fightful
patreon
Details on Yota Tsuji's AEW comments
🕑 Added 2026-01-02 02:11:50 +0000 UTCYota Tsuji is speaking his truth about AEW.
Recently, Tsuji did an interview with NJPW where he spoke ill of the NJPW-AEW relationship, stating that he didn’t believe the relationship benefited New Japan. It was originally noted it was possibly kayfabe considering he’s facing Konosuke Takeshita at Wrestle Kingdom, and an AEW vs. NJPW element has played into the last number of years.
In speaking with NJPW sources, they do not believe Yota Tsuji was in character when speaking about his feelings on the AEW-NJPW relationship. They said he's been pretty vocal about it in recent years. When Fightful reported that a number of talent weren’t keen on working the US-based shows, we were told that Tsuji was among the, although he’d worked them in the past.
That being said, this is a common scenario -- especially with NJPW vs. AEW sentiments in the past.
Ironically enough, at one point, Tsuji was considered for an AEW World Title match for AEW Forbidden Door 2024 against Swerve Strickland. However, Will Ospreay volunteered to face and to lose to Swerve, which ended up happening.
Comments
Laechis
I sort of agree with him. I would also like the partnership to more two way. We've seen Moxley and Takeshita win their top belt, yet AEW hasn't let one of their talents win even a TNT or International title. Add some spice to Forbidden Door and pull the trigger on an AEW belt change.
Eric Mccarthy
I’m not disputing what fightful was told but idk I have a hard time believing the company that suspended a commentator for shooting on the AEW relationship on air, would publish an interview where one of their top stars shoots on AEW, and not it just being part of a storyline. But truly who knows
