(NOAH) "Winning is the family tradition" GHC National Champion El Hijo Del Dr Wagner Jnr's determination


28th July 2023
Wanibooks Newscrunch.com

Pro Wrestling Noah's strongest midsummer singles league, the N-1 VICTORY, will start on August 6th 2023 at the Yokohama Budokan. The participating wrestlers were announced at Korakuen Hall on June 22nd, and the loudest cheers were when the current GHC National Champion, El Hijo Del Dr Wagner Jnr, appeared on the screen. 

Wagner Jnr participated in Noah for the first time in August 2019 as a member of The Sugiura Army. On April 19th 2020, together with Rene Dupree, he took the GHC tag from Naomichi Marufuji and Masaaki Mochizuki, but due to the global Coronavirus pandemic, he was unable to come to Japan and was forced to give up the tag titles. Accordingly, his career in Noah came to a stop once, but he returned to Noah for the first time in two years at Ryogoku Kokugikan on April 30th last year. On November 10th of the same year, at Korakuen Hall he defeated Masakatsu Funaki with a moonsault, and took the GHC National Championship, and his popularity soared.

Gratitude to the respectful Japanese fans

Wagner Jnr says, "I feel that Japanese fans are very supportive. At first, I think they knew about my father, who had been to Japan before, and they supported me as his son. As I had more matches, I realized that the audience started to support me." His father is Dr. Wagner Jnr (Ray Wagner), who became the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Champion in Mexico, and reigned as the IWGP Junior Tag Team Champion with Kendo Kashin in New Japan. The Wagner Family is a prestigious wrestling family, and his grandfather, like his father, became the CMLL World Light Heavyweight Champion, and in Japan, Dr. Wagner fought against Dos Caras in All Japan. His uncle is Silver King, who was also active as the third generation Black Tiger in New Japan, while his mother is Rossy Moreno, who was active in All Japan Women's Pro Wrestling and Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling. His mother's three younger sisters Esther, Cynthia and Alda are also active in Japan. Japan, where his family played an active role, was a country that Wagner Jr. admired, and he has adapted very naturally to an environment where the lifestyle and the style of pro wrestling are different. 

"When I first came to Japan, it felt very peaceful compared to Mexico. That's why Japan is a relaxing country, and I love it in many ways. I especially love the food...sushi and ramen (laughs). I also like yakiniku, but can yakiniku be called Japanese food? I love sushi, so of course I love raw fish sashimi too. As for Lucha Libre (= professional wrestling), I felt the difference in styles, but with the desire to try and absorb everything, I gained experience and now mix American, Mexican and Japanese styles. People in Mexico see Lucha Libre as a show to relieve their stress, so the audience is lively and the jeers come flying. I like that, but in Japan's case they applaud and respect the wrestlers as a sport. So when I have a match in Japan, I feel the reaction of the audience, and when the fans go wild, I decide that I'm on the verge of gaining momentum as I fight. It's easy to fight because of the honest response."

Daily training is essential to win 

Although there was a gap of one year and five months due to the Coronavirus pandemic, it has been four years since he first stepped into the Noah ring. He will be participating in the N-1 for the third time, this is the time for victory. 
How is Wagner Jr. preparing for the tough league this midsummer?

Wagner Jnr said seriously, "Mexico gets very hot in the summer. Mexico City's climate is similar to Japan's, so I don't worry about it. Because I live in the Mexican highlands, where the air is thin, is there a need to worry? No, I have stamina because I practice all the time. When I'm in Japan, I go to the dojo three or four times a day, and I try to make time for training starting with walking and cardio in the morning, weight training and stretching. Also, my family has told me to do neck exercises carefully. The neck is important in Lucha Libre because if you don't train it, it can lead to serious injuries. I also practice wrestling two or three times a week".  

When asked about hobbies, "My hobby is movies. I like suspense and history, and would be happy if I could go and see a movie every day. I listen to music and watch Netflix while on the road. Also, if I talk about my hobbies, then it figures it would be training (laughs). Even at local matches, if I have time, then I go to the cinema or go to the gym." 
He is a serious young man of thirty-one years old to the end. "My family is very happy about my success in Japan, and since this is my third N-1, I think I have to advance to the finals and win the championship, so I train every day". 

What are your thoughts on the white mask?

"The first time I participated in the N-1 was when I first came to Noah, so I had to experience at all. But, after gaining various experiences, I am participating as the National Champion this time. I fully understand that my true worth will be questioned." And the enthusiastic Wagner Jnr will confront the N-1 for the first time with a white mask. 

Wagner Jnr. explains, "My grandfather, father, and uncle all wore white masks. That's the tradition of the Wagner family, so this time I'm wearing this white mask in honor of the family. My grandfather's mask only had a design on the border and ears. It used to be a simple white mask, but with the awareness of incorporating new culture, it has changed since my fathers time by adding Mexican civilization designs and adding colors. I wear the Mexican Tricolor (green, white and red) for big events. In the summer I wear pink, and when I'm in a bad mood I wear black. I wear a variety of masks, but the white mask I will wear in the N-1 this time has a Toltec civilization design."

You can see the extraordinary decision to participate in a white mask for this year's N-1, which up until now, he was not in a position to wear.

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