UPDATE: AXS TV Confirms NJPW Will Not Air On Their Network

UPDATE: AXS TV has confirmed to Fightful that there will be no NJPW events on their network next year, after the promotion announced they would not air in the US.

When AXS was sold to Anthem on September 9, New Japan Executive Producer Ryan Swift was let go. Swift was the one who had a big role in acquiring NJPW programming for the network. The deal between AXS and NJPW was set to expire in January 2021. New Japan began airing on AXS in 2015.

NJPW and Impact have reportedly had a strained relationship over the years after the way Kazuchika Okada was booked in the promotion between 2010-2011. Impact has tried to repair that relationship in the past, letting NJPW know that those who booked Okada at the time were no longer in charge.

Original: NJPW has announced on social media that there are no plans to broadcast their events during 2020, including Wrestle Kingdom 14. It is unknown if this will also include AXS TV, but that seems to be the case. There had been speculation about NJPW’s status on AXS TV back in September, when Impact Wrestling parent company Anthem Media purchased the network.

The post reads: “In response to US fan queries: There are currently no plans for TV broadcast of NJPW events in 2020 (WK14 included) in the US. Thank you for joining us on TV so far. We invite you to join @njpwworld for all the action in 2020, LIVE and in English!”

In response to US fan queries

There are currently no plans for TV broadcast of NJPW events in 2020 (WK14 included) in the US.

Thank you for joining us on TV so far. We invite you to join @njpwworld for all the action in 2020, LIVE and in English!https://t.co/ldAvP7y3CH#njpw pic.twitter.com/C0gV2JuJ37

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) December 27, 2019