When Karl Fredericks had a very public falling out with New Japan Pro Wrestling over not being booked for the Best of the Super Juniors, it felt like the end of an era for the first-ever class of NJPW Strong.

Smack dab right in the middle of a compelling Strong storyline where Fredericks was working with Christopher Daniels in the promotion's continuing feud with QT Marshall's The Factory, the “Alpha Wolf” was swiftly removed from NJPW's buildup to Forbidden Door and was replaced in the 8 man tag team contest in the Pay-Per-View's pre-show – and likely in the Hook match on AEW Rampage – by The DKC.

Since that match with Marshall on Strong, Fredericks has wrestled in two more matches, defeating Barrett Brown at the Independent Wrestling Expo 7 and Kevin Knight in UWN without so much as a peep since, save the occasional social media post about his DJing. This, apparently, was by design, as Fredericks announced on Twitter that his contract with NJPW has officially expired, and he opted against re-signing “at this time.”

A bummer? For fans of NJPW, you bet; Fredericks was one of the highlights of Strong over its first few years of operation alongside the likes of “Filthy” Tom Lawler and Brody King, and losing his services will certainly make the shows different, but hey, at this point, the only constant in the wrestling world is change, and for every performer who leaves, a few new ones will take their place. But for Fredericks' sake, let's hope he lands on his feet, as the 32-year-old Reno, Nevada native can go and deserves a chance to prove it.