As reported yesterday, NJPW superstar and Bullet Club member KENTA won the New Japan USA Cup earning him a future shot at the IWGP United States champion, Jon Moxley. However, there are several restrictions stopping the bout from happening according to the Wrestling Observer.
Moxley’s current contract with AEW (where he is the world champion) restricts him from working with any other promotion while in the United States. This includes NJPW’s weekly NJPW Strong show, which takes place from the NJPW dojo in Los Angeles.
Moxley had regularly traveled to Japan to compete at NJPW events, but with the new travel restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic it is much harder since he would have to quarantine for two weeks, compete, then quarantine another two weeks after returning to the states. AEW regularly films new content for their TNT episodic Dynamite on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
Moxley is a two-time IWGP United States champion. He was stripped of his first reign due to the elbow infection he suffered prior to last year’s ALL OUT pay per view. He would win the belt back at WrestleKingdom 14 from Lance Archer this past January, then defend it against the likes of Juice Robinson and Minoru Suzuki prior to become AEW world champion.