(NOAH) "On New Years Day go to The Budokan instead of the first New Year's shrine visit" - Keiji Mutoh talks the 2022 New Year's Day Budokan event
17th August 2021
On August 15th at their Culttz Kawasaki event, Pro Wrestling Noah revealed that their "Noah's Big New Announcement", was the decision to run the Nippon Budokan on January 1st next year. The Great Muta, who was originally scheduled to participate had to self isolate due to being in suspected close contact with a person infected with Coronavirus, and although his PCR test was negative he had to miss the event. Keiji Mutoh, who learned this information a few days ago, talked about the "New Year's Day Budokan matches".
Q: Mutoh-san, have you heard the contents of "Noah's Big New Announcement"?
MUTOH: I heard it earlier. I think it's great to hold a big match at the special venue called the Nippon Budokan at the first day of the year, New Year's Day. I am worried about what will be happening with Corona around that time, it's so widespread now and the number of new positives continues to reach record highs.
Q: The Budokan event on February 12th this year was held with a limited number of spectators, it is unknown as to how many will be able to enter on January 1st next year.
MUTOH: It is the same everywhere. Being able to set one big goal, even in such a difficult time will be an encouragement for the wrestlers and an opportunity for the promotion to come together. Isn't the Nippon Budokan on New Year's Day good? I'm already motivated.
Q: You said you have already begun to look at The Budokan on New Year's Day.
MUTOH: At the last Budokan, I was in the main event as the GHC Heavyweight Champion, and now I have dropped the belt. It is also in a wrestler's nature to want to wrestle big matches in a position that attracts attention. That is why I want to bring everything to the peak on the day having kept my motivation for four and a half months with the goal of wrestling at The Budokan on New Year's Day. However, for the time being I am aiming for the N-1 VICTORY. To win, I need to win three league matches and two finals. It is also a challenge to myself.
Q: The N-1 Winner will fight GHC Champion, Naomichi Marufuji at the EDION Arena in Osaka on the 10th October. Beyond that, there is the Budokan on New Year's Day, so there is a big flow to the second half of the year.
MUTOH: It's hard for entertainment companies to do this in an uncertain future, but Noah is in the updraft right now, and it's certainly a good atmosphere. At such a time I don't think that trials are trials. Also, Noah has the strength of having the circumstances of distribution such as ABEMA and WrestleUniverse. This is just my personal opinion, but I wonder if the current terrestrial commercial TV is not so stimulating, and so it may be the age of internet media. In the olden days, the whole family would have watched a variety show on terrestrial broadcasting on New Year's Day, but now its different for each individual.
Q: Therefore, the afternoon and the evening of New Year's Day may be a very easy time to watch.
MUTOH: So, if Corona has converged to some extent I want everyone to come to The Budokan instead of visiting a shrine*. The Yasukuni Shrine is in the immediate vicinity, so you can walk to The Budokan if you want to go for your first shrine visit.
Q: I think that New Japan will be holding their Tokyo Dome event a few days later, are you aware of that?
MUTOH: Well, it can't be helped to be aware of other areas. I don't know if there will be a lot of customers, but if you ask me what I want now with almost half a year left then I want somehow for Corona to calm down, a good foreign wrestler is invited. I want to do it grandly.
Q: Indeed, if it is a big match of Budokan class, it would be nice to have a foreign wrestler.
MUTOH: No one has been invited for a while, so I think it will be really fresh. Over the past few years, with little interaction with foreign countries, it may be that something like "a powerhouse that hasn't been seen yet" is born. I think there are some excellent wrestlers who want to come to a Japanese ring.
Q: I think there are wrestlers who are hungry for matches.
MUTOH: There will be a lot. WWE continues with no spectators, and American house shows have been cancelled across the board. I have also had a couple of matches overseas cancelled.
Q: Then next year, you want to do it globally, which includes overseas?
MUTOH: This will lead to Noah's development. Right now overseas is being distributed to through WrestleUniverse, but I think it would be great if there was a foreign wrestler so that people overseas will watch more. I hope that the next Budokan will be an opportunity for Noah to develop more globally. There are so many pro wrestling fans overseas, and when you come to Japan for sightseeing, you can take a break on the New Year's holiday, and I think there will be people who will come and watch Noah at The Budokan on the 1st and go to The Dome on the 4th.
Q: Indeed, before Corona there were a lot of foreign fans who were aiming to go to the Tokyo Dome event, therefore it can be said that the year-end and the New Year holidays will be a ladder* for various promotions. It is becoming more like WrestleMania week.
MUTOH: So, if New Year's Day at The Budokan is well established, then I think it will have a great effect on the Japanese pro wrestling world. In order to make the Budokan on January 1st next year a success and make it a regular event. Truly, continuation is power, and I think even for New Japan the 4th January Tokyo Dome events were difficult for New Japan in the 2000s, and they still prosperous now. In order to do that, I want to make it so that "Speaking of New Year's Day is Noah at The Budokan". I want to make it something that will take root.
*Hatsumōde is the first Buddhist temple or Shinto shrine visit of the Japanese New Year. People pray for the coming year.
*Ladder means that fans go from one show to another right (or soon) afterwards.
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