The end of the NJPW America division, as noted by Catch-Newz, also effectively marks the end of the NJPW Academy in the United States.
The new owners of NJPW have decided to restructure the company globally and, apparently, to curb certain expenditures, including a full shutdown of the American branch of NJPW.
There was a chief coach for NJPW talents in the United States or for those seeking training, and it was Fred Rosser (also known as Darren Young). He had the opportunity to coach starting in 2023 and he shared a testimonial.
He hopes that the lessons and the relationships he built at this NJPW Academy training center will endure forever, according to his Instagram post:
”Over the last three and a half years, I have had the privilege of training and mentoring so many incredible young men and women from around the world through the NJPW Academy. Victories, championships and accomplishments are wonderful, but seeing people gain confidence, develop character and believe in themselves is the true reward for me. To every student who walked through the doors of this dojo, thank you for letting me be a part of your journey.
I hope I have given you at least half of what you gave me. The dojo may be closing its doors, but the lessons, the relationships, and the memories will live in me forever. Training has never been just a job for me; it was and will always be my calling. Do you know what time it is? It’s time to get to work.”
It is currently impossible to confirm 100% that this end of the American branch comes with the end of Fred Rosser’s contract, but one can reasonably assume as much. It would also allow him to stay home in North America while working for NJPW.
A Return to WWE?
Interesting timing, since last week he was backstage at WWE NXT.
Indeed, he had the chance to visit WWE’s Performance Center in Florida. He met with the leadership, and he also took part in training with WWE’s next generation.
Could this be a sign that he might make a full-time transition to WWE as a coach? This remains to be confirmed in the coming weeks; it has now been nine years since he was released by the company as a wrestler.
