After a 20 year career in WWE saw him to a parade of accolades, Nic Nemeth departed his home promotion in 2023, and arrived as a guest at Wrestle Kingdom 18. After David Finlay won the IWGP Global Championship, an altercation in the crowd led to an impassioned challenge issued for February 23 at New Beginning in Sapporo, which resulted in Nemeth capturing the title in his NJPW debut.