(Puroresu Today) Toshiaki Kawada talks about Holy War Vol. 3
September 26th 2018
The third installment of Toshiaki Kawada's produce "Holy War Vol.3" (Shinjuku FACE, Tokyo, October 1st) is approaching.
Based on the concept of "interaction between veteran and new generation wrestler", the fighting cards have been lined up to reflect this. Producer, Kawada, talks about "the real pleasure of varied professional wrestling".
Q: The third show is to be held at a bigger venue, SHINJUKU Face?
KAWADA: It's not that much bigger (laugh). Little by little, I will proceed. What will happen when the veterans and the current generation wrestlers combine? The concept of the event does not change. I am looking forward to it.
Q: The main event is Yoshiaki Fujiwara (Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi), Takao Omori (All Japan), and Shiro Koshinaka (Freelance) vs Daichi Hashimoto (Big Japan), Tōru Sugiura (FREEDOMS) and Kaito Kiyomiya (Noah), the concept is well illustrated in this match?
KAWADA: Daichi Hashimoto's match has been at the same venue, but I haven't been able to watch him yet. It is going to be fun. The four younger athletes have a good appearance, and the veterans should feel jealousy and exert more power than usual. I would like the youngsters to take advantage of this and not go quietly. The violent bumps will come with this. A new face will come out from each wrestler, and it will be interesting.
Q: The semi final is Mitsuya Nagai (DRADITION), Masao Inoue (Freelancer) vs Yuma Aoyagi and Naoya Nomura (All Japan); the veterans once won the Asian Tag Championship, this will be the clash of the young and old, the young who now hold the same championship?
KAWADA: Ah yes, this is the conception of the produce itself. The two young boys, the active champions, will shake hands with the former champions. The champions, do not want to lose, they have good prospects for the future. I am thankful to President Jun Akiyama of All Japan, who allowed the participation of the young champions.
Q: There is a new style match on the card?
KAWADA: Jun Kasai (FREEDOMS) will face Kuishinbo Kamen (Freelance), is an unprecedented combinsation. It is not the usual theme of "veteran vs young", but these two are oil and water. Kasai, who has done deathmatches around the world, and a unique comical opponent, and Kuishinbo Kamen. What will happen when these two collide? I can't imagine, you can't imagine. I am curious.
Q: Is it normal rules for this match?
KAWADA: Yes, but if Kasai gets hold of something, what should happen? I have said to him, "do not use weapons. A bloody fight is no good here". The fans of Jun Kasai are used to it, but the fans of Kamen are not, the fans will like this new match. So, who will referee it? The selection in this is important too.
They then discuss referees, Shirō Abe in particular, (a referee who worked for All Japan, and who passed away in April 2017.) He was a kind of renegade referee who worked a heel gimmick, and allowed Dump Matsumoto to carve up her opponents, despite recieving repeated warnings from the commissioning body. His nickname was the "evil" or "the bad" referee. Kawada says for this reason, the selection of a referee for this match is difficult.
Q: This time the opponent for your Talk Battle, is Akira Taue?
KAWADA: Naomichi Marufuji, Katsuhiko Nakajima, and now Akira Taue, I will be facing one of my own generation this time. This will be a change from the previous concept. Since being installed as Noah's president, not much came out although he was at the forefront of things. His time as President was grave, and I would like to ask the story of it. In addition, Taue said he had been fighting cancer. He is overcoming it, but I also want to ask him about his stance in facing it. Taue was fortunate to find it early, and I would like it to be heard by those who are fighting the disease, they may find it even a little helpful, and even by those who are fine now. No matter who you are, I think that is not a private affair.
Q: Although he had injuries, were you yourself free from illness?
KAWADA: Actually, besides injuries, there were various things. But, it was never announced as I did not want to think that if "the wrestler is sick", then "the image of the wrestler collapses", so nothing was ever announced. I will talk about it someday if the time comes. But, Taue said that his cancer was found due to the discovery of stomach ulcers, caused by being a drinker.
Q: Mr. Kawada is quite able to drink as much as possible? (rough translation of Japanese saying "talking mouth", which would best be likened to telling a drinking story, or a "shaggy dog" story).
KAWADA: Well (smile), the best time was with Mitsuharu Misawa. We had been drinking together and urging each other to more, and we were drunk at the time of the "Tenryu Revolution"*
The Talk Battle lasts for thirty minutes, (he then says something about that he talks for thirty minutes and the boys in the back get to wrestle for half an hour, and the talk battle seems short), both Marufuji and Nakajima were over in a flash. When I was an active wrestler, I played a character who did not talk, but I love to talk. That is why I am exploding with it now. Apart from my talk, the matches are the real confrontations.
All pictures property of Puroresu Today
*Probably sometime from 1987 - 1990 when Kawada was part of the "Revolution" stable with Tenryu. Misawa (aka Tiger Mask II until May 1990), was not a member.
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