WWE Fans In Japan Face Major Change As Cherished Name Prepares For One Last Appearance
Beloved Japanese announcer Fujisawa is set for his final WWE commentary appearance on ABEMA as WWE prepares to move all shows to Netflix in Japan from October 1. The change will end his run with the platform’s wrestling coverage.
WWE's move to Netflix in Japan is bringing an end to one familiar part of the current viewing setup. Japanese announcer Fujisawa is set for what will be his final WWE commentary appearance on ABEMA, with the programming arrangement changing from October 1. For viewers who have been hearing his voice through the platform, the shift means a familiar part of the broadcast will soon look very different. The change is tied to WWE's wider move away from ABEMA for its wrestling programming in Japan. Netflix is set to become the home for all WWE shows starting October 1, while ABEMA currently carries the programming. Fujisawa has been one of the best-known announcers associated with the channel, making his final appearance part of a bigger change rather than just another commentary night. And the timing is pretty clear, because only a limited amount of ABEMA's WWE programming remains before the switch happens.
Fujisawa's Final ABEMA Commentary Comes As WWE Prepares To Move
Fujisawa's last WWE commentary appearance on ABEMA came with this week's RAW. A post on X showed a fan alongside the announcer and described the broadcast as his final WWE commentary for the platform.
The message read:
“Tonight's RAW marked the last WWE commentary by announcer Fujisawa on ABEMA. Thank you for all your hard work!”
The post also pointed out that ABEMA had only one RAW and one SmackDown left, asking viewers to stay with the platform “until the very end.”
That gives the farewell a pretty specific timeline. Fujisawa's role with ABEMA's WWE broadcasts is reaching its endpoint as the current arrangement winds down, rather than because of an isolated change involving the announcer himself.
WWE's Japan Programming Is Set To Shift To Netflix On October 1
The bigger development behind Fujisawa's final appearance is WWE's upcoming move to Netflix. Starting October 1, all WWE shows are set to be shown on the streaming platform, changing where Japanese viewers will follow the company's programming.
ABEMA has been the place for WWE content up to this point, so the switch represents a major change in the way that programming is presented to its Japanese audience. Fujisawa has been one of the recognizable voices attached to that coverage, which is why his final ABEMA appearance lands as part of the transition.
The RAW broadcast also had plenty happening inside the ring. Roxanne Perez defeated La Catalina and Iyo Sky, while Oba Femi returned and took out the Vision, helping Je'Von Evans. Lyra Valkyria defeated Bayley, and Penta beat Dominik Mysterio to qualify for the Money in the Bank ladder match.
946 also continued its feud with the Bloodline by kidnapping Solo Sikoa and leaving him at an undisclosed location. Roman Reigns had yet to get involved, while LA Knight delivered an impassioned promo ahead of his Money in the Bank match against Reigns.
But for the Japanese broadcast itself, the biggest change is still waiting on October 1. That is when WWE's programming shifts to Netflix, closing the ABEMA chapter that included Fujisawa behind the commentary desk.