Latest Update on Jon Moxley Wrestling at New Japan’s Wrestle Kingdom 15

New Japan Pro-Wrestling will host its 15th annual Wrestle Kingdom event at the Tokyo Dome on January 4-5, 2021, and one of the big questions surrounding the upcoming event is whether or not Jon Moxley will be involved. The AEW star is still the reigning IWGP United States Champion, but between the COVID-19 pandemic and AEW’s rules about its wrestlers working televised events for other promotions, he hasn’t been able to work a show for New Japan since February’s The New Beginning. When AEW announced Moxley would defend the AEW World Championship against Kenny Omega on Dec. 2, speculation began that Moxley would be off television after that match in order to travel to Japan and undergo a two-week quarantine in time for Wrestle Kingdom 15.

Wrestling Observer‘s Dave Meltzer reported over the weekend that might not be the case after all. He stated on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio that Moxley hasn’t requested time off for that date as of now.

“What I can tell you is that as of this week no [he hasn’t asked],” Meltzer said. “As far as Tony Khan [knows], he has not asked for the date. He could ask for the date, but Moxley has not asked Tony for the date. The fact that they made this match on December 2nd and it was Tony’s call means that it 100% has nothing to do with the Tokyo Dome.”

Moxley clarified back in August in an interview with Meltzer that his later New Japan contract had expired.

“I don’t have a contract with New Japan. I had one that was from June when I started up until Wrestle Kingdom, and it was just for that specific run,” Moxley said.

“I knew that I wanted to go to Japan; I loved to wrestle in Japan. When we’d go over to the shows in the Summer, we would always go in like June or July to do a double shot in sumo hall, those are my favorite shows of the year because I just love the fans over there,” he continued. “I love that you can just wrestle, get a clean break on the ropes. Oh! I love the fans over there, the respect and the style, and I look forward to it every year. To me, that was more important that WrestleMania, was the Sumo Halls every year. I always had it in the back of my mind, because I knew the reactions I could get in Japan, I just knew. I had a feeling that I could work here. Like, if I ever come back here, I had a feeling in my mind that I could. So, I knew I wanted to go to Japan and at least have one solid run in a legit Japanese company.”

He also stated the door for him to work with New Japan again was wide open.

… Later down the line, it was like, ‘Yeah man, it’s basically whatever you want to do. If you want to come in for one or two big shows, if you want to come do a tour, if you can do the G1, that will be sick! Whatever you want,'” he said.