NJPW's SANADA And BUSHI Announced For Upcoming AJPW Event

2022 has been a blockbuster year for both New Japan Pro-Wrestling and All Japan Pro Wrestling, as it marks the 50th anniversary of both companies' existence. The creation of both AJPW and NJPW came to be as a result of wrestling legends Giant Baba and Antonio Inoki, and while both wrestling greats have since passed away, their legacies continue to be celebrated in the form of their two successful companies.

While AJPW and NJPW are known for being rivaling companies, they have collaborated various times in the past, most recently to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Korakeun Hall last April. And this collaboration will continue, with NJPW stars set to appear at the upcoming XmasMANIAx event in Korakeun Hall. Specifically, two former AJPW stars will take part, as Los Ingobernables De Japon's SANADA and BUSHI will be celebrating Christmas Day in their former home promotion.

Both LIJ members debuted for AJPW in 2007, with BUSHI directly transferring to New Japan in 2012, while SANADA took his time after departing from AJPW in 2013 to make an appearance in NJPW. "Cold Skull" would make his presence known in the company at Invasion Attack 2016, helping Tetsuya Naito win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship from Kazuchicka Okada.

The LIJ duo will not be the only NJPW presence on AJPW's XmasMANIAx show in the slightest. NJPW young lions Yuto Nakajima, Akio Fujita, and Oiwa Ryohei will appear, as will Toru Yano and Yuji Nagata. Suzuki-Gun members Taichi and Yoshinobu Kanemaru will also take part. Similarly to SANADA and BUSHI, the Suzuki-gun duo also made their wrestling debuts in AJPW, making this a long-awaited return for many NJPW stars.