NJPW Confirms Imminent Departure Of Reported WWE Target

New Japan Pro Wrestling will be bidding farewell to one of their longest standing foreign talents in the coming days, a talent that has been heavily linked with a move to WWE over the past few weeks.

The company officially confirmed via their website that they have come to terms with the departure of Jeff Cobb, who has reportedly been listed on WWE's internal roster for some time following months of serious interest. NJPW have apologized to their fans for the sudden nature of the news, and the changes to the schedule that they have had to make, before wishing him the best of luck in whatever he chooses to do next. 

Cobb had just won the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships with Callum Newman as part of the United Empire at the Sakura Genesis event on April 5, defeating Tetsuya Naito and Hiromu Takahashi of Los Ingobernables de Japon. Now that Cobb is leaving the company, the titles have officially been vacated, but Newman will get a chance to get his title back as he will now team up with Great-O-Khan to take on Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI) in a match to determine the new champions at the Wrestling Redzone in Hiroshima event on April 26.

Newman wasn't done there as he told NJPW officials that he not only wants to lead the United Empire in a new direction, but he wants to do it as the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. He may get his wish at Wrestling Dontaku on May 4 as he face Goto for the title in the show's main event. As for Cobb, he will wrestle NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi on April 19 at Korakuen Hall on the first night of the "Road to Wrestling Dontaku" tour in what will be his final match for the company.