IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji has put forward an ambitious idea for New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s relationship with AEW: a full-scale NJPW versus AEW showcase at the Tokyo Dome.
Tsuji addressed the increasing presence of leading AEW names in New Japan following King of Pro-Wrestling, where Kenny Omega, AEW Continental Champion Jon Moxley, and AEW World Champion Will Ospreay were all part of the conversation surrounding NJPW’s immediate future. MJF has also been announced for an upcoming NJPW appearance, with Ryohei Oiwa in his sights.
For Tsuji, the influx of prominent AEW talent is not merely a novelty or a chance for individual dream matches. The reigning IWGP Heavyweight Champion believes it could lead to a larger competitive statement from New Japan—one that takes place on the company’s biggest stage.
“These days, AEW’s top fighters are coming one after another,” Tsuji said. “So, to establish a truly equal relationship, I think it would be interesting to hold a full-scale inter-promotional match at the Tokyo Dome.”
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Tsuji Wants Equality in the NJPW-AEW Relationship
The suggestion arrives at a particularly active time in the working relationship between the two promotions. AEW and NJPW have shared talent and created major crossover opportunities, but Tsuji’s comments underline the importance he places on New Japan being viewed as an equal force rather than simply a destination for visiting stars.
That distinction is central to his proposal. Tsuji did not frame a potential Tokyo Dome program as a one-off attraction built solely around the fame of AEW talent. Instead, he described an inter-promotional series as a way for NJPW to establish an equal footing and demonstrate the quality of its roster to a worldwide audience.
The Tokyo Dome is the natural setting for such a concept. It is New Japan’s most significant stage, and Tsuji’s reference to it reflects the scale of the event he has in mind. A Dome card centered on NJPW-versus-AEW matches would place the company’s wrestlers in direct competition with some of the most recognizable names connected to AEW, while putting New Japan’s identity at the center of the presentation.
Tsuji is especially focused on what New Japan can prove in that environment. He has repeatedly questioned the value of the partnership from NJPW’s perspective, and he acknowledged that a successful Tokyo Dome series could turn that skepticism back on him in the best possible way.
“I feel like everyone in New Japan—regardless of their unit—is starting to realize that we can’t keep getting overshadowed by AEW,” Tsuji said. “If we end up drawing a crowd to the Dome for a series of matches, it’ll be the biggest boomerang coming back at me—since I’ve been constantly questioning whether our partnership with AEW is really worth it. If we can show the world what we’re capable of, then that’s fine for now.”
Kenny Omega Stands Directly in Tsuji’s Path
Before any discussion of a wider Tokyo Dome confrontation can become more than an idea, Tsuji has a major immediate obstacle in Kenny Omega.
Omega closed King of Pro-Wrestling by ambushing both Oleg Boltin and Tsuji, placing himself directly into the IWGP Heavyweight Championship picture. The development brought one of the most significant crossover names in modern wrestling back into an active NJPW storyline and gave Tsuji a personal reason to view the AEW presence as a challenge rather than an abstract business issue.
The next chapter is set for NJPW Power Struggle on November 3, where Tsuji, Omega, and Boltin will meet in a non-title three-way match. The stipulation is straightforward: if Omega wins, he will earn an IWGP Heavyweight Championship match.
That makes Power Struggle an important test for the champion. Tsuji is not defending the title in the three-way, but he is facing a former world champion with a major history in New Japan and an opponent in Boltin who was also targeted in Omega’s post-match attack. Omega can create a title opportunity by winning the match, meaning Tsuji does not have to be defeated for the championship picture to change dramatically.
Tsuji has made clear that he wants to beat Omega in Hiroshima. Should he do so, he wants AEW to send another elite representative to face him.
“If I beat Kenny in Hiroshima, I want AEW to select a ‘true top of the top’ once again and send them to face me,” Tsuji said.
The statement captures the confidence behind Tsuji’s wider proposal. Omega is not being treated as a final destination in itself. Tsuji sees a victory over him as a reason for AEW to escalate, sending another premier name into New Japan to try to take down the IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
AEW Champions and Major Names Are Already Tied to NJPW
The possibility of a broader NJPW-AEW program is being raised because crossover activity is already extensive. Omega’s emergence around Tsuji and Boltin is only one piece of the current landscape.
Jon Moxley, the AEW Continental Champion, is also back in the NJPW mix following King of Pro-Wrestling. Moxley’s return to the picture adds another decorated AEW champion to the list of names with active relevance in New Japan.
Will Ospreay, meanwhile, is involved in a United Empire storyline in NJPW while holding the AEW World Championship. Ospreay’s position is particularly notable because he has such a substantial history in New Japan and with United Empire. His AEW title status and continuing NJPW storyline ensure that the connection between the promotions remains visible at the top level.
Elsewhere, MJF is set to come to NJPW and has targeted Ryohei Oiwa. That announced direction brings another leading AEW figure into New Japan programming, this time with Oiwa as the apparent focus.
Taken together, those developments create the kind of environment Tsuji is describing. Multiple AEW-associated stars and champions are not just making isolated appearances; they are connected to ongoing issues involving prominent NJPW wrestlers. The result is a growing sense that the partnership can be measured not only by the novelty of the matchups it produces, but by whether New Japan’s roster can meet those names on equal terms.
A Tokyo Dome Series Would Be a Statement, Not Just a Supercard
Tsuji’s comments do not confirm that an NJPW-versus-AEW Tokyo Dome event or series is planned. At present, it is a proposal from the IWGP Heavyweight Champion, not an announced card or formal agreement. Still, the idea carries weight because it comes amid active rivalries involving some of the biggest names connected to both companies.
A full inter-promotional presentation would also differ from individual crossover matches. Tsuji specifically discussed a “series of matches,” a framing that would put the depth of both rosters under the spotlight. Rather than having one representative from each side meet in a singular headline attraction, the concept would ask both groups to define themselves through several direct contests.
For New Japan, that is where Tsuji sees the opportunity. His concern is that NJPW cannot allow itself to be “overshadowed” by AEW. His answer is not to reject competition. It is to embrace it on the grandest scale possible, with New Japan’s performers given the chance to show what they can do in front of a Tokyo Dome crowd.
That also adds meaning to the immediate match with Omega. Power Struggle on November 3 is officially a non-title three-way, but the stakes reach well beyond whether Omega earns a future title bout. Tsuji has positioned the contest as a chance to defend the standing of New Japan’s champion against one of AEW’s most accomplished figures.
If Omega wins, he moves into line for an IWGP Heavyweight Championship opportunity. If Tsuji wins, he has already made his desired next step clear: AEW should send another one of its very best to challenge him.
Either way, the issue Tsuji has raised will remain relevant. AEW’s presence in NJPW is growing through Omega, Moxley, Ospreay, and MJF, while New Japan’s world champion is openly demanding that the relationship produce competitive balance and meaningful opportunities for his company’s roster. For Tsuji, the ultimate proving ground would be the Tokyo Dome—and a stage large enough for NJPW to show it will not be defined by anyone else’s stars.
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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.