(NOAH) Takashi Sugiura talks about his fifth defense on the 2nd September against Masa Kitamiya

20th August 2018

Noah.co.jp 

Q: Look back on the fight against Shiozaki again?

SUGIURA: I have had matches with him over and over, I think in various ways we were able to have a match with each other, and I think it was very good.

Q: On the 2nd September, you decided to face Kitamiya at Korakuen?

SUGIURA: Masa was robbed of the tag belt, it is a regrettable memory, and I think there must be part that is still smouldering, I thint that's why he came out. I think I will accept it.

Q: On the 1st September it has been confirmed that you will face off against All Japan's Akiyama & Aoki with Harada in a GHC Heavyweight and GHC Junior combination?

SUGIURA: Is this not the best situation? Harada and I will stand with belts in front of the people who left Noah. I think I will hold the belt up.

Q: Do you have any objections to Akiyama & Aoki?

SUGIURA: Yeah. There is nothing.

Q: What about Akiyama & Aoki currently?

SUGIURA: I don't know very much about other promotions,  so I don't know very much on how they work (he was a junior at the SDF Wrestling Team). Aoki joined Noah with Taniguchi, then he made the decision to go another way. He was a junior for a long time, and he has not changed from that.
As far as Akiyama is concerned, he was the one who practised with me the most when I first started, I also got advice and took things away while watching his matches, and while it may be surprising for me to say this, I guess Akiyama is the most influential in my wrestling style...

Q: Do you feel this is a reunion match or are you feeling its a competition against All Japan?

SUGIURA: Since this will be the first time in a long time, I think that the feeling of a "reunion" is astronger. It will be interesting to see how Jun Akiyama and Atsushi Aoki feel now, rather than "vs All Japan Pro Wrestling"

Q: However, despite all of that, its better to win at Marufuji's 20 years?

SUGIURA: Yeah, its the semi-main. I have a feeling that I want to win and connect this to the main.

Q: Kitamiya challenged you two years ago, what is your current impression of him?

SUGIURA: That was during the Suzuki Army. Momentum was on. He lost and became tag champion afterwards. His character has become established, and I wonder if he took that step because there is a part of him that is still smouldering. That is why he made the challenge, out of the desire to rise again.

Q: The last time it was "The Suzuki Army's Sugiura vs Kitamiya", this time it seems to be a straight match?

SUGIURA: I guess I do not use chairs at the moment (laughs), but nowadays I am thinking that I am the more scary "weapon" than at that time.

Q: Do you also want to encourage Kitamiya's step-up?

SUGIURA: Boosting and lifting, even if you do lift someone, people won't rise unless they lift themselves. People will rise even if left alone, and it can be done. I have that thought.

Q: What do you want to show in the match against Kitamiya?

SUGIURA: I want to show Kitamiya this is a high wall, and you can go beyond if you cross it.

Q: You have now defended against Kotoge, Kenoh and Shiozaki, the remaining younger generation is Kitamiya, Nakajima and Kenoh, are you willing to sweep all six away?

SUGIURA: Thinking like that I have defeated half of them. It would be fun if I beat all of them.

Link to original article from Noah.co.jp
Link to YouTube footage of interview