Wrestle Kingdom is NJPW’s biggest annual event. Every year the Japanese promotion fills the famous Tokyo Dome, putting on a show which always impresses with matches featuring a plethora of the company’s top performers.
Wrestling fans are getting excited for the next Wrestling Kingdom event, which is just weeks away. To add to the excitement, interesting news has recently come out about a contracted WWE performer competing at the event.
WWE Star To Compete At Wrestle Kingdom
WWE Raw star Karl Anderson is in a unique position. He is a WWE-contracted performer, however, he holds a prestigious championship under New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Anderson is the current reigning NEVER Openweight Champion, having defeated Tama Tonga for the belt before his return to WWE.
There has been much confusion surrounding the status of the NEVER Openweight Championship since Karl Anderson’s signing with WWE. However, a recent report from PWInsider confirms that the disorder is about to be cleared up. Anderson is reportedly due to make further appearances for NJPW while under WWE’s employ.
“While Karl Anderson is slated to return to New Japan Pro Wrestling this Wednesday 12/14 to defend the NEVER Openweight Championship against Hikuelo, that is not intended to be his final appearance for the promotion.
PWInsider.com has learned from multiple sources that WWE and New Japan have come to terms on an agreement for Anderson to wrestle on the 1/4/23 Wrestle Kingdom event at the Tokyo Dome, making him the first-ever contracted WWE talent to work NJPW’s biggest event of the year.
PWInsider.com is told that Anderson had long figured into NJPW’s plans for the event even before The Good Brothers returned to WWE and that the two sides were able to come to terms to keep NJPW’s creative plans in place. We are told that Anderson will have a “strong role” at the Dome show in a singles bout.”
Anderson was previously pulled from NJPW Battle Autumn due to his signing with WWE, so it is clear that a rare deal has been made between the two giant organisations.
2023’s Wrestle Kingdom will be NJPW’s 17th time putting the show on, and at present, Karl Anderson’s opponent is yet to be revealed. If he is to defend the NEVER Openweight Championship at the event, he will first have to make it past Hikuelo at NJPW’s World Tag League and Super Junior Tag league finals.