Gabe Kidd’s fiery promo on AEW Collision has sparked major speculation about his contract status— is the Bullet Club War Dog staying in NJPW, or is AEW his next home?
The English star made a surprise appearance on AEW Collision last week. He battled The Butcher in a hard-hitting match, his first in the company since last year’s Forbidden Door Show.
After pinning him to win the match following a piledriver, the NJPW Strong Openweight Champion attacked the Butcher, showing his dark side as he impressed the Collision crowd.
His post-match promo and contract situation have fans wondering about Gabe Kidd’s current contract situation and whether he is still with NJPW or has signed with AEW.
Gabe Kidd Contract: Is He Signed to AEW or Still with NJPW?
As of February 2025, Gabe Kidd has not signed a contract with AEW and remains with New Japan Pro Wrestling.
The former WCPW star was rumoured to be out of contract soon with New Japan Pro Wrestling. However, sometime around his match with Kenny Omega at Wrestle Dynasty, he was thought to have penned a new deal with the company in secret.
We can only speculate about Gabe Kidd’s contract. Like many others in NJPW, his deal was up at the end of January and there was a chance for him to leave the company. He remains there for now despite his AEW appearance and his deal is ongoing.
The reason for his appearance in AEW is due to the time off he currently has from his parent company. As one Reddit user helpfully explained, there is a bit of a lull in the New Japan schedule until the Anniversary show on March 6th.
This allows Gabe Kidd to explore outside of Japan and work for companies like AEW in the meantime. This does not mean he has signed a contract (like Clark Connors) but could indicate that his future lies elsewhere once his deal has concluded.
Is Gabe Kidd’s AEW Collision Promo A Sign of Things to Come?
The promo Gabe Kidd cut following his victory on AEW Collision last week could indicate he has a big future in All Elite Wrestling.
He spoke to the camera, calling himself a “madman” and challenging the AEW roster to step up and do something about it and take him on.
This would certainly imply he’ll be back in AEW, and soon.
“I told you man to stop playing with!” Gabe Kidd shouted. “I told you, Butcher. You’re gonna put me in the ring with the Butcher? I butcher people on the regular – are you mad?”
“I’m here now. I’ve been talking a lot of s*** about your company and nobody seems to be doing anything about it. I’m taking a p*** all over the floor – what are any of you butthurt little freaks going to do about it?”
“Who’s gonna step up? Who’s gonna step up to the madman?” He asked, ending his promo with a whole load of intrigue. These are the words of a man who is not done with AEW and expects some big matches in the near future.
Whether that be a rematch with Kenny Omega, revisiting his past with Will Ospreay or even an angle with Mariah May after their controversies, Gabe Kidd has a strong future in AEW even if his contract is with New Japan for the foreseeable future.
How AEW Has Handled NJPW Crossovers – What That Means for Gabe Kidd
Gabe Kidd is not the first New Japan star to crossover into AEW and the treatment of his colleagues bodes well for his future in both promotions.
A number of stars from the Japanese company have been booked in AEW while under contract with NJPW and Gabe Kidd is in very, very good company.
Will Ospreay was one of the first to get a huge push in AEW while not being signed. He battled Kenny Omega in an incredible match at Forbidden Door 2023 before getting a dream match with Chris Jericho at the first AEW All In at Wembley Stadium.
Fellow gaijin Jay White was also brought in, but this time as IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. He defended his belt in AEW before he signed his full-time contract with AEW and has been treated well ever since.
Kazuchika Okada was part of that title defence at Forbidden Door, as well as wrestling a handful of matches against Bryan Danielson. All three men later signed AEW contracts which could show where Gabe Kidd’s future lies.
However, New Japan Pro Wrestling will not want to lose the Englishman. They have already lost the three aforementioned stars in the past few years and are busy rebuilding their main event scene.
Gabe Kidd is still under contract and is the second biggest foreign star in the promotion (after Zack Sabre Jr). He looks set to receive a main event push very soon and will be one of the favourites to win the New Japan Cup this year.
Hiroshi Tanashi will be doing all he can to get Gabe Kidd to sign a long-term contract with his company, despite apparent interest from Tony Khan. These appearances in AEW will only build up Gabe Kidd’s reputation and make it harder for the Japanese company at the negotiating table to tie him down next year.
Gabe Kidd’s future could lie in AEW but he seems committed to NJPW right now. I’d expect him to make the occasional appearance in AEW but keep his home base in Japan, at least past next year’s Wrestle Kingdom.
Once Gabe Kidd is out of contract in February 2026 then I expect a big bidding war to secure The Madman‘s signature from NJPW, AEW and WWE, with Tony Khan winning the war and signing the Bullet Club’s most insane War Dog.
Where do you think Gabe Kidd will end up once his contract expires? Let us know on Twitter or tell us your view in the comments!
