(NOAH) Mini interview - KAZMA SAKAMOTO & Takashi Sugiura

Q: I could not imagine interviewing the two of you sitting side by side a month ago

SUGIURA: Well, I don't understand this world. This was the course of events, and I have had no choice but to surrender myself to it.

KAZMA: Just as Sugiura-san said. There are no words, but the story is about what has actually happened.

Q: First of all, lets take a look back at the match on the 10th March at Yokohama, this was your first singles match.

SUGIURA: Though it was the first singles match, I have always watched him. Among The Hooligans I recognized his ability being the one with the most technique.

Q: In the past, even in magazine coverage, Sugiura made the remark that he had approval for KAZMA.

SUGIURA: He didn't have anything in The Hooligans, there was no message, and he couldn't control the match.

KAZMA: Although Sugiura was an enemy, its amazing that he was watching the matches while we were fighting. We fought again for a short time...but anyway, he is strong. The symbol of Noah may all be Marufuji, but the symbol of strength is Sugiura.

Q: After the match, Sugiura reached out to you.
SUGIURA: The match was good, I wasn't trying to form a tag. The suspicious person (NOSAWA) was taking his time to leave, and it felt for a while like I was going to form a unit with three people (wry smile). Well, that seemed to be the way it was going.

Q: It was KAZMA who bought in NOSAWA.
KAZMA: That's right. We have teamed up before, and I bought him in to help as I am indebted to him in various ways.

Q: I think that many people thought that it would be a tough match due to NOSAWA'S intervention when he appeared as a second, but as a result, there was no intervention and the match was fair.
KAZMA: That's right. This was a man on man match, I said not to take a hand in it.

Q: Sugiura, do you feel that you are not at the stage of teaming with NOSAWA?
SUGIURA: Its because I'm normally paired with him in matches on this tour (wry smile). We are already tagging. The rest is up to whether you can trust someone in a match. I am not going to say that I don't want to put together a tag, as it feels like now I am already doing it.

Q: KAZMA, how did you feel after making a tag with Sugiura?
KAZMA: After the match, I was shut down and in a daze, but it was probably because he acknowledged me and offered me his hand. (Note: next part does not translate well, but I think he says something like Sugiura reached out, but he was too dazed to feel it). As I said backstage , if you can't beat Takashi Sugiura, join him. Until now, I felt strongly that I should rely on other freelancers, but if your adversaries are stronger than you, it is better to join their side than to fight them...but I thought it was a good thing to be wrapped with something so strong.

Q: I see. So at this time, you have decided to enter "GLOBAL TAG LEAGUE 2019".
SUGIURA: We have already tagged together, and get results. We will come away with the victory.
KAZMA: Of course we aim to win, but there is no time to rest now with these teams, no matter what the team, but I don't think that I should leave everything to Sugiura, I have to think hard for myself, I feel that wasn't formerly in place.

Q: The former Hooligans, Maybach Taniguchi and Yuji Hino will also enter the league, with regards to this, no comment has been made.
KAZMA: There is not really anything in particular to say. I think that they will be good in a tag, they are powerful adversaries, and they have also entered the league. However, I thought that Taniguchi could do something better and while there is potential he has to do it properly, or else he will be trapped by Hino and it will become a team only for Hino.

Q: And Nagai will team with the "Revolutionary Cloak Hero", Atsushi Kotoge
KAZMA: Hmmm...well, why not? The Hooligans have broken up, and I think it would have been nice to combine with the other members. However, Nagai says that "playing house*". I don't really think that there is reason for him to partner with "The Revolutionary Cloak Hero". I confess that these words might come back as a boomerang when I see it.

Q: What was your impression of your first tag in Toyonaka on the 20th March?
SUGIURA: What did you see?
Q: You looked so natural, I didn't think it was your first tag.
SUGIURA: That's right.
Q: It was fresh (rest does not translate)
KAZMA: It is fresh, because there is a variation. We don't tag together, and it is being seen properly.

Q: I was also quite surprised that Sugiura did an attack and tried it with the voice of KAZMA.*
SUGIURA (laughs): Well, I am looking forward to trying various things.

Q: Finally, please give a comment to the fans who are looking forward to "Global Tag League 2019".
SUGIURA: This is the first time that he has been my partner, and is a very different type to anyone else I have ever partnered with. I am looking forward to it, and I want the fans to look forward to it too, so please watch us and support us.
KAZMA: No one, not myself or the customers, thought that KAZMA SAKAMOTO and Takashi Sugiura would ever form a tag. Things that could not ever be imagined are happening for the customers. After all, I don't think that it would be interesting if you could imagine what kind of professional wrestling this, I think it will be interesting...I will make it interesting!

Link to original article from Noah.co.jp
Image credit: Noah.co.jp

*Kind of a pretend play that an infant does, assigning people imaginary roles in a hierarchy.
*Sugiura imitated KAZMA'S shriek