WWE Loaning Top Stars To Indy Promotions

Two announcements have created further intrigue over the relationship between WWE and its indy partner promotions.

Earlier today, Fight Club: PRO, which is co-owned and operated by NXT UK star Trent Seven. The British group announced that 205 Live star and former WWE Cruiserweight champion Akira Tozawa would be wrestling on their Project Tokyo event on January 7 at Korakuen Hall in Japan.

🇯🇵PROJECT TOKYO🇯🇵

We wanted our debut show in Japan to be something special. A showcase of what we are, but also, to put on an event that stands out from the rest!!!

Japan, we are coming!!!

Get ready for PROJECT TOKYO!!!

Tickets are available NOW via: https://t.co/fVeZkBs1xX pic.twitter.com/zChsHYBbah

— Fight Club: PRO (@Fightclubpro) December 16, 2018

205 Live GM and former FCP competitor Drake Maverick confirmed the news from WWE‘s side on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/WWEMaverick/status/1074384059206230016

This comes just a few weeks after WWE pulled several talents from the show due to the rule that NXT UK wrestlers cannot work anywhere else in the week prior to tapings, due to previous issues with wrestlers turning up injured.

This follows the news announced at EVOLVE 117 last night that WWE is loaning the promotion NXT superstar Johnny Gargano for a pair of events in New York on January 18 and 19.

Gargano, who lasted wrestled for EVOLVE in mid-2016 and was the top act in the group, tweeted:

I'm a firm believer that you should NEVER forget where you've come from.. you stay loyal to those who have been loyal to you.

I can safely say that I wouldn't be the wrestler I am today without EVOLVE.

January 18th & 19th.. NYC.. The kid comes back for one special weekend. pic.twitter.com/0ZmJjtOuij

— Not Shawn Michaels (@JohnnyGargano) December 15, 2018

So for all the talk that WWE is increasingly restricting the availability of its talent to work elsewhere (which it is within its rights to do), there are clearly still occasions where the promotion is happy to loan out its stars to partner groups worldwide.

• FCP
• johnny gargano
• Evolve
• Akira Tozawa

Share this article with friends