Kevin Kelly On NJPW Wanting Bret Hart For Commentary In 2017, NJPW’s Crossover With AEW & Impact

In a recent interview on Wrestle Inn, Kevin Kelly discussed NJPW wanting Bret Hart on commentary, NJPW’s crossover with AEW and Impact, and much more. You can read her comments below.

Kevin Kelly on NJPW wanting Bret Hart on commentary in 2017: “Before Don Callis, they had floated – because it was gonna be Kenny [Omega] and [Chris] Jericho – the idea of Bret Hart. I said, ‘Go right ahead and reach out to him.’ Before they did, because they didn’t have his number, Kenny suggested Don. So, that’s how Don came to be. But actually, [Bret] was one of the first names that was floated not too long before. They were thinking, ‘Oh, a Canadian. Great.’ That would’ve been interesting. That would’ve been a lot of fun.”

On NJPW’s crossover with AEW and Impact: “I think it’s awesome for everybody. There was talk that Tanahashi had first coined that phrase when he lost to Jericho. I said now the forbidden door has been closed. That was it, but now, here we are. I think, again, it’s almost like there’s no reason why these companies shouldn’t be working together. It gets fans excited, and let’s face it, American wrestling outside of the individual companies themselves, could all use a shot in the arm. AEW has been a great success story, but if you think they’re happy with where they are viewership-wise – they can’t be.

“They know they’ve put everything in place to deliver a television product that is the best that it can be, and they hope that the audience will find them. But they are still growing. As WWE continues to hemorrhage viewers, what are those people watching instead? Are they just going away? What’s going on with all those people? WWE is now less than two million a week. OK, they are where they are. Where are those people and how do we get them to watch our show? If by bringing the fans from Impact to New Japan and bringing the AEW fans to Impact or whatever, however it works out, I’m cool with it.”

On potential downsides for promotions in a working relationship: “Now, at the same time, a promotion can’t get too hung up on that. A promotion has to take care of themselves first and foremost. It’s gotta be right for everybody involved. Otherwise, don’t do it. This just can’t be, ‘We need to pool our resources so we can fight Vince.’ No, we have to grow our own company. If by doing so, we have stars from another promotion come and fight our stars, then it has to be that doing so makes us better. Otherwise, it shouldn’t be done. It’s the same theory as the NWA World Champion – the traveling World Champion back in the territory days.

“If a promotion relied on the NWA World Champion to draw them a house, they were a failing promotion. What happens the other 50 weeks a year that you don’t have the world champ? You’ve gotta put rear ends in seats every single week because that’s the lifeblood of your company. If you’re not making money as a promotion, the best people are gonna leave to make money somewhere else, and you’re never gonna get your head above water. When you use the NWA Champion to enhance what you’re doing on a week in and week out basis, that’s the perfect scenario.”

If using any of the above quotes, please credit Wrestle Inn with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.