WWE Strikes Again: Japan Tour Dates Clash with AEW WrestleDream in Inoki Tribute Weekend
Is WWE playing fair—or just playing to win?
WWE announced this week it will host two back-to-back live events in Tokyo, Japan, on October 17 and 18, at the iconic Ryogoku Kokugikan arena. It marks WWE’s first return to Japan since their 2024 Super Show Summer Tour.
According to WWE’s press release on July 29:
“WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings, today announced a return to Japan this October for back-to-back nights at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo on Friday, October 17 and Saturday, October 18. These will mark the only WWE events taking place in Japan in 2025.”
WWE returns to Japan this October!https://t.co/7I48t9zRkr pic.twitter.com/IBzwHNB8iW
— WWE (@WWE) July 29, 2025
While no matches have yet been announced, this will mark WWE's first return to the country since their Super Show Summer Tour in 2024, which included high-profile bouts such as Liv Morgan vs. IYO SKY and GUNTHER vs. Rey Mysterio.
🗓️ What’s Raising Eyebrows?
The Tokyo event falls on the same weekend as AEW WrestleDream, scheduled for October 18 in St. Louis, Missouri. WrestleDream was launched in 2023 as a tribute to the late Antonio Inoki, a pioneer of Japanese pro wrestling and founder of NJPW.
Online chatter immediately pointed to the calendar overlap, but WWE has not referenced AEW or WrestleDream in any official capacity. Instead, it’s clear WWE is focused on honoring its own history and legacy in Japan—where it has a loyal fanbase stretching back decades.
💭 MainEvent.News | Backstage Take
Some fans are crying “counterprogramming,” but let’s take a step back.
WWE has been touring Japan for over 30 years, and returning in 2025 with two exclusive shows isn’t just business—it’s respect. The timing may overlap with AEW WrestleDream, but WWE isn’t ignoring Inoki’s influence. If anything, they’re amplifying his legacy by returning to the very country that shaped him.
Inoki’s impact spans promotions. Honoring Japanese wrestling culture isn’t exclusive to one company.
And if both promotions are showcasing Japan’s significance that weekend? Wrestling fans ultimately win.
