Backstage Update On Karl Anderson And The Relationship Between NJPW And WWE

Karl Anderson recently rejoined WWE despite being the NJPW NEVER Openweight Champion when he signed the contract. Since then, he's continued to work for both promotions, with his next title defense scheduled to take place at Wrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4. However, having the wrestler juggle both promotions was tricky at times, according to Rocky Romero.

According to Romero in a new interview with Fightful Select, which will be available on YouTube this coming Monday, the situation was difficult to navigate behind the scenes. That said, it was always Anderson's plan to work at Wrestle Kingdom 17, even when he signed for WWE back in October of 2022. Despite the complications that arose to get Anderson on the NJPW card, however, Romero claimed that everyone involved had the best intentions at heart.

Romero continued by saying that WWE has yet to ask NJPW for anything in exchange for allowing Anderson to compete at Wrestle Kingdom 17. However, he also noted that it's possible they may ask for something down the line, which NJPW would likely accommodate. He hasn't ruled out WWE and NJPW continuing their working relationship either, but stated that AEW has been a greater partner to the Japanese promotion.

In recent weeks, there has been some chatter about KAIRI working at WWE's upcoming Royal Rumble premium live event. The former WWE Superstar currently competes for STARDOM, which is owned by NJPW's parent company Bushiroad. However, as of this writing, KAIRI returning to WWE for a one-off appearance is just a rumor.