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Continued from the previous page
You are good with english, but how was Brazil like? That was a
different experience, right?
It made me think that I had to start over from zero.
This is because you didn't understand the language or because of the response you received?
Language did play a big role... I didn't understand a word they
said, I didn't understand the rules. Well, I did survive, and it was a refreshing experience.
Did Mr. Inoki or NJPW offer this training trip to Los Angeles after Brazil to you?
No, my original schedule was to go straight back to Japan after the
Jungle Fight. I really wanted to train in Brazil, so I personally asked Mr. Inoki. He also told me to take more time and go train in the US.
How was your training in Brazil?
I trained at Dela Riva's dojo and the Brazil Dojo. The main impression I got from the Brazilian fighters were that they were all very hungry. The fighters there were all pure athletes who trained hard with good hearts. But some promoters' and bookers' ways were very different from mine, but finding these things out was the most precious lesson for me.
In what type of ways were they different?
I thought some of their business theory may not work in Japan and in the US. If they could manage the fighters properly, the great Brazilian fighters can go out more to the world.
As a NJPW wrestler experiencing so much in such a short time, do you feel like you are the chosen one?
I've got my own vision and responsibilities. I just have to
accomplish them one by one.
When Mr. Inoki was young, he used to use and still uses the words,
"Responsibility of the chosen one." Meaning some people are born and destined to do special things, do you share this type of feeling?
Yes, I have that same feeling. When I was a wrestling fan, I just
thought someone (new pro wrestler) will come out. For example, I
really expected Shinnichi (abbreviation for NJPW) wrestlers to get back at the MMA fighters who beat the pro wrestlers in NHB. Kazuyuki Fujita, Tokumitsu Ishizawa and Kazushi Sakuraba did revenge on the MMA fighters as pro wrestlers, but Fujita and Ishizawa stepped away from NJPW. There was nobody from NJPW,
and I found myself standing in the NHB ring representing NJPW. I
didn't even know if I could call myself a pro wrestler at that stage, but this whole experience is the "Responsibility of the chosen one." Maybe I overestimated myself to think this way, but I had to put my life on the line, or else I would have regreted it for the rest of my life.
You are using the Daniel Gracie fight as an example, but you received a phone call from Mr. Inoki before the fight, right?
Yes, he gave me a call. I was being smashed by the tension and
pressure, but with his words everything flipped. He said, "Enjoy it, there're millions of fighters who desperately want to fight in the same ring as you do, but they can't."
Those words changed your attitude before the fight?
It opened my doors, gave me energy, and I was ready and prepared
mentally.
That's interesting.
When I was walking down the runway to the ring, I was thinking that either I kill or get killed. It's a very frightening feeling, but I was ready mentally and knew every pro wrestling mania is watching me! In my mind, I always put myself in the audience seat watching myself enter and fight. So, as a fan, if I see Shinsuke Nakamura scared walking down the runway isle, I would hate him. I never want to see a confused frightened facial expression from a wrestler inside the ring, so I just didn't show fear.
Same in the Ultimate Crush?
Yes, I went in the ring with the same attitude. I was prepared to
kill, but if I had lost against K-1 Nortje, I was going to take
responsibilities for pro wrestling... I probably had quit the
business.
The fighting-arts industry is expecting a lot more from you. Soon
there will me more expectations on you becoming the champion of the pro wrestling. When that time comes, you also have to prepare yourself to also become a leader. Tenzan became the G1 champ and now is the closest person to become the next IWGP champion, why do you think it took so much time for him to come this far?
In Tenzan's case, I think it took so much time for him to get many
chances because of a hidden agenda.
So that's just a part of life?
Well, certain areas can be adjusted and controlled in life. One way is, we (pro wrestlers) can propose things and appeal to the fans and the company through different sources to change the individual career direction.
Then, do you have a strong goal that you want to propose at this time?
I basically don't set myself a locked up goal. I try to keep my goals fuzzy and vague because when I come closer to the end, it will again keep a distance away from me since it doesn't have a clear end and it will become my next direction again. As long as I seriously train and perform, I can accomplish what I have to do in my life time.
Last comment on any topic for the American fans?
Right now, New Japan Pro Wrestling is a real Japanese fan based
company. Amongst all the organization in Japan, NJPW is the only group actually focuses into individual wrestler's jealousy, true emotions and all the "not so good side of human." If you can look at it that way, it's very original and interesting.
Various fighting and MMA organizations are also trying to create similar effect from the drama aside from the fight in the ring these days. What do you think about that?
Everybody is trying hard to take it to the max. Although most of them claim to be all natural, the company probably plans ahead so there will be a high chance of scuffle and chaos happening. I think the fighting organizations want to confuse and jumble up the audience who are separating fighting and pro wrestling. After all, in Japan, they share the same market, it's the matter of who takes it all. In NJPW, there's no set star, everybody has the equal chance of becoming the star of the company. That's why and where the ugly war starts amongst the wrestlers. For the company, that becomes the natural plot to focus on. A person can change 180 degrees after certain experiences, so any dull wrestlers have the chance to turn into that big superstar if they continue in the right direction in the right place. I think that's why NJPW wrestlers' actions come from their feeling that are developed on their own, not by a third person.
Last message to the American fans?
Come and see NJPW live (smile).
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