Jushin Liger Set for NXT Takeover as WWE Forges Relationship with NJPW

Late last night, WWE made an official announcement following the latest set of NXT tapings, that Japanese pro wrestling legend Jushin "Thunder" Liger is set to make an appearance at next month's NXT Takeover even in Brooklyn, New York.

For the uninitiated, Liger is one of the most iconic wrestlers to come out of New Japan Pro-Wrestling—the biggest promotion in the country. His exciting in-ring style and colourful character have made him something of a cultural touchstone for Japanese wrestling fans.

Anyone looking to be brought up to speed with Liger should perhaps dip into some of his matches against persistent rival Ultimo Dragon—however, his lengthy career has produced an array of matches with many of the best junior heavyweight wrestlers to pass through Japan over the past two decades.

In an era when rumours and speculation have made it difficult for news such as this to come as a real surprise, it's nothing short of amazing that this was kept under wraps so well. Many questioned whether Sting would be the last surprising debut in WWE, but a partnership with NJPW is perhaps even more unexpected.

However, the signs were perhaps there all along. The Beast in the East was a show booked for a Japanese audience but shown around the world, demonstrating a renewed focus on presenting WWE as a truly international organization, rather than just the biggest promotion in the U.S.

The bigger hint came on last week's NXT broadcast. I couldn't have been the only one that thought Finn Balor's high praise of NJPW during a Comic Con Q&A was a strange thing to be included in the video package—although, now it makes a lot more sense.

Now, the question is how far this relationship will go. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has confirmed that there's some sort of agreement in place between WWE and NJPW, but it's unclear just what we'll see come from the arrangement.

Of course, it's easy to get carried away with the possibilities. The prospect of stars like Shinsuke Nakamura, Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi making one-off appearances in WWE presents the opportunity for some dream matches to become a reality.

By that same token, few would deny the value in sending in-ring masters like Cesaro or Dolph Ziggler on a tour of Japan with NJPW, if there's no immediate storyline waiting for them in WWE. This agreement could benefit both companies greatly—not to mention, the wrestlers and the fans.

That being said, Meltzer—an authority on both the American scene and goings-on in Japan—has been quick to temper fan expectations on Twitter. He seems to think that the deal will be limited to NXT, and is a shot across the bow at Ring of Honor more than anything else.

ROH have been running shows with NJPW over the past few years as part of a broad talent exchange. In fact, they're putting on such an event in Brooklyn on the night of NXT Takeover. NJPW is shipping in talent for the show, which is presumably how the Liger deal came about.

Still, this move is yet another piece of evidence that the overarching vision for NXT is something close to WCW in the early 90s. For many, that period of the promotion is defined by its interaction with the wider world of wrestling.

The WWE mindset seems to be that ignoring competitors is the best way to keep your nose ahead in the pro wrestling industry. As a reaction to the one-upmanship of the Attitude Era, that's perhaps true.

However, what makes WWE look like more of a powerful figure: pretending other promotions don't exist, or forging partnerships with them to bring in standout talent? The presence of Liger is yet more proof that NXT is a must-watch for any wrestling fan.