuries, especially chronic knee issues and he’a had eye surgeries each of the last couple years prior to Tokyo Done yet he remains one of New Japan’s most popular wrestlers. Only Hiroshi Tanahashi may be more popular right now.
And just as I was about to post this…it was also announced that BUSHI is also leaving New Japan after 5/4. He requested his release and it was granted. BUSHI, previously known in his pre-New Japan days as T28 in All-Japan (Bushii is his real last name) is 42 and has 18 years experience but has mostly been used as a jobber the last few years. So Los Ingobernables de Japon is suddenly down to just 3 (not counting CMLL wrestler Titan).
They join Jeff Cobb in recently departing the promotion although Cobb’s departure was inmediate amidst runors he is WWE-bound.
More as it becomes available.
UPDATE: In a statement posted on New Japan’s Japanese website regarding these announcements, President Hiroshi Tanahashi stated that yesterday he tried to convince Naito to stay but Naito was determined to leave and Tanahashi couldn’t convince him otherwise.
UPDATE 2: More to come? New Japan has announced a press conference with Toru Yano will be held tomorrow at Noon Japan time, which means TONIGHT at 8 PM PT/11 PM ET. It will be streamed LIVE FOR FREE on New Japan World (no paid subscription required).
UPDATE 3: The Yano presser, hosted by Haruo Murata, was apparently to announce a joint New Japan-DDT Pro Wrestling PPV as Super Sasadango Machine, Sanshiro Takagi & Akito were present for DDT as well as Yano along with New Japan Chairman Naoki Sugabayashi. This PPV apparently will be available on both New Japan World and WRESTLE UNIVERSE. (Said event will be on 6/9 at Korakuen Hall in Tokyo. Tickets and PPV sales will begin 5/11 and will be available on both New japan World and WRESTLE UNIVERSE. Further details TBA but the only thing certain is there will be at least one match which will be Yano vs. Machine)
