AJ Styles Says WWE Japan Comments Weren’t About NJPW

AJ Styles is pushing back on the firestorm that followed his recent suggestion that WWE could look into buying a Japanese wrestling promotion, insisting he never meant to single out New Japan Pro Wrestling.

The comments, made in a previous interview, floated the idea that WWE might strengthen its international footprint by acquiring a company based in Japan. That set off plenty of debate among fans, many of whom argued the Japanese scene doesn’t need WWE’s money or involvement. Others brought up WWE’s track record with acquisitions — pointing to WCW and EVOLVE, both of which were absorbed and eventually stopped operating as standalone promotions — as a cautionary tale. Given that Styles built much of his early reputation as a top international star in NJPW before jumping to WWE in 2016, a lot of people assumed he was talking specifically about that company.

Styles shot that down on his Phenomenally Retro podcast. “Did I ever say New Japan Pro Wrestling? I can’t remember. Just a Japanese company. That’s more what I was alluding to,” he said. He also addressed fans connecting his remarks to his close friend Hiroshi Tanahashi, whose battle with cancer drew an outpouring of support from Japan. “People are like, ‘Oh, Tanahashi.’ There ain’t but one Tanahashi and the fact that Japan came out and supported him the way that it did says a lot about that country because he’s definitely one of my favorite guys in the wrestling business. Just a heart of gold.”

Styles was adamant he wasn’t taking a shot at his longtime friend. “So just so you know, I’m not disrespecting my friend, by the way, Tanahashi. You don’t know him like I do. I promise you. I would never disrespect that guy. But, you know. People are gonna say what they say because they think they know everything about wrestling.”

Styles retired from in-ring competition after losing to GUNTHER in January 2026 but has stayed on with WWE in a backstage capacity, giving his opinions on the company’s global strategy a bit more weight than the average outside observer’s.