Rocky Romero has become a one-man forbidden door in wrestling, repairing relationship with NJPW and companies like AEW and IMPACT while also cultivating new relationship for NJPW.
Under the leadership of Vince McMahon, WWE rarely worked with other promotions, but McMahon retired on July 22 as WWE CEO, leaving Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan as Co-CEOs. Furthermore, Triple H assumed all creative responsibilities and became EVP, Talent Relations.
Triple H has shown a willingness to work with other promotions in the past, bringing in Jushin 'Thunder' Liger for a match in NXT and working with PROGRESS, EVOLVE, and other independent promotions.
Speaking to Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp, Rocky was asked if the possibility was open to work with WWE under the new regime.
"Anything is a possibility in the wrestling business, it feels like. Right now, those people who are in charge now have a little more forward-thinking than the last regime. I could see them wanting to forge relationships outside of WWE, for sure. I could see that happening somewhere down the line. I think they have a lot they need to kind of get in order before they start doing that. There are so many rumors about what's going on there, if they're going to sell or not sell or what the deal is, give up some percentage or whatever. I'm curious to see what happens. It's an exciting time and it's great for the talent. Having people like Triple H, who is a wrestling person, I like his vision. His vision fits what wrestling fans want to see right now, for the most part. I think it's time for a change," he said.
Bryan Danielson previously confirmed that WWE had talked with NJPW about a relationship and Rocky Romero provided a little more insight, saying he had spoken to Nick Khan in the past.
"Not anything heavy," he said about talking to WWE. "I spoke to Nick Khan once. I had a very short conversation with him. It didn't go anywhere. It's not newsworthy. It was very much a feeling out. WWE, I feel, has always been interested in New Japan content, whether it was the Network before or Peacock now. I feel it's always been a conversation. They collect content from everybody. Maybe that's one thing they always wanted, some kind of Japanese wrestling and they want to have the best one. That was pretty much what the conversation was alluding to. It was a very quick conversation. It could have just been a feel out process in general. It doesn't matter because we have a great partner in AEW. AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door was a huge success. That's where we want to focus on. We already have great partners. We don't necessarily need to work with WWE at all, right now. Obviously, a Jushin Liger going over is cool for the community, it's a great thing. You're not going to see Rainmaker [Kazuchika Okada] on WWE anytime soon, for sure. I can't see that in the foreseeable future."
Liger wrestled Tyler Breeze at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn in 2015.
AEW and NJPW have been working together in some capacity since AEW formed in 2019 as AEW talent would work NJPW events in Japan. The relationship was strengthened during the pandemic when NJPW talent began appearing on AEW television. The two companies partnered for Forbidden Door in June.
Fans can check out the full interview with Romero in the video above.
