NJPW Announces Official Departure Of Longtime English Language Broadcaster Kevin Kelly

By Liam O’Loughlin
Kevin Kelly NJPW/YouTube

Kevin Kelly's time as the English commentator for New Japan Pro Wrestling is over, with a storied eight-year tenure with the promotion officially coming to an end on Monday. The 56-year-old first joined NJPW back in 2015 and has become the voice of the promotion outside of Japan ever since, calling a plethora of Wrestle Kingdom, G1 Climax, and Dominion events, as well as helping the company reach new heights in the United States and across the globe. 

After signing with AEW earlier this year to become one of the commentators for "Collision" on Saturday nights, Kelly confirmed his time in Japan would be coming to an end in the foreseeable future, initially placing the onus on his employers to set a final date for his departure. However, over the weekend, eagle-eyed fans spotted Kelly's official addition to the AEW roster page over the weekend, prompting the play-by-play caller to respond on social media, saying he was 'proud to be part of the team' with Tony Khan's company.

The confirmation prompted NJPW to release a statement regarding Kelly's future, thanking the New York native for his efforts behind the microphone and revealing he would miss Wrestle Kingdom 18 in early January due to family commitments. In recent months, NJPW has added Walker Stewart to the booth for English broadcasts and he appears to be factored into the long-term commentary plans alongside Chris Charlton. 

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