Close up feature with Noah's new foreign wrestler! The British expectation ~ interview with Chris Ridgeway
Weekly Pro
June 2019
Q: How did you enter wrestling?
CHRIS: I was about six or seven years old, and I started watching WWF (now "WWE") on TV with my mother. I always liked it. After graduating from school, I went to a local professional wrestling school, but the level was not very high. So I quit, and went to one that was a little further away.
Q: When did you discover that there was a Pro Wrestling promotion in the UK?
CHRIS: About a week before going to the first professional wrestling school (laughs), at that time Pro Wrestling was out of fashion.
Q: About 2010?
CHRIS: So, regarding Pro Wrestling in the UK then, it was mainly WWE.
Q: Who were you trained by?
CHRIS: Johnny Moss, and also by Robbie Brookside, both are now in WWE. He is now a coach. It was a very good school. I went to other schools to practice too.
Q: Looking at the official profile, your debut match is May 16th 2014.
CHRIS: It was just before I was 21 years old, but two years had passed since I started practicing in earnest. Before that I had a pre-debut, where I have something like practice matches. By then, wrestling was not just WWE, and there were a lot of small promotions in the UK, and I knew it was very popular in Japan.
Q: What kind of style did you go for when you debuted?
CHRIS: Johnny Moss told me to "Watch matches of different wrestlers in various promotions", and I was interested particularly in Daniel Bryan. I wanted to do the joint technique style that he was using.
Q: Which wrestler did you like when you watched WWE?
CHRIS: Eddie Guerrero, Chris Jericho, Dean Malenko...all the technical wrestlers (laughs).
Q: When did you start to become a professional wrestler in earnest?
CHRIS: I was around sixteen years old. Until then I had been doing wrestling while working, and it was around that time I decided to turn professional.
Q: Why is that?
CHRIS: It didn't feel right sitting and working. If that didn't work, then I could find another. One of the reasons I moved to the big city was because I wanted to wrestle, and the increased choices for matches was another reason.
Q: You have a lot of martial arts experience, including kickboxing, freestyle wrestling, and karate.
CHRIS: I did karate for about five years since I was ten. I went to the local neighborhood dojo to study kickboxing and wrestling when school ended. At that time I had the feeling that I wanted to change my physique for Pro Wrestling.
Question doesn't really translate but roughly its about understanding Japanese fans and seeking advice from other wrestlers.
CHRIS: Before my debut battle, Chris Brooks was in DDT, and I have often fought Drew Parker before, who is also in Japan. I think I have been wrestling with most of the wrestlers in the UK. Zac Sabre Jnr and Will Ospreay since last year.
Q: You have won two singles
CHRIS: I was happy to win (laughs). The British wrestlers are proud that we are active all over the world. The path has opened, and its inspiring. I have long said that I want to go to Noah.
Q: Their great efforts being them closer to English and Japanese professional wrestling.
CHRIS: I wanted to go to Japan since I became a professional wrestler, but I didn't know what to do. There are some UK wrestlers who want to go to Japan, but they don't know how or where to get the chance. However, with Zac and Ospreay busy, they disappear from British Wrestling, and wrestlers are needed who can play their roles.
Q: Looking at your achievements in the UK so far, there is a feeling that the baton has been passed from Zack and Ospreay?
CHRIS: I thought that if I could achieve the same success as them, then I could get the chance. For me they are guides. If you have the opportunity to attend the same events, they will give you advice on Japan. I was told by Zac that it was a good idea to watch Ogawa's matches closely.
Q: Currently your style is mainly based on strikes and submissions, how did you settle on that?
CHRIS: First I fought in textbook style, or how I was taught, however after about two years I decided to think for myself in the match and refer to advice.
Q: In particular, who influenced you?
CHRIS: Dean Allmark
Q: An experienced British wrestler, who has experience in Japan with places like WRESTLE-1 etc.
CHRIS: Yeah. After I got the advice from him to, "it's better to do exactly what you want", I started thinking about how I did my matches.
Q: Do you have a friendship with Doug Williams?
CHRIS: We have had a match and from then on have been speaking a little. He contacted me after I came to Japan and gave me advice.
Q: How did you come to Noah?
CHRIS: Last June I had a singles match against Kenoh in England, and from there the chance came as in September I was in the same event as Marufuji (Naomichi) at the PW tournament in January of this year. With RATELS in the UK, I finally realized my dream of visiting Japan for the first time in Junior Tag League. I wanted to come to Noah, so its great.
Q: Not New Japan (laughs)
CHRIS: I have alway said that I wanted to go to Noah (laughs). Certainly everyone is going to New Japan, but I really liked Noah, the first Japanese match I saw was Noah, and I wanted to go to the promotion some day.
Q: Whar was the first Japanese match you saw?
CHRIS: Johnny Moss showed me KENTA vs Brian. I think it was for the GHC Junior championship. I also watched KENTA vs Marufuji. They were really good matches.
Q: It has been a month since you came to Japan.
CHRIS: Initially, apart from being away from family and friends as it was like coming to the other side of the earth, there was the language barrier, but as you wrestle, you get used to it. There is no problem at all.
Q: You will stay in Japan after 13th in Osaka, as your participation has been arranged.
CHRIS: I'm so happy. I live in the Noah dojo, practice together with everyone, and I can practice there any time I want. Chanko is delicious.
