Before Don Callis joined the NJPW commentary team, Bret Hart was up for the role.
Many men, from active wrestlers to former wrestlers, have joined Kevin Kelly in the commentary booth for NJPW events. Don Callis famously had a stint with Kelly during Kenny Omega's final year in the company with Callis serving as part commentator and part Omega hype man.
Speaking to Wrestle Inn, Kelly revealed that NJPW initially wanted Bret Hart for that role.
"Before Don Callis, [NJPW] had floated -- it was going to be Kenny and Jericho (wrestling) -- they floated the idea of Bret Hart. I said, 'Reach out to him.' Before they did, because they didn't have his number, Kenny suggested Don. That's how Don Callis came to be, but one of the first names floated was Bret Hart. They were thinking, 'Oh, Canadian!' That would have been interesting and a lot of fun," said Kelly.
Hart never ended up making the trip to Japan to be part of the commentary team. Meanwhile, the NJPW commentary gig for Callis helped him land a spot as IMPACT Wrestling co-executive Vice President and his relationship with Omega helped broker a partnership with AEW.
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