AEW are reportedly hoping that it’s easier to work with STARDOM without Rossy Ogawa.
As of now, there have been two AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-views, however, each year there has always been asked as to whether the event will feature any female talent from World Wonder Ring STARDOM, particularly as the joshi company are also owned by NJPW’s parent company Bushiroad. To this point, no STARDOM involvement with AEW has transpired, but that may be about to change.
Writing in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer is now reporting that, due to Bushiroad recently cancelling the contract of STARDOM co-founder Rossy Ogawa this week, it is believed that it will be easier to work with the Joshi company going forward.
“There was the hope from the AEW standpoint that things would be easier working with Bushiroad without Ogawa there. AEW does have hopes of working with Stardom more extensively this year as well as with New Japan and CMLL, and the belief is that internally they feel this makes it easier.”
-Dave Meltzer
Rossy Ogawa leaving STARDOM came as a huge shock to most fans, but it wasn’t long before AEW Owner Tony Khan was seen seemingly celebrating the situation online. According to Meltzer, this hasn’t gone down well with those in the Japanese company.
“Another person close to the situation in Stardom said, “You have no idea how upset wrestlers and media are about Tony’s sticking it to Rossy.”
-Dave Meltzer
Ogawa’s departure also came with rumours that he was perhaps on his way to WWE. While this is not the case, with the 66-year-old soon to be starting his own promotion, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter also states that WWE contacted STARDOM about a partnership this past December, which is when Triple H was informed of Rossy’s future.
“WWE had contacted Stardom and Ogawa about trying to work together in December. It is known that Paul Levesque was the point person there and he was one of the few people outside the Stardom walls who was told at that time that Ogawa would be leaving.”
-Dave Meltzer
As it stands, the future of World Wonder Ring STARDOM is very uncertain, especially given that many of their talent who are loyal to Rossy have contracts expiring in the next month. It will be intriguing to see the shape of the STARDOM roster in the near future, and whether a partnership with AEW develops.
As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on AEW working with STARDOM post-Rossy Ogawa’s departure as we hear more.
