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Announcer Walker Stewart re-signs with NJPW, gives update on AEW future

Posted: Sep 15th 2026 By: Joseph Currier

Play-by-play announcer Walker Stewart has re-signed with NJPW, but that doesn’t mean we won’t be seeing him around in AEW.

Stewart announced today that he has signed a contract extension with NJPW that will keep him with the promotion full-time. While maintaining that schedule, Stewart will also continue his duties with Stardom and make limited appearances for AEW. He did commentary on an AEW Collision episode earlier this month, which raised questions about Stewart’s status going forward. He says he’s locked in a few AEW dates for the remainder of 2026 and will continue to do so in 2027 on a per-appearance basis.

“I’m happy to announce that I’ve signed an extension of my contract with NJPW! I’ve been very lucky to watch NJPW continue to grow and improve upon itself year after year since my debut with the company in 2023, and I am very lucky to continue my journey waving the lionmark banner,” Stewart wrote.
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“If you’re a fan of American wrestling, I’m also happy to report that I will be making limited appearances with All Elite Wrestling, with a few appearances confirmed for the rest of 2026 and more to come in 2027.”

Stewart has been part of Stardom’s expansion into English commentary and is sticking around despite NJPW and Stardom no longer being under the same parent company. Stardom has also added a new English-language announcer, voice actor Jimbo Bonji, to take some of the workload. Occasional shows will have both Stewart and Bonji on commentary.

Along with these three roles, Stewart will still be working with indie promotions on commentary, video production, and more.

Walker Stewart thanks NJPW, Stardom, and AEW —

Stewart expressed gratitude to all three of NJPW, Stardom, and AEW for the partnerships they have. His goal on commentary is to help bridge the gaps between the different styles that exist between the promotions.

“My Japanese schedule will remain full-time, as I still feel there is so much left for me to be a part of in the world of Japanese wrestling,” Stewart wrote. “But this newfound opportunity to contribute (on occasion) to the finest western wrestling organization – it’s a fantastic feeling to know I’ll be in service to fans of every style. I hope to bridge gaps between fans of one organization to invest in all three, and more

“I’m very grateful to both NJPW, STARDOM and AEW for allowing these partnerships. Proud to re-sign with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, to continue my work with STARDOM, and to make good on a limited schedule with All Elite Wrestling.”

The next NJPW date for Stewart is Destruction in Kobe 2026 on September 27.