Current Champion Explains Why He Chose NJPW Despite An Offer From AEW

AEW/NJPW

Current NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Champion El Phantasmo has explained why he chose NJPW despite an offer from AEW.

2023 has been a huge year for El Phantasmo in New Japan Pro Wrestling. From being ousted from Bullet Club to making it to the World Tag League Finals, the Canadian star has been on quite the journey the past 12 months.

His journey is NJPW dates back to 2019 when he debuted in the promotion during the Best of Super Juniors tournament.

However, it has now been revealed that one half of the current NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Champions had an opportunity to sign with All Elite Wrestling at the time he came to Japan.

Speaking with Tru Heel Heat Wrestling, El Phantasmo discussed joining Guerrillas of Destiny this year and revealed why he chose NJPW over AEW. He said:

“Yeah I think we all kinda got different stories of Bullet Club of how we got in and got out. You know, it’s not a lie when they say ‘it’s Bullet Club 4 Life.’ Like that’s something you can never take from us, you know.”

“When New Japan first came to me with an offer, I also had an offer with AEW. It was like, ‘do I choose New Japan or do I choose AEW?'”

“And I was like, ‘what do you guys want me to do in AEW?’ And they didn’t know and then New Japan was like, ‘we want you in Bullet Club.'”

“You know, like the biggest faction in the world basically in wrestling and that’s a no brainer that I went from a nobody in England to a guy in Bullet Club. Like what, how did this happen?”

In April 2023, Bullet Club leader David Finlay ousted ELP from the group alongside KENTA, Gedo and Taiji Ishimori. Phantasmo went on to join Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, Jado and Hikuleo in the Guerrillas of Destiny stable in NJPW.

On joining the group despite their different journeys in New Japan and how they have connected with the NJPW fans, ELP said:

“So, that I love, but you know, I did my own thing, these guys did their own thing, you know. The Guerillas of Destiny are always over with Tama and T, they have such a presence with what they do, but I think we also have a presence that’s different from them.”

“But we all kinda compliment each other in a way, you know. We all been kinda figuring out how to act more as, like fan favorites as we kinda made our names being troublemakers and trolls and dickheads and stuff.”

“But the way Tama’s connected with the people, the way I’ve connected with the people, the way they love seeing his big ass chop people like, you know. Jado gets, everytime I go ‘JADO’, Jado gets huge pops more than we do, you know.”

El Phantasmo and Hikuleo will face Bishamon in a Title vs. Title match for the IWGP Tag Team Championship and NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championship at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18.

Also scheduled for the card, SANADA vs. Tetsuya Naito for the IWGP World Heavyyweight Title, Will Ospreay vs. Jon Moxley vs. David Finlay for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship and Kazuchika Okada vs. Bryan Danielson.

Thank you to Tru Heel Heat Wrestling for these quotes

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• hikuleo
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