Kevin Knight is set to return to a familiar training environment in October, with the AEW wrestler scheduled to lead a pair of seminars at the NJPW Academy in Carson, California.
New Japan Pro-Wrestling has announced that Knight will conduct two separate sessions on Friday, October 23, at the NJPW LA Dojo. The seminars are open to pro wrestlers with previous wrestling or training experience, and the academy has stated that performers of all skill levels are welcome to apply.
Knight’s appearance brings a notable LA Dojo success story back to the building. A graduate of the system, Knight has gone on to establish himself internationally while also becoming a two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion. He is presently competing in AEW, where he will also have a major tag team opportunity at the 2026 All Out pay-per-view.
Two Sessions Planned at the NJPW LA Dojo
The October 23 program will be split into two three-hour seminars. The first session is scheduled for noon through 3 p.m., while the second will run from 6 p.m. through 9 p.m. NJPW indicated that the lessons in each session will differ, allowing wrestlers who attend both to take part in two distinct blocks of instruction.
For more background on this topic, read YOH To Defend IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship Against Robbie X On October 7.
The standard fee is $75 per seminar. Active NJPW Academy wrestlers can attend for $50 per session. Both sessions will be held at the NJPW LA Dojo, located at 20821 Annalee Ave. in Carson, California.
“Wrestlers of all skill levels are invited to attend this special training opportunity,” NJPW stated in its announcement, while noting that each seminar will feature different lessons.
Space will be limited. Interested applicants must be at least 18 years old and must have prior pro wrestling or training experience. NJPW also noted that submitting an application does not guarantee admission, as applicants may be turned away once the available spots have been filled.
The eligibility requirements make the seminars a focused opportunity for performers who already have some footing in the industry rather than an introductory course for people with no ring experience. With Knight’s own background at the LA Dojo, the sessions offer attendees instruction from a wrestler who has navigated the transition from developmental training to prominent appearances across major wrestling platforms.
A Return for an LA Dojo Graduate
Knight’s involvement carries added significance because of his connection to the NJPW training system. The LA Dojo has been an important developmental base for New Japan’s talent pipeline in the United States, and Knight is among the wrestlers to emerge from that environment before moving into a larger international profile.
His two IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship reigns remain a key part of that New Japan résumé. Those accomplishments place him in a position to share experience shaped by both the dojo structure and the demands of competing in the junior heavyweight tag division.
The announcement refers to Knight as one of the industry’s brightest stars, a description that reflects the visibility he has gained since graduating from the LA Dojo. For wrestlers attending the October seminars, the appeal is not simply hearing from a recognizable name. Knight’s path gives the sessions a direct connection to the academy setting: he has firsthand experience of the type of disciplined training and professional development that the facility represents.
NJPW has not detailed the specific subjects that will be covered in either session. However, the promotion has made clear that the sessions will not duplicate one another. Wrestlers looking to attend both will receive different lessons across the afternoon and evening blocks, while those who can only make one will still have a full three-hour seminar.
AEW All Out Match Also Awaits Knight
Before his October academy appearance, Knight is scheduled to compete at AEW All Out 2026. He will team with Kyle Fletcher, a member of the Don Callis Family, against Steven Borden and TNT Champion Darby Allin.
The stakes in that match are clear: the winning team will move on to challenge for the AEW World Tag Team Championship. That places Knight in a consequential match on the pay-per-view card, with a title opportunity available to whichever pairing emerges victorious.
Knight and Fletcher will be aligned for the bout, while Borden will team with Allin, who enters the contest holding the TNT Championship. The match presents Knight with the chance to secure a route toward another major tag team title pursuit, this time in AEW.
There is an interesting contrast between the two items on Knight’s upcoming calendar. At All Out, he will be working in a high-stakes contest where the outcome determines the next challengers for AEW’s tag team titles. Less than a month later, he will be in Carson helping guide wrestlers seeking to build or further their own careers. The two commitments underline the range of responsibilities that can come with an established active wrestler’s schedule.
Nothing in the academy announcement suggests that the All Out result will affect Knight’s scheduled seminar dates. As announced, he remains booked for both October 23 sessions regardless of the outcome of the AEW match.
Key Details for Applicants
- Date: Friday, October 23
- Session 1: 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
- Session 2: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Venue: NJPW LA Dojo, 20821 Annalee Ave., Carson, CA 90746
- Standard cost: $75 per session
- NJPW Academy wrestler cost: $50 per session
- Requirements: Applicants must be 18 or older and have previous pro wrestling or training experience.
- Availability: Entry is limited, and applications can be declined after spots are filled.
NJPW’s instruction that wrestlers can attend both seminars is particularly important for prospective applicants. Because each block will feature separate lessons, signing up for both is not presented as a repeat of the same material. At the same time, the limited-capacity structure means interested wrestlers will need to apply with the possibility that demand could exceed the number of places available.
The $50 rate for NJPW Academy wrestlers also creates a reduced-cost option for performers already training within the academy system. For those students, Knight’s visit represents an opportunity to learn from a former LA Dojo trainee who has since earned championships in New Japan and is now active on AEW programming.
Knight Brings Active-Roster Experience to the Academy
Guest seminars can provide wrestlers with exposure to perspectives beyond their everyday training routine, and Knight’s October visit is rooted in a particularly relevant connection to the venue. He is not being presented as an outsider making a one-time stop at the academy; he is a product of the LA Dojo environment returning with the benefit of his subsequent experience.
That experience includes his work as a two-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion, as well as his current position in AEW. With an AEW World Tag Team Championship challenge at stake in his All Out match, Knight will arrive at the academy amid an active period in his own career.
For NJPW Academy wrestlers and other experienced trainees who are accepted into the sessions, October 23 will offer two chances to train with Knight at the Carson facility. The afternoon and evening formats give applicants flexibility, while the distinct lesson plans provide an added reason for those able to participate in both.
Knight’s seminars are scheduled for Friday, October 23, at the NJPW LA Dojo in Carson. Applications are subject to the academy’s age, experience, and capacity requirements.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.