Vietnam’s Ares To Join NJPW’s Dojo

Ares is heading to New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

One of Southeast Asia’s biggest wrestling stars, Ares, has agreed to join New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s illustrious dojo, where he will attempt to pass the promotion’s rigorous testing programme and graduate as an official member of the roster. He agreed to join the dojo after receiving a direct invitation from IWGP Heavyweight Champion Yota Tsuji, who was in Vietnam to appear at Vietnam Pro Wrestling’s event in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday.

While Ares may not have a Cagematch profile, he has been a well-known and respected figure in his native Vietnam for several years. He is a three-time VPN Openweight Champion and has wrestled for promotions across East Asia, including in Thailand and the Philippines.

Ares’ move to NJPW signals that the Lion Mark is continuing its efforts to expand its influence across mainland Asia. The promotion already has a working relationship with VPW, so bringing in a young up-and-comer from the region would appear to be a logical next step in strengthening that presence. Should Ares graduate from the main Japanese dojo, he would become the first Vietnamese wrestler in NJPW history.

The move also follows Axe Wang of PUZZLE Pro-Wrestling in Taiwan being invited to the NJPW Dojo by President Hiroshi Tanahashi last month, as the promotion appears intent on expanding its presence across wider Asia.

Like all wrestlers entering NJPW’s dojo, it remains to be seen how Ares will fare until he either graduates or is unable to continue. The promotion’s relationship with VPW suggests it has high expectations for him, although it remains unclear whether that connection will have any impact on the pace of his progression.

As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on Ares joining the New Japan Pro-Wrestling dojo as soon as we hear more.