Former NJPW General Manager Michael Craven has broken his silence, and the story hes telling is one the wrestling world cant ignore.
On Podcast Heat Wrestling, Craven opened up about the fallout from a 2018 Wrestling Observer report by Dave Meltzer that he says destroyed his career. The article claimed there were morale issues in NJPW and specifically named Craven and then-president Harold Meij. The problem? Craven says none of it was trueand worse, they had the wrong guy.
My name had never even been released to the public, Craven said. Backstage, I was well-received Then, my name got mentioned on a broadcastjust a quick shout-out Suddenly Im in the Observer being accused of being like Jim Herd. They said I was talking down to the talent.
He wasnt even dealing with talent directly. According to Craven, most of the communication came from his five-person staff. His job? Strictly business: setting up deals, scouting venues, and managing operations.
Worse yet, Craven revealed that Meltzers article attached a completely different biographyconfusing him with another Michael Craven living in Japan, who worked in recruitment. They called me a recruiter, which Ive never been. I actually worked in negotiations for the Japanese government for 15 years before joining NJPW.
Cravens account is a cautionary tale about the power of misinformation. A single name drop led to his name being smeared across the internet, a career left in shambles, and a family caught in the crossfire.
Do you think wrestling media needs to be held more accountable for false reporting? Share your thoughts and feedback in the comments below.
Please creditRingside Newsif you use the above transcript in your publication.
Do you believe wrestling media outlets like the Wrestling Observer should be held more accountable for publishing unverified or inaccurate reports? Drop your thoughts in the comments belowwe want to hear your voice.
