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Jon Moxley Making NJPW Debut to Challenge Juice Robinson
Fresh off his debut at All Elite Wrestling’s “Double or Nothing,” Jon Moxley is set to make his first appearance for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
NJPW first teased last month that a mystery challenger would be appearing at the June 5 “Best of the Super Juniors” finale show to challenge Juice Robinson for the IWGP United States Championship. A vignette aired during Wrestling Dontaku on May 3 showing a mysterious, knife-wielding man in a dingy bar and speculation over who he could be ran rampant.
On Monday, NJPW revealed that the man is Moxley, formerly known in WWE as Dean Ambrose.
Moxley has signed a multi-year contract with AEW and will be exclusive to the new company once its weekly television show on TNT begins later this year, but AEW president Tony Khan said Moxley is allowed to work international dates until the show debuts. Whether his appearance in NJPW is a one-off remains to be seen.
Dan Gartland is the writer and editor of Sports Illustrated’s flagship daily newsletter, SI:AM, covering everything an educated sports fan needs to know. He joined the SI staff in 2014, having previously been published on Deadspin and Slate. Gartland, a graduate of Fordham University, is a former Sports Jeopardy! champion (Season 1, Episode 5).