Many great things are happening for pro wrestling right now. This is a very special, wild & exciting time for the sport. The fans' passion, the incredibly talented athletes & crew as well as the media and hard work by so many has lit the spark. I can't wait to see where it goes.
— Court Bauer (@courtbauer) July 26, 2019
MLW posted today on its website the following announcement, that confirms what was said at Thursday night’s MLW Never Say Never event from New York City:
It is with great honor that Major League Wrestling partners with Pro Wrestling NOAH to form an alliance. This all-encompassing partnership will feature athletes exchanged between the two organizations as well as opportunities to share content in addition to other opportunities.
The partnership will commence with an MLW wrestler participating in the 2019 N-1 Victory tour that commences this August. The wrestler will be revealed at a later date.
“Pro Wrestling NOAH has a rich history of promoting some of the grandest wrestling bouts in the history of the sport,” said MLW CEO and Founder Court Bauer. “This is a very exciting partnership. We look forward to joining NOAH and beginning a new voyage for a new era.”
The roots of the relationship began when GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion Minoru Tanaka came to the United States to work for MLW in April. Court Bauer explained Sports Illustrated, “The world of MLW just got a lot bigger. This begins the next phase as we continue to grow the league’s global footprint with these strategic alliances.”
The relationship between the two companies includes a talent-exchange agreement and content collaboration. “NOAH has been fond of what we’ve been doing and they are embarking on a new chapter with exceptional ownership,” said Bauer. “We now find ourselves in a mutually beneficial allegiance that changes the complexion of our business in a profound way.”
Pro Wrestling NOAH issued a similar statement noting the MLW partnership is “in addition to our continuing partnership with Impact Wrestling.” Due to this Impact partnership, on August 26, 2017, Eddie Edwards defeated Katsuhiko Nakajima to win the GHC Heavyweight Championship for the first time, becoming the first-ever gaijin to win the title. In February and March 2019, Edwards returned to NOAH and wrestled 3 matches there.
Pro Wrestling NOAH is one of Japanese wrestling’s well-renowned promotions and throughout the years has been the home to the likes of Kenta Kobashi, Naomichi Marufuji, KENTA, Minoru Suzuki, and his Suzuki Gun faction. The current NOAH roster consists of the likes of Go Shiozaki, Katsuhiko Nakajima, Minoru Tanaka, and Daisuke Harada.
MLW features a roster full of high profile fighters and on-air talent from around the world including The Hart Foundation, “Filthy” Tom Lawlor, Low Ki, LA Park, Salina de la Renta, Ross & Marshall Von Erich, CONTRA Unit, Alex Hammerstone, MJF, Mance Warner, Austin Aries and many more. Wrestling fans can watch FUSION for free on MLW YouTubeChannel and Fite TV. The company will also make its pay-per-view debut on November 2.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTLZ5jF2QX4]
All pics and videos courtesy of MLW and Pro Wrestling NOAH