Mustafa Ali reacts to a new report about his status with New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
On Friday, Bodyslam.net reported that Ali was pulled from the Best of Super Juniors tournament. The outlet noted Ali was pulled from the lineup due to some backstage booking issues. It was said that Ali “refused to do a job”, and he was removed from the list of competitors.
It was noted that New Japan had plans to include him, but Ali’s insistence on keeping his undefeated streak became a point of contention. Bodyslam alleged that Mustafa Ali would only participate in the tournament if he could advance without a loss, which conflicted with New Japan’s booking plans.
Furthermore, it was noted that Ali’s “outspoken” approach, along with his refusal to lose, ultimately led to him being removed from the BOSJ lineup.
Ali still worked for New Japan at the Windy City Riot event in Chicago, beating Hiromu Takahashi.
Mustafa Ali responded on Twitter, seemingly shooting down the validity of the report. He also noted that he’ll be back with New Japan for its Resurgence event in May.
Update: New Japan’s Rocky Romero has also commented, stating that nothing in the initial report happened.
“Yet again NOT true. Nothing in this happened,” Romero wrote on Twitter.
The best stories
Mustafa Ali recently spoke with WrestleZone about the story he’s currently telling in his post-WWE run. Ali says he has the skills, but hasn’t found his way yet, so he’s creating his own path.
“It’s someone that’s been in the industry. Someone that has the talent, the look, the skill, the background. A bit of a PR dream I would say. And he hasn’t quite figured out his way. So, he’s going to create his way. He’s going to make strategic alliances. And to get the people behind him, he’s going to launch a campaign,” he noted. “And he might have some ulterior motives here and there. But the overall idea’s he’s doing it for the greater good. If he happens to benefit along the way, so be it. But that’s the idea of it.”
Ali said pointed out how layered his character is, noting that his story is direct. However, fans are forming their own opinions on where he’s headed, and you’ll have to keep watching it unfold.
“Well, it might be interpreted as [his character having] ulterior motives. But again, stay tuned, and find out. I wanted to give your question a just answer, so, it’s… I think the best stories are not when things are super convoluted, but there are some complex layers to the character itself. Like, the story itself is direct,” Ali pointed out. “But then you always wonder if that person’s intentions are true or not. To me, those are the best stories.”
Check out our full interview with Mustafa Ali below:
