On Dec. 27, NJPW announced that they had no plans for TV broadcasts in the United States. The announcement was shocking to many fans as NJPW had been airing on AXS TV and had a deal with AXS through January 2021.
AXS TV would later confirm that the network would no longer air NJPW programming.
According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer, Anthem/AXS approached NJPW about a potential working relationship with IMPACT. Had the parties reached an agreement, NJPW would have remained on AXS. NJPW turned down the deal, leading to AXS pulling the promotion from the network.
NJPW began airing on AXS in 2015. IMPACT's parent company Anthem purchased a majority stake in AXS in September 2019, leading IMPACT moving from Pursuit to AXS.
The heat between NJPW and IMPACT dates back to 2010-11 when NJPW was reportedly upset with how IMPACT handled the booking of current IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada. IMPACT officials Don Callis and Scott D'Amore, who were not in charge at the time Okada was in IMPACT, have attempted to repair the relationship between the two sides, but to seemingly no avail.
US fans who want to watch NJPW can still find all their events through NJPW World. Special events are also available through FITE TV.
