(NOAH) How to make Kouki Amarei - Interview with first GHC Women's Champion

Weekly Pro

25th December 2024 (Issue no 2333)

The first GHC Women's Champion

"I had a secret goal for myself: to win the belt this year. Whether it was singles or tag, I just wanted the belt. My wrestling debut was at MARIGOLD'S inauguration (20th May Korakuen), and since I have experience previously (Actwres Girls), I had a slight feeling that I could do it, but I also felt that it might not be that easy. However, I never thought I would win the GHC Women's belt, a belt from another promotion, and a men's promotion at that, and be the first champion. (Promotion Representative Rossi) Ogawa-san repeatedly told me, "The first champion will remain in history forever," and "It's up to you to raise or lower the value of this belt." For longtime fans, the GHC (Heavyweight) is the belt founded by Mitsuharu Misawa, who was the first champion. Even though I don't know much about pro wrestling, I know some of the great wrestlers who have worn the GHC belt, so I think it must have been a big deal to win it. However, the format of the match in which I won the belt was a Rumble (a delayed battle toyal). But people are writing things on social media like, "She only won it because it was a Rumble." I generally try to only listen to positive opinions, but I can't help but see the negative ones as well. I want to create excitement to overturn those opinions, and I want to fight in a way that makes people think that Kouki Amarei was a good choice to be the first champion."  

Challenger Chika Goto's Motivation

"I lost to Chika*, who I'd been teaming up with (in a tag team called tWin toWer) since my previous promotion, in the singles league match "DREAM STAR GP" (September 25th at Korakuen Hall), so I feel like I have to repay that debt. Chika is currently absent (scheduled to return on December 13th in Shinjuku), but I'm sure she's seen a lot of things from outside the ring in her own way. But the scenery I've seen from inside the ring over the past month is completely different, and I think Chika will come to realize that difference. Plus, Ota Ward is my hometown, and about ten people, including my family, grandma, and relatives and acquaintances, are planning to come, so I absolutely can't lose. Otherwise, it'll be a gloomy gathering right from the start of the New Year (laughs). Having worked with her since our previous promotion, I knew that Chika was definitely the easiest to root for at first glance. Even if I were a fan, I would probably support Chika, and I know that I'm not the type of person who finds it hard to show how hard I try." 

(You, who carry the expectations of the promotion, is always placed on meaningful cards and I think you are working hard, pushing yourself in the main and semi-main events.) 

"I'm doing my best too, please say more (laughs). I think this is probably an essential part of me, but I'm not what you would call a lovable character, or rather, I'm kind of hard to approach."

(But even so, you continued to carry the expectations of others and fight, so perhaps that changed the way people saw you?) 

"I've been given a lot of high-profile matches, lots of people have come to watch, and the base number of people I'm recognized by, has grown dramatically since then. Like I said before, I basically only listen to positive feedback (laughs).

Seeing and hearing positive feedback makes me feel like I'm okay with who I am now. I hear it from fans, and from my seniors, who say things like, "You were great today," or "People from other promotions praised you and said you were really good." I took those opinions into consideration and slowly built a foundation, and before I knew it, it felt like it was starting to solidify. I'm probably not good at looking at myself objectively as a professional wrestler. So for now I've just accepted it and tried to incorporate various opinions, saying, "This is how I look now, and maybe I should do this." Then I watch videos and make improvements myself. I think that the cycle of having everyone evaluate my work and then improving it over and over again has given me confidence. When I started wrestling, I realized I'm actually a surprisingly easy-to-understand person. When I gain confidence, it really shows (laughs). I realized this during league matches. Fighting in singles matches against higher-ranked wrestlers from my own promotion and wrestlers from other promotions was a challenge for me. While I felt pressure from Ogawa*, like "You know what I'm talking about, right?", I couldn't really know for sure until I asked him, but there were several times when I thought back on it and thought he must have trusted me and gotten me this far. I felt like he trusted me, or maybe I'd finally reached that position."

1.3 Ota Ward as the catalyst

(Looking back, you were scheduled to be in the first match of the promotion's first big match at Ryogoku Kokugikan on July 13th, and it was frustrating, wasn't it?) 

"It was my first time performing in such a big venue, but it was only my first match, and it was only a 10-minute single match. In the end, it ended in a draw, and I was just disappointed. January 3rd in Ota Ward will be my second big match since coming to MARIGOLD, and I'll be there as the champion with the belt. I'm already excited about that, but that doesn't mean I'll rest on my laurels. I think everyone will be going to Ota Ward with great enthusiasm, and I really feel like I can't lose.

(Do you also feel like you can't lose (other matches)?)

"Of course I do. In this day and age, there is a lot of entertainment, and within the genre of professional wrestling there are many promotions, both male and female. Among them, MARIGOLD has attracted a lot of attention due to the high expectations for its launch. In fact, I personally felt an incredible amount of passion at the time. Amidst all that, I think Giulia's departure overseas was a big factor. Losing one (absolute ace) changed the balance (within the promotion). We've been building a new one over the past few months, and I feel like it's starting to take shape little by little. So if there's some kind of trigger, I think things will move forward again in a big way."

(Could January 3rd in Ota Ward be that trigger?)

"I think it might be. I think there are quite a few people who know about MARIGOLD, and are interested, and I'm confident that if they come to see it once, they'll come back a second or even a third time, so I want to keep creating opportunities for them to take that first step."

(If you win the Pro Wrestling GP Rookie of the Year, that could be the catalyst?)

"It's true! I was the only woman to be featured with a photo in the article introducing the award candidates, and it's an award that can only be won this year. I feel like I'm the only one who can promote women's professional wrestling, so that's why I want to encourage everyone to vote. Buy ten copies of the magazine and vote (laughs). 

There are only two weeks left of this year, and I want to end 2024 on a high note, having won the wonderful GHG Women's belt, and make next year even better than this year, so first I want to beat Chika, defend my belt, and liven up Ota Ward on the 3rd January, and MARIGOLD in 2025!"

Note

Chika: Goto, who made her wrestling debut with Kouki at Korakuen on May 20th, gained support with her reckless fighting style. This contrasts sharply with Kouki, who has been touted as a potential star from the start.(Weekly Pro)

Ogawa: Rossy

NOAH'S ARKIVE! WEEKLY PRO & BOOK ARCHIVE