NJPW closing down its United States subsidiary means that the company’s Los Angeles dojo is also shutting its doors.

The NJPW Academy confirmed today that it will be ceasing operations. Located in Carson, California, the dojo opened in 2018 with Katsuyori Shibata initially serving as head coach. Other coaches have included KUSHIDA, Fred Rosser, The DKC & Rocky Romero

In a statement, NJPW Academy thanked everyone who contributed to the dojo over the years:

• Due to the closure of New Japan Pro-Wrestling of America, NJPW Acadeny will be closing its doors.
• From 2018 to 2023, Katsuyori Shibata passed down the Strong Style traditions of Antonio Inoki to a new generation of the LA DOJO: Karl Fredericks, Clark Connors, Alex Coughlin, Gabe Kidd, Ren Narita, Kevin Knight, Yuya Uemura & The DKC.
• The LA DOJO became NJPW ACADEMY in March 2023, creating an opportunity for established and aspiring wrestlers to learn the ways of New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Under the tutelage of KUSHIDA, Fred Rosser, The DKC & Rocky Romero, NJPW ACADEMY graduates have gone on to perform in nearly every major promotion worldwide, highlighted by Zane Jay joining the full-time NJPW roster in 2025.
• NJPW ACADEMY thanks all wrestlers, coaches, guests and fans who stepped through the doors here in Carson, CA over the past 8 years and hopes that you will continue to support New Japan Pro-Wrestling.

Rosser completed a guest coaching stint at the WWE Performance Center last week.

NJPW of America closure —

The dojo closing was expected to be the next domino to fall after NJPW announced on Friday that it is ending the promotion’s New Japan of America subsidiary. The US office was launched in 2019 at a time when NJPW was expanding globally more aggressively than it is now and holding more standalone events in the United States. In recent years, NJPW’s US expansion efforts have been focused more on partnerships like the one the company has with AEW.

Going forward, NJPW will still hold some standalone US events with “the full backing and resources” of TV Asahi, which now owns NJPW with CyberAgent after former owners Bushiroad sold NJPW earlier this year.

NJPW said the move to close the US subsidiary was done to “optimize allocation of management resources in a rapidly changing business environment.”