Report: WWE Interested In Buying Japanese Promotion Dragon Gate

WWE’s interest in acquiring a Japanese promotion continues as it’s been reported in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter that attempts have also been made to buy Dragon Gate.

If you aren’t familiar with Dragon Gate, it’s one of Japan’s medium sized promotions, but is known for producing some of Japan’s biggest stars, and was the home of PAC after he left WWE and before he joined AEW.

It also has the worst championship title name in all of wrestling: the Open The Dream Gate Championship.

WWE has also reportedly approached both Stardom and Pro Wrestling NOAH with thoughts of acquiring the promotions, but it seems all attempts so far have been fruitless.

The likely reason for all these forays into Japan is that WWE wants to start NXT Japan as part of its “Local Globalisation” venture that started with NXT UK.

Regarding Stardom, it is reported that the deal fell through due to a lack of planning from WWE, and that Stardom officials were unwilling to alter their current touring schedule, something WWE would likely have cancelled.

Stardom was instead acquired by NJPW’s parent company Bushiroad, and will run as a separate promotion under the same umbrella.

Is NXT Japan something you want to see? Or should WWE stay away from Japan?

• wwe
• stardom
• Dragon Gate
• nxt japan

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