AJ Styles wants WWE to keep expanding across the wrestling world, and he already knows where the company should plant its next flag—Japan.
Speaking on The Phenomenally Retro Podcast, Styles praised WWE’s work with AAA and started imagining what the same kind of setup could look like in Japan. He made it clear that he does not want WWE to strip away the country’s wrestling culture or drag every major Japanese star onto Raw and SmackDown. Instead, Styles wants WWE to establish its own Japanese wrestling operation while allowing the talent and presentation to keep their identity.
“I would love WWE to find a way to be in Japan, kind of like the way AAA is. We’re not changing what they’re doing. We’re not trying to change the culture. We’re just putting our spin on it.”
Styles then took the idea even further. Rather than WWE simply signing wrestlers from Japan and bringing them to the United States, he floated the possibility of WWE purchasing or building a company inside Japan.
“I don’t want them to come to Raw or SmackDown. I want them to be a WWE whatever in Japan. That’s what we need, because we build our stars. Just because we have stars who are Japanese doesn’t mean there can’t be some gaijin in Japan. We need those guys too.”
Styles said the possibilities would be endless if WWE had a Japanese promotion operating alongside AAA, NXT, Raw and SmackDown. The former WWE Champion then laid out the dream scenario—WWE owns or controls a promotion in Japan while continuing its growing connection with Mexico.
“There are endless things that we could do. How great would it be, though, if it’s not them coming to WWE, but WWE has purchased a company in Japan? Now we have Japan. We have Mexico.”
Styles believes WWE’s money, reach and production machine could help Japanese wrestling regain the level of popularity it enjoyed decades ago. He specifically pointed to the Tokyo Dome as the standard he would want the company to chase.
“I believe that, with the help of WWE, we would be able to revive Japanese wrestling to where it was.”
“I would love to see it back where it’s the Tokyo Dome. I’m not talking about a WrestleMania over there. I’m saying it’s the company selling out the Tokyo Dome like it did in the early ’90s. That’s what I would want to see.”
Styles knows exactly how important Japan can be for a wrestler’s career. He became a major international star through New Japan Pro Wrestling before signing with WWE, while names such as Finn Balor, Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks also built huge reputations there. Now Styles wants WWE to help create that platform for another generation without turning Japanese wrestling into another version of its American shows.
WWE has already expanded its international reach through AAA, and Styles clearly believes Japan should be the company’s next major target. Whether WWE would ever purchase a Japanese promotion remains to be seen, but The Phenomenal One is already sold on the idea.
Would WWE buying or launching a promotion in Japan help revive the Japanese wrestling scene, or would the company be better off staying out of it? Let us know what you think in the comments.
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