Backstage Update On WWE's Relationship With Stardom

It was announced last week that Bushiroad terminated the contract of Stardom founder Rossy Ogawa. According to NJPW and Stardom's parent company, Ogawa was fired because he "poached many Stardom wrestlers and staff." Rumors suggested Ogawa, who is now set to create a new promotion in Japan, was a mole for WWE. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE had reached out to Ogawa and Stardom about a possible working relationship in December 2023. However, because of the recent developments, "nothing is on the table right now" when it comes to a partnership with Stardom or Ogawa's new organization.

Meanwhile, Dave Meltzer suggested WWE would likely opt to work with the promotion they feel is in the best position to benefit them, but that won't become clear until "the talent situation shakes up" in the coming weeks. He noted that while Ogawa has the experience of working in the business and developing wrestlers, Bushiroad has the finances behind them. Meltzer described a potential WWE-Bushiroad partnership as a "major political coup" because the deal would also be beneficial for a possible link-up with NJPW, which currently has a working relationship with AEW.

Regarding suggestions that Ogawa was a mole for WWE, Meltzer wrote in the newsletter that "it is far from the case." He also disputed rumors WWE would be funding Ogawa's new promotion, claiming the organization would have people attempting to make decisions with no understanding of Japanese business or Japanese wrestling. He mentioned that Ogawa had those problems with Bushiroad. However, Meltzer did not completely rule out the possibility of WWE working with Ogawa's new organization, given the promotion's recent talks with the promoter while he was running Stardom.