Tony Khan Reveals NJPW Issues: AEW Wrestle Dynasty Done?
The relationship between All Elite Wrestling and New Japan Pro-Wrestling wasn’t always as strong as it is today.
AEW President Tony Khan addressed the history of the working relationship between the two promotions during the AEW Full Gear 2026 media call on Thursday, November 12.
While discussing AEW’s involvement in the upcoming NJPW Wrestle Kingdom event in January, Khan acknowledged that the two companies experienced some tension during AEW’s early years.
According to Khan, AEW and NJPW “did not have the best relationship” when his promotion first launched, describing the situation in 2019 and 2020 as “a bit of a cold war between us.”
Despite those issues, there were still connections between the promotions through performers such as Jon Moxley and Chris Jericho, both of whom worked for AEW and NJPW during that period.
Things began improving in 2021, when Khan developed stronger relationships with NJPW officials Rocky Romero and Gedo.
Those discussions eventually resulted in a formal working agreement between the companies, paving the way for the inaugural AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view in 2022.
Fast-forward to 2026, and Khan now considers the relationship “a great partnership.”
The AEW President also discussed the company’s involvement in the upcoming Wrestle Kingdom event at the Tokyo Dome, which is expected to feature several prominent AEW stars, including Moxley, Kenny Omega and MJF.
Khan said he is “thrilled” to contribute talent to the event and help NJPW put together a strong show.
The conversation then shifted to the future of Wrestle Dynasty, the collaborative event featuring talent from AEW, NJPW and other promotions.
While Khan stopped short of definitively ruling out another Wrestle Dynasty event, his comments suggested that the concept may not return as a separate show in the immediate future.
Instead, Khan explained that AEW is sending several of its biggest stars to Wrestle Kingdom, effectively providing the type of crossover attraction that fans would ordinarily associate with Wrestle Dynasty.
He also offered an interesting analogy regarding NJPW’s approach to the event.
“I think perhaps they have decided to build the plane out of the black box in this case, and it’s a great call because AEW has got the best wrestlers in the whole world,” Khan said.
Also during the AEW Full Gear 2026 pre-show media conference call on Thursday, Tony Khan revealed where things stand with AEW’s next TV deal.
Make sure to join us here at WrestlingHeadlines.com on 11/14 for live AEW Full Gear 2026 Results coverage.