Q: Like Zac and TMDK (Mikey Nichols and Shane Haste), it feels like you will be staying for a while.
CHRIS: Yes yes. It is very motivating for me to practice together with the great wrestlers. There are many great wrestlers in the UK, but Noah has many of the best in the world.
Q: How is the travelling?
CHRIS: I'm enjoying it. In England you get yourself to the venue, and so the Japanese traveling style is very comfortable (laughs). The food is also better than in the UK. I didn't drink alcohol when I was in the UK, but living in Japan I have started drinking a little. Strong Zero is delicious.
Q: On the 13th July you joined Ogawa and Kotaro in STINGER?
CHRIS: I think that by fighting together with them there are many things to learn that will expand the range. The two have certain techniques that have been passed down in the Japanese professional wrestling world.
Q: On the 27th June you will enter B Block at Korakuen Hall for Global Junior League?
CHRIS: I am looking forward to all the official matches. I am in the same block as Kumano (Hitoshi), who I tagged with in Junior Tag League. He helped me a lot. But I know him well, and I think I can win if I face him.
Q: Are there any matches you are worried about?
CHRIS: The match with Kotaro. I've always been a fan, and he is a member of STINGER. I am looking forward to seeing what it will be like.
Q: What do you want to show in the matches?
CHRIS: I'm good at countering, that is what I want people to pay attention to, I will show you what I can do.
Q: What is your current goal?
CHRIS: Winning Junior League. If I win, I will be able to challenge for the GHC Junior. I would like to attain my goals, and one day become the junior champion.
Article translated from Weekly Pro (June 2019)
Picture credit: Weekly Pro
Q: Looking at your achievements in the UK so far, there is a feeling that the baton has been passed from Zack and Ospreay?
CHRIS: I thought that if I could achieve the same success as them, then I could get the chance. For me they are guides. If you have the opportunity to attend the same events, they will give you advice on Japan. I was told by Zac that it was a good idea to watch Ogawa's matches closely.
Q: Currently your style is mainly based on strikes and submissions, how did you settle on that?
CHRIS: First I fought in textbook style, or how I was taught, however after about two years I decided to think for myself in the match and refer to advice.
Q: In particular, who influenced you?
CHRIS: Dean Allmark
Q: An experienced British wrestler, who has experience in Japan with places like WRESTLE-1 etc.
CHRIS: Yeah. After I got the advice from him to, "it's better to do exactly what you want", I started thinking about how I did my matches.
Q: Do you have a friendship with Doug Williams?
CHRIS: We have had a match and from then on have been speaking a little. He contacted me after I came to Japan and gave me advice.
Q: How did you come to Noah?
CHRIS: Last June I had a singles match against Kenoh in England, and from there the chance came as in September I was in the same event as Marufuji (Naomichi) at the PW tournament in January of this year. With RATELS in the UK, I finally realized my dream of visiting Japan for the first time in Junior Tag League. I wanted to come to Noah, so its great.
Q: Not New Japan (laughs)
CHRIS: I have alway said that I wanted to go to Noah (laughs). Certainly everyone is going to New Japan, but I really liked Noah, the first Japanese match I saw was Noah, and I wanted to go to the promotion some day.
Q: Whar was the first Japanese match you saw?
CHRIS: Johnny Moss showed me KENTA vs Brian. I think it was for the GHC Junior championship. I also watched KENTA vs Marufuji. They were really good matches.
Q: It has been a month since you came to Japan.
CHRIS: Initially, apart from being away from family and friends as it was like coming to the other side of the earth, there was the language barrier, but as you wrestle, you get used to it. There is no problem at all.
Q: You will stay in Japan after 13th in Osaka, as your participation has been arranged.
CHRIS: I'm so happy. I live in the Noah dojo, practice together with everyone, and I can practice there any time I want. Chanko is delicious.
Q: Like Zac and TMDK (Mikey Nichols and Shane Haste), it feels like you will be staying for a while.
CHRIS: Yes yes. It is very motivating for me to practice together with the great wrestlers. There are many great wrestlers in the UK, but Noah has many of the best in the world.
Q: How is the travelling?
CHRIS: I'm enjoying it. In England you get yourself to the venue, and so the Japanese traveling style is very comfortable (laughs). The food is also better than in the UK. I didn't drink alcohol when I was in the UK, but living in Japan I have started drinking a little. Strong Zero is delicious.
Q: On the 13th July you joined Ogawa and Kotaro in STINGER?
CHRIS: I think that by fighting together with them there are many things to learn that will expand the range. The two have certain techniques that have been passed down in the Japanese professional wrestling world.
Q: On the 27th June you will enter B Block at Korakuen Hall for Global Junior League?
CHRIS: I am looking forward to all the official matches. I am in the same block as Kumano (Hitoshi), who I tagged with in Junior Tag League. He helped me a lot. But I know him well, and I think I can win if I face him.
Q: Are there any matches you are worried about?
CHRIS: The match with Kotaro. I've always been a fan, and he is a member of STINGER. I am looking forward to seeing what it will be like.
Q: What do you want to show in the matches?
CHRIS: I'm good at countering, that is what I want people to pay attention to, I will show you what I can do.
Q: What is your current goal?
CHRIS: Winning Junior League. If I win, I will be able to challenge for the GHC Junior. I would like to attain my goals, and one day become the junior champion.
Article translated from Weekly Pro (June 2019)
Picture credit: Weekly Pro
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