Clark Connors Weighs In On NJPW Of America Closing Down: “I Think It’s A Smart Business Decision”

One of the original L.A. Dojo members was Clark Connors.

New Japan Pro-Wrestling pushed out the announcement that they are shutting down their NJPW of America operation and entering liquidation. That includes closing down their training school in California and making changes to Tokon Shop Global.

One of the original L.A. Dojo members, Clark Connors, talked to Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp about NJPW of America closing.

“You could say that I kind of was the STRONG brand for a while. Me and Gabe (Kidd) and Karl (Fredericks) and Alex (Coughlin). That’s kind of where the whole thing came about, you know, and Kevin Knight as well. In terms of the actual business portion of it, it’s one of those things where Japan, New Japan as a whole, I think it’s a smart business decision on their part. They understand where their bread is buttered, and if it wasn’t for the pandemic, in my opinion, they would be so much stronger over here. I think that really kind of shut the whole thing. They were already kind of overseas. They kind of were ahead of schedule from where their original business plan was. They opened up that dojo, in terms of getting us in there and training us, a year or two ahead of schedule basically because of how good I did in my tryout.” He continued, “I think it had a great run. Just like anything in wrestling, it’s cyclical so, when New Japan gets its feet under itself again back in Japan, I can easily see them opening back up over here so, never say never.”

The last NJPW of America show was Resurgence in May 2025.