David Finlay is now a free agent after his contract with Fresh Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) expired, Fightful Select reported Tuesday. NJPW is reportedly “actively” attempting to re-sign the multi-time champion.
Finlay’s final match with NJPW took place on February 11 at the New Beginning in Osaka event, where he suffered a singles defeat to Callum Newman. Following the match, Finlay appeared to bid farewell to the NJPW audience, bowing to the crowd and embracing manager Gedo, according to F4WOnline. He also kissed the NJPW logo and expressed gratitude as he left the ring.
Despite the apparent farewell, Finlay is still scheduled to appear at New Beginning USA on February 27, according to F4WOnline. This comes after reports surfaced in December that the 32-year-old Finlay was considering exploring opportunities outside of NJPW.
Finlay signed with NJPW in 2015 and has since become a prominent figure in the promotion. His accomplishments include a one-time IWGP Tag Team Championship reign, two IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship titles, a NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship, winning the New Japan Cup in 2025, and being crowned World League winner in 2019.
The son of former WCW star and current WWE Performance Center trainer Fit Finlay, David Finlay’s potential departure from NJPW has sparked interest in his next move. While NJPW is attempting to retain him, his availability could draw attention from other wrestling promotions.
