New Japan Pro Wrestling has too many guys accused of abuse on their card

It wouldn’t be apt to match wrestling or wrestling firms to main sports activities leagues in how they take care of these accused of home abuse or sexual assault, although the same old balloon-handed nature of it actually appears related. There are particular, top-level sports activities leagues that would enact any variety of guidelines or protocols that may trigger us to by no means hear from these gamers once more. Wrestlers are unbiased contractors, and even when the most important firms have been to clean their palms of the worst, they may discover a dwelling someplace. It’s way more just like the leisure world, the place you’ll be able to all the time discover a stage or script (or Emmy, in case you’re Louis CK).

However very similar to sports activities, how the most important firms deal with wrestlers accused of abuse and what they’ve been accused of or have achieved depends upon how a lot they imply to them. That’s positively the place the 2 differing arenas run parallel. Should you’re Matt Riddle or Concept or Darby Allin, you’ll face no penalties in any way and can stay on the high of your respective firm’s card. Should you’re Zachary Inexperienced or Patrick Clark or Jimmy Havoc, you get fired. Clearly, there are various ranges of proof or accusations to all of them, however their place on the roster or the corporate was a significant component as nicely. (Riddle, Concept, Allin, Inexperienced, Clark, and Havoc have all denied the allegations in opposition to them).

The world’s third-biggest firm, New Japan Professional Wrestling, isn’t any totally different in that it’ll hold using wrestlers they suppose are necessary to them and their reserving. However the place they’re totally different is that whereas AEW or WWE will try to simply ignore the accusations that observe their expertise or faux they don’t exist (and dropping first names of sure expertise to make it even more durable to seek for), NJPW appears to at greatest smile and wink at what makes some followers very uncomfortable about sure wrestlers or, at worst, rub these followers’ nostril in the truth that they don’t care.

It began again within the quick aftermath of #SpeakingOut, wrestling’s model of #TimesUp that outed a raft of wrestlers and their alleged abuses and assaults and misdeeds. Will Ospreay was one of many greatest names to be broadly talked about. Right here is a superb breakdown of all the things Ospreay was accused of on Fanfyte by Emily Pratt, although Ospreay has denied the allegations in opposition to him. To sum up, whereas Ospreay wasn’t accused of abuse or assault himself, he was accused of getting wrestler Pollyana blacklisted as a result of she went public with accusations of assault from one other wrestler, one who was near Ospreay. Ospreay’s accused actions are one more instance of why so many are afraid to come back ahead about what they’ve suffered, as they danger a profession and keenness they’ve devoted their lives to. Ospreay has denied blacklisting Pollyana or another wrongdoing.

Actually Ospreay’s title was closely linked to #SpeakingOut, although most would have settled for him simply being decrease on the cardboard or solely quickly held off NJPW exhibits for some time. As an alternative, Ospreay was vaulted to the highest of the cardboard throughout 2020s G1, forming and main his personal faction, which in NJPW basically makes you a staple member of the very important a part of the roster. And that was cemented weeks later by Ospreay placing his finisher on his real-life girlfriend Bea Priestley throughout a post-match promo, who had solely not too long ago begun showing with Ospreay throughout his matches. Whereas neither Ospreay or Priestley have been strangers to intergender matches, and had actually wrestled one another, that isn’t how this was introduced and NJPW didn’t have a girls’s division in any respect a lot much less have intergender matches (it’s debuting an NJPW title for Stardom this fall, its sister all-female promotion owned by the identical firm, BushiRoad). This was a shock assault on a girl, meant to indicate simply how “evil” former babyface Ospreay had turn into. It was principally “fridging” Priestley, which is a foul sufficient look by itself however actually worse within the quick aftermath of the accusations in opposition to Ospreay.

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Maybe NJPW’s bookers, led by Gedo, thought sufficient time had handed since #SpeakingOut to double-down on this type of abhorrent storytelling this summer season. Although that may admit that they have been conscious or cared about it within the first place, which is doing numerous work. Chase Owens has a good variety of accusations (he’s denied them) in his wake from #SpeakingOut, and but he’s turn into a much bigger and larger a part of NJPW’s exhibits the previous yr. He’s not practically as excessive up within the card as Ospreay, however was part of this yr’s G1 whereas showing in a number of different exhibits as a serious cog in Bullet Membership, nonetheless the corporate’s most well-known faction.

And once more, it was dangerous sufficient having Owens round in any respect, and even guesting on commentary as he did for the English protection of 1 present. However throughout his match with Taichi, who’s all the time accompanied to the ring by “devotee” Miho Abe (attempting to clarify Taichi’s character would require a number of thousand extra phrases), Owens spent an excellent portion of the match demanding a kiss from Abe exterior the ring and threatening her if she didn’t comply. What the fuck type of look is that? Once more, to have any wrestler do it in any respect is gross, however to have the tires to make it Owens? It virtually looks like NJPW was making a particular level of how a lot they don’t care,and even rejoice the notion of Owens.

This was scorching on the heels of El Phantasmo, within the aftermath of one in all his matches and strolling off with Yujiro Takahashi’s valet Peiter after defeating him, had this at greatest awkward change throughout a promo. Whereas the promo might be all EL-P’s alternative and work, placing him subsequent to Pieter would have been the corporate’s alternative, and it’s simply extra fuel on the hearth.

Over the weekend, NJPW couldn’t appear to assist itself. In its American Wing, NJPW Robust, Chris Dickinson was a shock look. Dickinson has been accused by two girls, one was fellow wrestler Christina von Eerie, of assault, and is at the moment following the Johnny Depp playbook of denying allegations made in opposition to him and suing the ladies who accused him for defamation. He additionally denies the allegations. He solely filed his lawsuit one month in the past. Once more, these tales are contemporary within the thoughts of the wrestling world, and NJPW appears solely too completely satisfied to slather itself within the notoriety irrespective of how distasteful.

Whilst you can’t excuse the corporate’s reserving of Ospreay a pair years in the past, you’ll be able to wearily sigh and admit defeat to “that’s simply how issues work for these on the high” as we’ve seen so many different locations. However contemplating it then concerned the ambush of Priestley, after which the following reserving of Owens and Dickinson, what precisely is occurring right here? Not solely does NJPW not care, which is hardly stunning, but it surely appears to need everybody to know that not solely does it not care about what follows its wrestlers, it doesn’t appear to care about accusations of of sexual assault and abuse in any respect, which is galling.

Deadspin reached out to NJPW for remark, however had not acquired a response on the time of publication.

Whereas one can’t “perceive” the usage of any of those, with Ospreay you’ll be able to see NJPW’s logic that regardless of no matter could shroud him, he’s large enterprise with a bunch of traditional matches on his resume that may draw eyes for an organization trying to develop its worldwide imprint on a regular basis, It’s a drained however acquainted story. However Owens and Dickinson, aren’t practically the celebs that Ospreay is. Why are they given such a platform? Not solely is NJPW uncaring about #SpeakingOut and the causes it serves, it desires to behave in full defiance of it as a substitute of simply ignorance. It’s most actually the unsuitable type of playbook.