New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) is undergoing a significant shift as Hiromu Takahashi, a former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, revealed he will be departing from the promotion shortly. NJPW officially shared this update on their website, stating that after thoughtful discussions, they have decided not to renew Takahashi’s contract. The company expressed regret over the abrupt nature of the announcement and extended their best wishes for his future.
Takahashi, nicknamed “Timebomb,” still has a few NJPW appearances left on the current Road to the New Beginning Tour. His final match for the promotion will take place at The New Beginning event in Osaka on February 11th, where he will team up with Unbound stablemate Taiji Ishimori to face United Empire’s Jacob Austin Young and Francesco Akira. Once the event concludes, Takahashi will enter free agency.
In an exclusive interview with Tokyo Sports following the announcement, Takahashi shared that his departure was a carefully made decision. While he continues to dream of major accomplishments within NJPW, including capturing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and performing on prime time, he also has another important personal goal he wishes to pursue now. He expressed a strong desire to follow that dream and felt acting immediately was crucial to avoid future regret.
Throughout his NJPW career, Takahashi has achieved remarkable success: he is a five-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, former IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, ex-NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champion, and holds the record as a four-time Best of the Super Junior Tournament winner—the most in NJPW history.
Please credit Tokyo Sports for any quotes and Fightful for the transcription.
Fan Take: This is huge news for AEW fans because Takahashi’s departure from NJPW could signal a major new signing or exciting cross-promotional appearances. His unique in-ring style and star power would bring fresh energy to the sport and potentially shake up the junior heavyweight division in the global wrestling scene.
