Jeff Cobb’s departure from New Japan’s pro wrestling is a painful place for NJPW fans, and there are great hopes for his arrival to WWE fans. The former IWGP heavyweight tag team champion said goodbye to the promotion on social media, but did so in a very important way.
“And now, forever,” Cobb wrote on Twitter to refer to WWE’s show open catchphrase. Cobb says he has an arrow pointing to the NJPW banner in his photo, saying that the promotion will be part of him wherever he is, while it is a WWE catchphrase. It’s not yet clear when Cobb will make his debut in WWE. Many had assumed it would answer Randy Orton’s Open Challenge at WrestleMania 41, but the honor went to TNA World Champion Joe Hendry.
Then, now, forever ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/dxof5lqzgh
– Jeff Cobb (@RealJeffCobb) April 18, 2025
I was wondering how quickly the deal between Cobb and WWE came together, freeing up the IWGP heavyweight tag team title that Cobb had alongside Callum Newman. Recent reports suggest that Cobb has already signed with WWE, and NJPW was aware of this fact when they posted the tag title to Cobb and Newman. No new champions have been decided yet.
Cobb is not the only NJPW star leaving the promotion, as Naito has been one of the leading faces of the promotion over the past decade, as Los Ingobernables de Japon Member Member has left the company. The Knight’s departure is a major shaking, especially when the company lost the impending retirements of Osprey, Okadagawa and Tanaka Nishino.
