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Despite being one of the best commentary teams in professional wrestling alongside Kevin
Kelly, the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that instead of continuing to
use Don Callis, New Japan will be have “a rotation of color commentators through the
end of the year”.
This is said to be because Don’s IMPACT Wrestling duties - where he is both the promotion’s
commentator and co-executive vice-president - has created scheduling conflicts with New
Japan, causing Callis to miss the last three days of August’s G-1 tournament.
As a result, New Japan didn’t book him for their recent King of Pro Wrestling show, nor
any future dates.
Callis hasn’t just been a big part of the sound of New Japan, though, he was was also
instrumental in setting up the huge Chris Jericho vs Kenny Omega match for WrestleKingdom
12.
And his good friend Y2J has spoken out in his defence, tweeting:
“Not using @CyrusOverHuge over huge for ANY AND ALL commentary is a big mistake and
just plain stupid.
@njpw1972” To which a WWE commentator in the wild, Corey
Graves replied: “Nobody asked me ARMS CROSSED EMOJI”
Jericho’s public comments might be the tip of a frustration iceberg backstage in New
Japan.
Earlier this year, the promotion underwent a regime change with Dutchman Harold Meij
becoming the company’s President in May to focus on its global expansion, and Michael
Craven being appointed its General Manager.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter notes, however, that both are from non-wrestling backgrounds,
and are “not experienced in dealing with wrestlers” - which is a critical skill with
many of their top performers’ contracts up for renegotiation at the end of this year.
After the roster was very pleased with the incredible matches in this year’s G1 tournament,
morale is now said to be “more weird than anything, with more uncertainty about what
will happen next and less confidence than with the old administration” and how wrestlers
“feel like they are seen as workers in a factory assembly line as opposed to high level
athletes or entertainers”.
Because of this, some wrestlers who were previously very committed to New Japan are now considering
moving to WWE - where wrestlers are never treated like workers in a factory assembly
line.
That would imply they’d actually be employed.
Although the Observer doesn’t specify who these people are, it does tie into Bullet
Club members the Young Bucks, Cody, Kenny Omega and Hangman Page teasing their collective
contracts expiring at the end of the year, and how Triple H has already reached out to
bring them into WWE.
And now, over the weekend, they’ve all announced the release of their “final” Bullet Club
style t-shirts - another tease they could be leaving New Japan.
Current IWGP Heavyweight Champion Omega was the only one who didn’t post about a ‘final’
Bullet Club design.
But that’s not to say he’s definitely staying with New Japan.
It’s just because he was too busy flirting with Seth Rollins.
After Rollins told the ACE Comic Con in Chicago over the weekend: “I would like to face
Kenny Omega.
I am the best wrestler in the world, and would like to prove that.”
- Omega himself replied…
“An exciting proposal...Now if only there were an appropriate venue for such a historic
clash...
THE ROCK EYEBROW EMOJI”
Read WrestleTalk’s exclusive story on the New Japan backstage frustration by clicking
the link onscreen now!
And click the video onscreen to find out 10 real life wrestling couples!
Aww.
I’ve been Oli Davis, and that was wrestling.