(NOAH) "Even older than Namihei Isono...you can have a dream if you take action" 12th February, Nippon Budokan...The challenge of the 58 year old Keiji Mutoh
23rd December 2020
Yahoo.co.jp\Sports Hochi
Mutoh did not feel that he was getting older on his 58th birthday. He did not need to look back on the past, and right now, he is looking at the future of capturing the GHC. "As long as I am a wrestler, I don't want to be comfortable at any age, it's better to live a stimulating life. If a title challenge is decided on, then the routine practice will be strengthened. As long as I am active, I can always have an aim, which is good." The challenge to the champion, Go Shiozaki, was made in Yoyogi 2nd Gymnasium on December 6th. He told the champion, who had just defeated Takashi Sugiura and achieved his 6th defense, "I may be a little old aged, but I can dream. Please let me follow my dream; let me challenge at the Nippon Budokan for the belt". The champion accepted with, "I will take any challenge at any time. I am Noah".
The title match has been arranged for February 12th next year, at the Nippon Budokan which Noah will hold for the first time in about eleven years. If he wins, he will ascend to the highest peak of the three groups, and be the third person in history to follow Kensuke Sasaki and Yoshihiro Takayama with the IWGP of New Japan and the Triple Crown of All Japan. Furthermore, should he capture the belt at 58 years and 1 month, in the history of the GHC where Mitsuharu Misawa became the first champion at the Ariake Colosseum on April 15th 2001, he will be the oldest champion who greatly exceeds Takashi Sugiura, who at 47 years old and 10 months, defeated Kenoh at the Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium on March 11th 2018.
Including the incarnation, "The Great Muta", from the time of the "Showa Era", Mutoh has been by far the best wrestler in the world who is still a main eventer in the "Reiwa Era". He is 58 years and not settled down into the past, while leaving behind many "Works".
How does he perceive the challenge?
"Sazae's Isono Namihei, who I thought was such an old man when I was little, is 54 years old (laughs). I have surpassed that now. Recently, Tsuyoshi Shinjo had a try out and became a hot topic, but he's still ten years younger than me. But age is a hard thing. When asked if it's a plus or a minus, I make it a minus. Even if I do a bench press I don't rise like I did three years ago. Immediately after the surgery on both knees (in March 2018), I was worried about whether it would be possible to walk. I have a pain my shoulder these days, and I sometimes think that its because of my age that my shoulder hurts. As the same time as getting older, I get slower than I was when I was younger, so the fight against it is very tough. In short, it's a fight against myself."
His facial expression changed to a bitter smile after such complaints.
"But, as I said in the ring, I feel like I can act on a dream, even when old. Everyone else can, too. Even now in Corona, the elderly are told, "You guys shouldn't do it". This isn't Ubasuteyama*. No matter how old you are, I think it's okay to dream. This is my true intention."
However, there are voices of pros and cons about Mutoh's challenge on social media. The reality is that there are more "no" opinions than "yes".
"There are pros and cons to my challenge. On the other hand, if I didn't take my turn, then there wouldn't have been one, and my turn would have ended. Therefore, it's better to be criticized with those pros and cons. I don't even know what will happen if it is evaluated. However, even if there are criticism, then I think it is better to be evaluated or criticized. I think it is better than zero without doing anything. Certainly, I have troubles. If I was brave to do something like this, wouldn't it be a regression for the wrestling world? Anyway, I could be told that being 58 years old and still wrestling is negative for the pro wrestling world, but troubles are conflicts that occur only when you are worried. It's not bad to worry. Because I feel alive, I will try to overturn such troubles and criticisms. I will suck it all in and turn it into energy. At present, I feel rebellious."
While rebelling against criticism, he has an an amount of pride in the history he has cultivated so far. His track record of reaching the top in Japan and the United States for 36 years since his debut on October 5th in 1984, is historically unrivaled by other wrestlers in Japan. For Noah, at the Nippon Budokan, he will take on the challenge of returning to the "sacred place" for the first time in 11 years, he arrived at this ring because "Keiji Mutoh" is a unique brand.
"It's the credibility that I'm making many works with a feeling for fans. If there weren't many, then I don't think it would be credible. Plus, Noah's last event was even broadcast to foreign countries while watching from ringside with gaijin doing live commentary. Putting it all together, I wonder if I have been selected as my name is so popular overseas."
Mutoh has made a mark in Noah's ring for the past year. He fought the former GHC champion Kaito Kiyomiya, and defeated him at the Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium on August 10th. In addition, he defeared central wrestler, Shuhei Taniguchi, at the Yokohama Budokan event on November 22nd. He has defeated the main wrestlers who support Noah in a row.
"However, there are conflicts with younger wrestlers. But it's not Kiyomiya or Taniguchi, but myself. What that means is that I am looking at myself through Kiyomiya or Taniguchi. During the match I was thinking, "How is it? Can you beat the Keiji Mutoh of five years ago?" or "How different was Keiji Mutoh from ten years ago?" I am assessing, and so repeating such conflicts within myself. However, the matches with Kiyomiya and Taniguchi were not bad matches for me, and I don't feel as if I am defeated by youth. I feel such achievements have been highly evaluated. However, Kiyomiya has young fans, and no matter how hard I try, girls don't squeal", Mutoh said with a laugh.
He has proved that his generation is as good as the young wrestlers.
On the other hand, for Mutoh, who takes pride in himself, was the phrase "old age" he used to the 20 years younger Shiozaki in Yoyogi really true?
"I am serious. I am aware of it. I am aware of when I practice every day, my shoulders hurt and I can't recover." He added after a pause, "However, the point is being a little humble. In regards to Noah fans, I am just keeping a low profile, and choosing an easy way to enter. I am not a heel, so you can't say "This bastard! Noah fan! Damn it!"
It wasn't his true intention to say that he was old, but by exposing the weak part of "old age" to the audience, he is aiming for a big reversal.
"It's better to show this low. There are pros and cons to this challenge, but there are fans who have followed me to support me. Plus, I want people of the same age to support me."
*Namihei Isono is an old man character from a manga called "Sazae", which is about a family in Tokyo set from the end of World War II through to Japan's economic growth. The character, Namihei Isono, is 54 years old, so younger than Keiji Mutoh.
*Tsuyoshi Shinjo is a retired baseball player who announced at the age of 48 that he was returning to active duty, although he has since retired.
*Ubasuteyama is a folk tale about how elderly people who could no longer work, where left in the mountains to die.
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