Midway through 2023, we heard NJPW star Kazuchika Okada express his desire for wrestling to have a football-esc transfer window. If you don’t know what this means, it’s suggesting that for three months of the year, wrestling companies are able to bid for other signed wrestlers. While in practicality this would never work, in theory this is interesting. So I have eight different promotions, and who I think would be their number one priority. I have taken some liberties here and there, but I have mostly aimed to choose a wrestler who would benefit their company most, looking at the state of their rosters.
AEW – Kazuchika Okada
Quite an ironic pick with all the news going around.
AEW is clearly a company that takes a lot of pride in it’s in-ring product, so having Okada (one of the best in-ring wrestlers in the world) transfer to AEW would be a big win for them. There is a small chance that this happens in real life (most likely on a similar contract to what KUSHIDA has with TNA, where he can still work Japan dates). With AEW having such a stacked roster as it is, I feel like it’s only best to include one of the best in the world in this spot, as Okada would be guaranteed not to get lost in the shuffle.
Plus, you just know that Tony would be licking his lips at the thought of having an Omega vs. Okada, White vs. Okada, or Ospreay vs. Okada match under the AEW brand.
AJPW – Jonathan Gresham
I wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted to keep him around after his match with Lindamen!
For those unaware, Gresham’s been on a short run with All Japan while still being signed to TNA. He’s really impressed with his run and had a great match with the young star, El Lindamen, recently. I wouldn’t be surprised if they wanted him to stay around and if they put in a bid during this hypothetical transfer window.
MLW – Solo Sikoa
While receiving an incredible push since his call-up to the main roster, it has felt like his in-ring skills have been lacklustre. If he went to a place like MLW, where he’d be able to express himself in the ring and presumably on the microphone more, then it would be nothing but good for him.
Also, having him and Fatu run the company as the new Samoan Swat Team would undeniably be a very cold angle and would bring tons of more eyes to the product.
NJPW – Josh Alexander
Firstly, he’s someone that the New Japan fanbase should already have a decent amount of knowledge on, from his sporadic appearances that he’s made on Strong, Multiverse United, and even Destruction recently.
Secondly, it’s Josh Alexander. This man has had TNA on his back in recent history and has proved with his in-ring skills that he can be THE guy for whatever company he’s in. NJPW’s product is almost exclusively in-ring, which he excels at, and when he needs to cut a promo, he can do that well and build matches with ease. Plus, Josh Alexander in the G1 sounds like a dream come true from my point of view.
NOAH – Shingo Takagi
While I don’t think that Shingo is underused in New Japan, I do think that his services would be appreciated much more in NOAH. While Shingo did have his time as the top guy in 2021, that seems unlikely to happen again (looking at similar trends with EVIL and Ospreay), so a transfer to NOAH would do him a world of good. NOAH would see him as one of the top guys and wouldn’t hesitate to put him in world title contention. Shingo is one of the best performers in the world in his early 40s. This transfer would be great for him and NOAH alike, as it promotes NOAH’s status while also letting Shingo ride out his last few great years as a world title contender.
NWA – LA Knight
NWA desperately needs something, and a super hot babyface is probably the best way to start off a rise back up. LA Knight is the perfect pick for NWA’s fanbase, as not only does he have history with the company, but he just has that old-school vibe to him that I believe really resonates with NWA’s image, making him a perfect fit.
The company’s image desperately needs repair after the Tyrus fiasco, and having EC3 as champion is sadly not doing a great job at that. It’s simply a fact of life that getting the megastar on a transfer would be a great step on the road to redemption.
TNA – AJ Styles
This one is a no-brainer!
AJ is arguably the GOAT of TNA, and with the company returning to its old self, it would only be right for them to transfer over AJ. Let’s be honest, Styles hasn’t had the greatest booking in recent years, so one final run in the main event at the company that started it all for him would be poetic. 10 years later than his final match as well, which just adds to how special it would be for them to bring the man back.
With TNA+ being a partnership with endeavour, it’s not completely out of the realm of possibility that we see AJ make an appearance in TNA down the line, even for just a video like that one time at Slammiversary 2022.
WWE – Jay White
The Switchblade was one of the WWE’s biggest fumbles in recent memory!
If the WWE were able to complete this deal, it would’ve been massive for them. Jay has every quality that a star needs: great build, amazing in-ring skills, and is fantastic on the mic.
Besides his obviously great traits, the reason I picked him is because of the WWE’s mass amount of incredibly over babyfaces right now that Jay would put on absolute clinics with, subsequently establishing himself as one of the top heels in the company. Some examples of potential bangers include:
- Jay White vs. Sami Zayn
- Jay White vs. Seth Rollins
- Jay White vs. Jey Uso
- Jay White vs. Cody Rhodes
- And last but not least… Jay White vs. CM Punk, which is long overdue.
And that’s only RAW talents!
It just goes to show what could’ve been with Jay in the WWE. One of the best all-around packages in all of wrestling could’ve really had something special there. Of course, I’m not trying to discredit his work in AEW, as the bang-bang gang has been exceptional, but I’m just thinking about what could’ve been and what the WWE would capitalise on in this hypothetical transfer window.
Thank you for reading this article. If you’re interested in more articles from the wrestling republic in which we express our interesting ideas and theories, then I highly suggest this one about how the devil storyline should be booked in AEW.
