Current AEW Champion Wants Japan Return

AEW

An AEW champion is eyeing a potential return to Japan, having last competed there in early 2025 at Wrestle Dynasty.

A former New Japan Pro-Wrestling star, AEW National Champion Ricochet’s history with the region dates back to his time in Dragon Gate back in late 2010.

First appearing in the NJPW Best of the Super Juniors in 2013, Ricochet would reveal he wants to return to Japan during a recent interview with Forbes.

Asked if there was anywhere that Ricochet would like to work, he would confirm he wants to go back to Japan, saying:

“I’ve got New Beginnings on February 27 in Trenton, New Jersey. I’ve got (Taiji) Ishimori. I just put out the challenge, so let’s see what happens there.

“And yeah, I want to go back to Japan. I think Japan is my favorite place I’ve wrestled. It’s one of my favorite places I’ve ever been, and I have a great connection out there.

“I know there are a lot of guys who are hungry out there, guys who would want to take a shot at this and take their opportunity.”

The challenge aimed at Ishimori would be issued during NJPW The New Beginning Osaka, with Ricochet and The Gates of Agony appearing on the video screen.

Ricochet would be asked what his fondest memories of his time in Japan were, with multiple being on that list, as he stated:

“Oh my goodness, there are a couple that pop out. Me and PAC, our first match in Korakuen Hall. Me and PAC’s match in Osaka, when I actually won the title. Me versus Cima. We wrestled in a main event for the title.

“When I won the title off Yoshino. When I wrestled Apollo Crews, also known as Uhaa Nation at the time. I wrestled him in the main event at Korakuen Hall for the main title of the company when I was champion. It was cool, just me and him in the main event for the main title, the first time that’s ever happened. So that’s a pretty cool one.

“Winning Best of the Super Juniors is something that’s always going to be up there for me. It’s something I’m never going to forget. I could keep going.”

Along with his BOSJ win in 2014, Ricochet won the Super Jr. Tag Tournament with Matt Sydal the following year and would also hold the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship three times (twice with Sydal and once with Ryusuke Taguchi) and the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship three times (with Sydal & Satoshi Kojima, David Finlay & Kojima, and Hiroshi Tanahashi & Ryusuke Taguchi).

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• AEW
• NJPW
• japan
• ricochet

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