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The wrestling world was astonished when Mercedes Mone, formerly known as Sasha Banks in WWE, chose to place a wager on herself and migrate to NJPW. She defeated KAIRI for the IWGP Women's Championship in her first match for the promotion. She now has the IWGP Women's Championship and is forging a career outside of WWE.
It may or may not be unusual for someone to leave WWE and pursue other opportunities. Sometimes the company releases the talent because their services are no longer needed. Sometimes the talent leaves the company because they don't like the creative direction of where their career is headed. Many people choose a fresh start rather than staying in their current spot and when that decision is made, the talent can find new opportunities elsewhere.
With the sale of WWE to Endeavor, the company now has more talent than ever. A few wrestlers get neglected in such a busy environment and could follow in Mercedes Mone's footsteps to the East. Here are four superstars who could potentially make the move to NJPW.
#4 AJ Styles could return to NJPW
The seasoned veteran has said that he is happy to complete his career with WWE because he has pretty much-accomplished everything there is to achieve in the industry. With his contract set to expire in January 2024, this is extremely likely. With plenty of gas still left in the tank, The Phenomenal One may try to extend his career, but not in WWE.
When Styles arrived in WWE in 2016, a large portion of what made him such a sought-after commodity was his stint in NJPW. It's understandable why Styles was The Bullet Club's leader and the first foreign IWGP Champion since The Beast Incarnate in 2005.
Imagine how the crowd would respond if Styles made an appearance against an old adversary like Okada at Wrestle Kingdom the following year. It would blow the roof off the Tokyo Dome and increase international visibility for NJPW.
All in all, no one on the WWE roster is more significant to NJPW's heritage than AJ Styles.
#3 Finn Balor
Finn Balor has risen to prominence in WWE, becoming the first-ever WWE Universal Champion and the current leader of The Judgment Day faction.
Balor was the first leader of The Bullet Club, one of the greatest groups in all of wrestling long before he commanded The Judgment Day. The man who founded The Bullet Club would be a fantastic acquisition for NJPW, which could use WWE's collaboration with the business as a way to examine its contemporary roots.
It would be a fantastic opportunity to help tie up some of those loose ends and the Japanese fans would love to see the return of Prince Devitt to The Land of the Rising Sun.
#2 Asuka
Asuka wreaked havoc on a number of Japanese promotions before she signed with WWE. She would change characters during that period to a horror-based gimmick, which was uncommon in women's wrestling at the time.
What better way for NJPW to reach out to WWE than by bringing over one of its most prominent female stars? Asuka would be a perfect addition to the Japan-based promotion as she has felt a bit adrift on the main roster due to a lack of engaging storylines to take part in or a trustworthy foe to face.
Since NJPW is new to "women's wrestling," why not kick it off with a grandstand match against a woman who represents Japanese women's wrestling abroad?
#1 Bayley could join her real life best friend
Bayley is among the most prestigious and acclaimed wrestlers on the current WWE roster. The Damage CTRL leader didn't like her current position in the company, as her appearance on RAW following WrestleMania 39 was abruptly canceled.
Bayley and Mercedes Mone were last seen together at the Wrestle Kingdom 17 event. Even though Bayley was only there for moral support, news that she would be traveling to Japan with Banks stirred significant conversation.
We all know how close Bayley and Mone are, so if Mone has already jumped, what's stopping Bayley from doing the same?
