Akira opens up about Cobb’s departure.
Jeff Cobb has wrapped up with New Japan Pro-Wrestling and as of this writing, he’s had his final match for the promotion. He fell in defeat to Hiroshi Tanahashi at the Road to Wrestling Dontaku show and Cobb was emotional before and after the match.
His fellow United Empire stablemates joined him in the ring to embrace him. Francesco Akira went on to release a diary entry about Cobb on NJPW’s official website. He addressed his departure from the promotion and the brother-like relationship that they have.
Akira questioned how United Empire will move forward and noted that they’ve been in a ‘difficult situation’ since Will Ospreay left and went to AEW. He added that it’s not easy to get back to the prime spot that they were once in.
A lot has really happened at New Japan Pro Wrestling this past week…
Three of our wrestlers have decided to leave the company. Tetsuya Naito, BUSHI, and Jeff Cobb. Naito and BUSHI are in different units, so I can’t say too much about them, but I still feel an indescribable sadness when I hear that they are leaving. Los Ingobernables de Japon is also one of the units that United Empire has wrestled against the most, so their departure at the Dontaku series is a break in the times. Events like this create mixed emotions not only for the fans, but also for us wrestlers.
Then, Jeff Cobb is leaving the team. Jeff was one of the founding members of United Empire and has been a big part of NJPW for a long time.
Since I joined United Empire, he has been like a big brother to me.
He always teased me, but it was really funny and made me laugh every time.
During the tour, we explored Japan together, fought in teams tag teams and shared a really good time. Backstage, we even called ourselves our own tag team name “Catch 4/4”.
He gave me a lot of advice and was really reliable.
It’s sad that he leaves like that. We just lost Aussie Open and Will Ospreay, and now even Jeff…
Many questions come to mind: What are we going to do from now on?… We have been in a difficult situation ever since we lost Ospreay, the founder of the group, last year. It is not easy to get back to the top position we were in back then, and it feels even tougher now.
But at times like this, you have to be strong. We have to grit our teeth and move forward. In NJPW, there are now calls for a new generation to come. And to be honest, that is the only way left for us. Callum will challenge Goto for the IWGP Heavyweight Title in Fukuoka. The next step for me is clear.
Winning the BOSJ.
Let’s stop looking back at the past and look only forward. That is the only way to take United Empire to new heights.
Please continue to support me and United Empire. A new era is just around the corner – I’m already prepared.
United Empire now consists of Callum Newman, Francesco Akira, TJP, Templario, Great-O-Khan and Jakob Austin Young.
