Following his shock exit from NJPW, Tetsuya Naito has commented on the failed negotiations that ultimately led to his departure. Naito and NJPW attempted to secure a deal extension on five separate occasions. His current contract expired on January 31st.
As well as Naito, his Los Ingobernables de Japón (LIJ) stablemate Bushi will also be leaving the promotion, with their final appearances confirmed for the 20th edition of Wrestling Dontaku on May 4th. Naito has led the acclaimed LIJ faction since it was founded in 2015. His work with the stable made Naito a major star in NJPW, leading to him being named Wrestler of the Year for the first time by Tokyo Sports in 2016.
The five-time NJPW Heavyweight Champion’s departure naturally led to an abundance of rumors discussing the reason for his exit. Naito’s salary has been regularly cited as chief among industry speculation. However, in an interview with Tokyo Sports, Naito has squashed any rumors regarding monetary disagreements with NJPW.
“Let me be clear: in the five contract renewals I’ve had, I never once brought up money. Ever since they made me the initial offer in the first negotiation, I never touched the subject again. It’s extremely frustrating to have people think I’m quitting because of money… I never made any unreasonable demands, I never said, ‘Since I’m wrestling more, pay me more,’ or ‘That guy wrestles less, pay him less.’ I just wanted them to properly value what a wrestler’s match is worth. I’ve been saying that for years.”
Tetsuya Naito Defends NJPW CEO Hiroshi Tanahashi
Following Naito’s departure, NJPW CEO Hiroshi Tanahashi was quick to respond with a statement. Tanahashi wanted Naito to finish his career with NJPW and urged him to stay. Sadly, his pleas were not enough to sway Naito, leading to criticism of Tanahashi by NJPW fans. Naito condemned the criticism of Tanahashi, however, he also warned that NJPW’s current negotiation strategy could lead to further exits.
“I think it’s wrong that President Tanahashi got some heat from the fans because of that. Tanahashi only showed up during the final contract negotiation anyway. Sure, maybe I made some selfish requests. But they didn’t exactly work hard to convince me to stay.”
“After my contract expired on January 31st, it took more than a month before they even contacted me for the next negotiation. I’m not trying to say, ‘Why didn’t you do this or that for me?’ now. But if they don’t change the way they handle contracts, I think the same thing will keep happening in the coming years. I really hope my departure prompts them to rethink how they approach contract renewals.”
Naito’s opinions hold significant water. Along with his and Bushi’s exit from the company, NJPW is still reeling from the departure of Jeff Cobb. The American wrestler, who was just nine days into an IWGP Tag Team Championship reign with Callum Newman, vacated the championships upon confirmation of his exit.
Cobb was linked with WWE following the expiration of his NJPW deal, which, like Naito, concluded in January. Now a free agent in every sense of the term, Cobb could very well be the latest wrestler to join WWE’s ranks.
Tetsuya Naito and Bushi have yet to be credibly linked with any other promotions, with their departures imminent.
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