Jeff Cobb is…retired?
The former New Japan Pro-Wrestling star is going out of his way to let people know that he isn’t going to WWE. Ever since the start of 2025, rumors have been circulating about WWE’s interest in the former IWGP Tag Team Champion. Those rumors were only fueled even further when it was announced that New Japan had granted Cobb’s request for release.
According to Fightful Select, Cobb is still expected to head to WWE. It’s not confirmed if he’ll start on the main roster or not, but the report does highlight that the former New Japan star is on a “good deal”. However, it appears that Cobb is going to great lengths to combat any news talking about him heading over to the big wrestling company.
On the surface, Cobb could be genuinely telling the truth and that the WWE is NOT in his future. But more than likely, everyone sees this as a Becky Lynch situation, where the former WWE Women’s Champion retired through social media, but “shocked” the world with her return at WrestleMania 41.
The report never gives a possible time table on when Cobb could make his debut. Given how busy WWE’s main roster card is right now, it’ll probably take a while for them to finally have the former NEVER Openweight Champion make his debut. If he does, of course.
Cobb did nearly everything he can do in New Japan so jumping ship made sense as it didn’t seem as if the promotion had any plans to make him a world champion anytime soon. There was a point where AEW was interested in Jeff Cobb, but reports claim that the company doesn’t expect him to sign with them.
Should WWE sign Cobb then this is a good get for the company. Given his age, there’s no telling how far the company will push him, but he can still go in the ring and Cobb is solid on the mic. The former NEVER Openweight Champion doesn’t need NXT, but it wouldn’t be surprising if that’s where he begins. The only question now is - which brand will Jeff Cobb make his debut on? Again, it is quite possible that Cobb is legitimately serious about his retirement, but barely anyone buys the former NJPW star’s abrupt retirement.