History Trivia / NewJapanProWrestling

** Following Harold Meij's ascension as NJPW president in May 2018, he had supposedly been responsible for souring relations with Wrestling/TheElite over their prominence and pay status - ironic, considering that Meij had been brought in to further NJPW's own Western expansion plans. By Wrestling/KennyOmega and Wrestling/TheYoungBucks' own admission, their pay offers (in addition to keeping the Bucks' commitments between ROH and NJPW) were so low they had even considered jumping straight to WWE rather than staying with NJPW, despite their past reticence to signing with the promotion. With the Elite later leaving NJPW to form AEW with Tony Khan, it is also likely that the differences between both sides prevented any true partnership between NJPW and AEW as a whole. Tellingly, Meij's departure in October 2020 would then be followed up by a proper NJPW/AEW relationship being established the following Febuary.

** Following Harold Meij's ascension as NJPW president in May 2018, he had supposedly been responsible for souring relations with the Elite over their prominence and pay status - ironic, considering that Meij had been brought in to further NJPW's own Western expansion plans. By Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks' own admission, their pay offers (in addition to keeping the Bucks' commitments between ROH and NJPW) were so low they had even considered jumping straight to WWE rather than staying with NJPW. With the Elite later leaving NJPW to form AEW with Tony Khan, it is also likely that the differences between both sides prevented any true partnership between NJPW and AEW as a whole. Tellingly, Meij's departure in October 2020 would then be followed up by a proper NJPW/AEW relationship being established the following Febuary.

* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: After Ivan Gomes's short career in New Japan, a Brazilian sport magazine published a spirited but hilariously uninformed article in which they claimede that NJPW was a Japanese martial arts school, and described Antonio Inoki as a man named "Inoche" who was a 7 ft tall world UsefulNotes/{{Judo}} champion who led the school after he had roamed the world defeating fighters. One has to wonder if the writers did their research by reading Creator/IkkiKajiwara manga books or if they simply wanted to make up a good story from the little they knew with the assurance that probably nobody in Brazil would check it.

** In 2008 NJPW sent their biggest star, Wrestling/HiroshiTanahashi, to TNA as a return favor for Wrestling/KurtAngle helping settle the "third IWGP belt" debacle, but pulled him out early when they found out what the long term plans for him ([[DemotedToExtra a lot of nothing]]) were. Following other incidents such as New Japan tag team No Limit being {{squash|Match}}ed in a 2-on-1 handicap match by Wrestling/KevinNash, the straw that broke the camel's back and resulted in NJPW breaking off their deal with TNA was sending Wrestling/KazuchikaOkada on an excursion there, only for TNA to give him a [[Radio/TheGreenHornet Kato]] {{Expy}} gimmick and almost exclusively use him on their BShow ''Xplosion''. By then, TNA's pook booking of New Japan talent became so well-known that some actually believed that New Japan sent Okada to TNA ''actually counting on TNA to do nothing with Okada'', so that when they brought back Okada and pushed him to become IWGP Heavyweight Champion, he would actually be grateful and appreciate it rather than letting it go to his head (if that was the case, given how Okada would recount how miserable his time in TNA was to anybody who would listen, it worked flawlessly). It went to the point that after TNA became Impact Wrestling under new management and sought to rebuild their partnership with NJPW in 2020, it was reported that their first step was to metaphorically make a beeline to Okada to apologize directly to him for the past treatment he received, even though the new management was obviously not responsible for it.

* FanNickname: [[Wrestling/TripleH Triple M]] by fans of Katsuyori Shibata who think Togi Makabe used his established political pull to go over him at Wrestle Kingdom.

* CareerResurrection: For many foreign wrestlers, such as Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer, former WWE wrestlers who teamed up as Wrestling/{{Suzuki-gun}}'s Killer Elite Squad.

* CareerResurrection: For many foreign wrestlers, such as Davey Boy Smith Jr. and Lance Archer, former WWE wrestlers who teamed up as [[Wrestling/MinoruSuzuki Suzuki-gun's]] Killer Elite Squad.

