Braun Strowman should head to New Japan Pro Wrestling

Braun Strowman made the news this year and it wasn’t because of his wrestling ability or anything that happened in the squared circle, necessarily. Sadly, he was released by WWE in what would become just one of the first shocking releases the company has made this year.

As most wrestling fans know, Ric Flair, Bray Wyatt, Bronson Reed, and Mercedes Martinez (among a plethora of so many others) were released in quick succession, as the months since Strowman’s release was made public seemed to pass in a blur.

Braun Strowman should give New Japan Pro Wrestling a try.

There is of course a lot of hype around him possibly joining in with WWE’s biggest competitor to arise since Ted Turner’s WCW during the mid to late ’90s (WCW actually beat the WWE for the greater part of two years in the ratings during what would come to be known as The Monday Night Wars).

In terms of worthy adversaries, WWE has gone pretty much undisturbed until 2019 when AEW came around. For the longest time, WWE was the main professional wrestling company, essentially the go-to for wrestling fans — excluding smaller promotions like Impact, ROH, etc..

The rumors that Strowman would join with AEW are plentiful and are sound for sure, as a move to that company would only make sense for him at this point in his career, and I don’t discount that at all. However, Strowman should maybe think of signing with another promotion: New Japan Pro Wrestling.

But there are other rumors that he would maybe be re-signing with WWE. These rumors are also getting a wee bit of mileage in the old rumor mill, which as I’ve stated multiple times lately, is working overtime. This is possible as well and he has hinted at this on social media, or rather hinted at the fact that more than one promotion is after him and his talents in the squared circle.

It has been covered at numerous news sources, by numerous pro wrestling journalists — myself included — that he would be performing in September at QPW’s SuperSlam 3 in Qatar on Feb. 26, 2022, and although that event is still a ways off, his being signed for that event speaks volumes. Yet even though it’s far off as far as events go, he’s been training and he looks ring-ready, to say the least.

The fact that he’s doing this show leads many to believe that he will sign rather with AEW, as it’s possible to perform in other promotions while signed there — as so many AEW stars do. Conversely, WWE frowns upon it and their schedule doesn’t permit it anyway.

Where he will end up is of course still up in the air, no matter how crazy the aforementioned rumors are and what they allude to.

Perhaps though, he should consider going to NJPW. He has been a WWE guy since the beginning of his career and a turn in New Japan Pro would add to his allure and his experience. It would be a great move for him looking forward.

It did wonders for the career of Doc Gallows, and Gallows reminds me of Strowman: both are big, strong men, and their in-ring styles are very similar.

Both of them got their start in WWE — or at least their initial run in the majors of pro wrestling. Strowman was a strongman, a competitive one, and Gallows was signed to WWE after a run in some independent territories and promotions. Essentially, he did a year in the indies before being signed to a developmental contract with WWE in 2005, the very same year he started wrestling.

Strowman entered the business in almost the same fashion, minus the wrestling experience. In the end, they both learned most of what they showcase in the ring in WWE developmental.

So, Strowman doing what Gallows did before him is definitely possible. Again, there are similarities in their careers and in their styles and Strowman would do good to serve some time in New Japan. It could legitimize an already impressive career and add to his accolades — especially if he wins a few titles (or at least the big one) over there to boot — until he settles in at AEW, which is where I hope he ends up.

An incredible athlete, Strowman would be an epic addition to any promotion, though, dear readers.