A big update on Hiroshi Tanahashi becoming the new NJPW President and the departure of the former president, Takami Ohbari.
According to Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the departure of Ohbari, as well as other staff members, are a combination of external and internal factors contributing to this decision-making process. One section of the report reads:
“Ohbari and Nishizawa are gone for a number of reasons, both the external ones, New Japan and all of Japanese wrestling’s inability to fully recover from the pandemic, and internal ones not talked about.”
Later, Meltzer explains how Ohbari’s strained relationships within the company hurt his reputation, especially with top superstar Kazuchika Okada. This, on to of Ohbari’s general lack of understanding of the wrestling business, are reasons he is now gone.
“Another key reason has been that there were issues with staff members and Ohbari’s usage of power over them. Another major reason was that Ohbari had heat with a number of people, including the company’s top star, Kazuchika Okada. Okada was said to have wanted him out. Others said that Ohbari never really understood the wrestling business and didn’t respect the value of Okada. One person said that Ohbari saw Okada as the lead role actor in a touring show.”
It is later speculated that the timing of these changes is convenient as Kazuchika Okada was set to hit free agency, with WWE and AEW having an obvious interest. Perhaps with Tanahashi in control, the Rainmaker will remain in the company he helped lead over the last several years.
