AJ Styles to Face Naomichi Marufuji in Japan's Pro Wrestling NOAH amid WWE Rumors
June 16, 2024
After losing to WWE Champion Cody Rhodes in an "I Quit" match at the Clash of the Castle premium live event on Saturday, WWE Superstar AJ Styles is set to return to Japan this summer for a dream match in another promotion.
Per M. Gomez of Cageside Seats, Pro Wrestling NOAH announced on Sunday that Styles will face four-time world champion Naomichi Marufuji at the company's Destination event at the historic Nippon Budokan on July 13.
Pro Wrestling NOAH Global @noahglobal🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a> A MAJOR announcement from NOAH & WWE!🚨<br><br>A special match between "The Genius of the Ark" <a href="https://twitter.com/noah_marufuji_?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@noah_marufuji_</a> & "THE PHENOMENAL ONE" AJ Styles is urgently scheduled!!<br><br>📢How to order <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ABEMA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ABEMA</a> presents <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DESTINATION2024?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DESTINATION2024</a> in the below tweet<a href="https://twitter.com/WWE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WWE</a> <a href="https://t.co/Jcrg0sWfuM">pic.twitter.com/Jcrg0sWfuM</a>
"Marufuji, I know way too much than I should about you and how talented you are," Styles said in a pretaped video where he issued his challenge. "You been doing this a long time, and your resume speaks for itself. But I'm not coming to Japan to lose. Let's tear the house down on July 13."
Styles spent part of his prime in Japan, competing for New Japan Pro Wrestling from 2014 to 2016. He was a two-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and the face of the famed Bullet Club during his NJPW run.
Styles will be stepping into a NOAH ring for the first time when he faces Marufuji, who is a 26-year ring veteran. In addition to being a four-time GHC Heavyweight Champion, he was also an IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion and NJPW Super-J Cup winner.
This is the latest collaboration between WWE and Pro Wrestling NOAH. In 2023, WWE veteran Shinsuke Nakamura appeared in the company to face his mentor The Great Muta during Muta's retirement tour. Also, it was recently announced that Iyo Sky will be returning to Japan to compete in Marigold, which is a new Joshi wrestling promotion.
In addition to working with NOAH, WWE recently began working with TNA, as Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace challenged NXT Women's Champion Roxanne Perez for her title at NXT Battleground earlier this month.
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