** In 2008 NJPW sent their biggest star, Wrestling/HiroshiTanahashi, to TNA as a return favor for Wrestling/KurtAngle helping settle the "third IWGP belt" debacle, but pulled him out early when they found out what the long term plans for him ([[DemotedToExtra a lot of nothing]]) were. However, the straw that broke the camel's back and resulted in NJPW breaking off their deal with TNA was sending Wrestling/KazuchikaOkada on an excursion there, only for TNA to give him a [[Radio/TheGreenHornet Kato]] {{Expy}} gimmick and almost exclusively use him on their BShow ''Xplosion''. In fact, it is believed that the reason why they later sent Okada to TNA was because ''they were actually counting on TNA to do nothing with Okada'', so that when they brought back Okada and pushed him to become IWGP Heavyweight Champion, he would actually be grateful and appreciate it rather than letting it go to his head (if that was the case, given how Okada would recount how miserable his time was there to anybody who would listen, it worked flawlessly). It went to the point that after TNA became Impact Wrestling under new management and sought to rebuild their partnership with NJPW in 2021, it was reported that their first step was to metaphorically make a beeline to Okada to apologize directly to him for the past treatment he received, even though the new management was obviously not responsible for it.

* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: After Ivan Gomes's short career in New Japan, a Brazilian sport magazine published a spirited but hilariously uninformed article in which they explained that NJPW was a Japanese martial arts school led by a man named Inoche, who was a 7 ft tall world UsefulNotes/{{Judo}} champion who had roamed the world defeating fighters. One has to wonder if the writers did their research by reading Creator/IkkiKajiwara manga books or if they simply wanted to make up a good story from the little they knew with the assurance that probably nobody in Brazil would check it.

** In 2008 NJPW sent their biggest star, Wrestling/HiroshiTanahashi, to TNA as a return favor for Wrestling/KurtAngle helping settle the third IWGP belt debacle but [[HistoryRepeats abrogated the deal and pulled him out early]] when they found out what the long term plans for him ([[DemotedToExtra a lot of nothing]]) were. In fact, it is believed that the reason why they later sent Wrestling/KazuchikaOkada to TNA was because ''they were actually counting on TNA to do nothing with Okada'', so that when they brought back Okada and pushed him to become IWGP Heavyweight Champion, he would actually be grateful and appreciate it rather than letting it go to his head. If that was the case, given that the most TNA gave him was a [[Radio/TheGreenHornet Kato]] {{Expy}} gimmick, it worked flawlessly.

* ExecutiveMeddling: Jushin Thunder Liger dropping the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship on ''[[Wrestling/WCWMondayNitro Nitro]]''? The British Invasion, IWGP Tag Team Champions? NJPW didn't like the idea any more than the fans, so you can blame WCW and TNA, respectively.

** In 2003, Antonio Inoki pushed to have a pro wrestling/MMA event in which several New Japan wrestlers would face Gracie family representatives in shoot matches, but NJPW executives swiftly shut down the idea, knowing it couldn't end well for them. (While they did have a few amateur wrestling champions and a pair of shoot-stylists who might have held their own, by then MMA had advanced too much as a sport for one-dimensional wrestlers to thrive against veteran fighters.)

** After leaving Ladies Legend Pro Wrestling, joshi puroresu star Michiko Omukai proposed NJPW to become the female manager of Team 2000, but they weren't interested.
** Wrestling/{{Mistico}} and Shigeo Okumura were to return to New Japan in May of 2009 while Misterioso Jr was to debut. The former had plans to challenge for the IWGP Junior Heavyweight title but New Japan put off the date due to a Swine Flu outbreak. Místico would win the title latter but Okumura stayed in CMLL outside of Fantasticamania and Misteriosos Jr's debut did not come.

* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: After Ivan Gomes's short career in New Japan, a Brazilian sport magazine published a spirited but hilariously uninformed article in which they explained that NJPW was a Japanese martial arts school led by a man named Inoche, who was a 7 ft tall world UsefulNotes/{{Judo}} champion who had roamed the world defeating fighters. One has to wonder if the writers did their research by reading Ikki Kajiwara manga books or if they simply wanted to make up a good story from the little they knew with the assurance that probably nobody in Brazil would check it.

* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: After Ivan Gomes's short career in New Japan, a Brazilian sport magazine published a spirited but hilariously uninformed article in which they explained that NJPW was a Japanese martial arts school led by a man named Inoche, who was a 7 feet tall world UsefulNotes/{{Judo}} champion who had roamed the world defeating fighters. One has to wonder if the writers did their research by reading Ikki Kajiwara manga books or if they simply wanted to make up a good story from the little they knew with the assurance that probably nobody in Brazil would check it.

** Seiji Sakaguchi was really interested in competing in MMA during the 2000s, as he had been Olympic UsefulNotes/{{Judo}} medalist in his youth, but he had to back down due to his advanced age. He did become somewhat of a MMA trainer, though.
** During his stint in NJPW, Don Frye was scouted by all the major wrestling promotions in United States, mainly WWF and WCW, but both of them lost interest on him, the former after learning of his legendary drinking habits and the latter when Frye got into a verbal altercation with Ernest Miller.
** Kazuhiro Hamanaka of PRIDE fame could have debuted in NJPW as a pro wrestler, as they were eagerly after him when he left Takada Dojo. Although K-1 was interested in him too and PRIDE naturally wanted him back, he signed with Inoki Office, which could make it possible for him to compete in New Japan. However, he ended up sticking to MMA, and when Inoki Office was absorbed by NJPW and he couldn't fight through them, he left and never came back.

** Dolgorsürengiin Sumyaabazar, brother of New Japan wrestler Blue Wolf/Dolgorsürengiin Serjbüdee, was going to join NJPW full time under the name of "Blue Dragon". He did wrestle a few matches for the company, but neither became a full time wrestler nor used that name.
** UsefulNotes/BrazilianJiuJitsu personality Wallid Ismail had planned to debut in pro wrestling teaming up with Kazuyuki Fujita, but it never happened. K-1 fighers like Tsuyoshi Nakasako or Musashi were also proposed by Masahiro Chono to compete in the company, and Manabu Nakanishi and Yuji Nagata wanted to have Mirko Cro Cop wrestling for NJPW, but they were not interested.
** Joshi puroresu star Michiko Omukai wanted to become the manager of the Team 2000, but she was not hired.

* RealLifeWritesThePlot: Wrestling/KennyOmega was originally supposed to hold the IWGP Heavyweight Championship from Dominion 2018 until the G1 Supercard in Madison Square Garden, where he would have dropped the title to Wrestling/KazuchikaOkada in the fifth installment of their storied rivalry, as well as the first on American soil. Omega's decision to instead leave New Japan a few months early and go join Wrestling/AllEliteWrestling opened the door for two brief, but important title changes.

* CowboyBebopAtHisComputer: After Ivan Gomes's short career in New Japan, a Brazilian sport magazine published a spirited but hilariously uninformed article in which they explained that NJPW was a Japanese martial arts school led by a man named Inoche, who was a 7 feet tall world judo champion who had roamed the world defeating fighters. One has to wonder if the writers did their research by reading Ikki Kajiwara manga books or if they simply wanted to make up a good story from the little they knew with the assurance that probably nobody in Brazil would check it.

* CreatorBreakdown: This certainly happened to Antonio Inoki near the end of his run, though it is necessary to wonder if he broke down at the end or if he was already broken down in the first place.

** Dolgorsürengiin Sumyaabazar, brother of New Japan wrestler Blue Wolf/Dolgorsürengiin Serjbüdee, was going to join NJPW full time under the name of "Blue Dragon". He did wrestle for the company a few matches, but neither became a full time wrestler nor used that name.

** Joshi puroresu star Michiko Omukai wanted to become the manager of the Team 2000, but she was not signed up.