(NOAH) Simon Gotch provokes with "destruction of a Funaki figure" - GHC National signing ceremony

Pro Wrestling DX
27th April 2022

GOTCH takes out a figure of Masakatsu Funaki, holds it up and then throws it down and hits it and then says, "This is a comment!"


FUNAKI: I'm not a doll, so do it once I come. 
Q: What is your impression of Funaki? 
GOTCH: Funaki is a very high level high skilled wrestler, but I am also a high level high skilled wrestler, and I will show that in the match. 
Q: Gotch's name was borrowed from your teacher, Karl Gotch? 
FUNAKI: When I first heard the name of this wrestler, Gotch-san was the first thing that came to my mind. It's been fifteen years since he died, but the moment I heard "Gotch", it was tough, painful and frightening. Gotch for me is all about those three words, and that feeling revived in an instant. At the time when Gotch-san died, my memories were faint, but just hearing the name "Gotch" bought me back to the old days in an instant. Tough, painful and scary. Those three words. I learned a lot from Gotch-san on how to train my body, which I still feel remains, so I want to continue to live as that asset. When I heard "Gotch" for the first time in five years, I remembered Gotch-san and my spine tightened. In that sense, I want to fight this match as if Gotch-san was watching. 
GOTCH: I learned toughness from Josh Barnett. I learned pain from Normal Smiley. I learned fear from Jake Shannon*. So I know it well. Funaki becomes a monster when he goes to the ring. You can see that from watching him in both Pancrase and pro wrestling. When I go to the ring this weekend, I will fight with the feeling of dying. 
Q: Have you ever seen Gotch's matches? 
FUNAKI: I watched him on YouTube, but probably he will be coming this time in a completely different style, so it wasn't very helpful.
Q: What is your impression of Noah? Your first match is a suddenly a title match? 
GOTCH: I do not like to do anything small. In Noah's ring, a great wrestler like Funaki is my opponent, and there is no loss. It is a great honor to be in Noah's ring. 
Q: Kenoh said on YouTube, "I want you to win without showing any merits in Simon Gotch"
FUNAKI: In style I always try and challenge myself with the same stance, but this time it is more like a competition than that. It seems that my opponent intends to arrive with a collision of technique and state of mind, so I want to fight the match while reacting to the opponent without being aware of how many minutes the match will end in. So, I am not going to be aware of time at all. 


*This reminds me of Naomichi Marufuji who said that in the All Japan dojo, it was Toshiaki Kawada who taught fear. Marufuji remains terrified of him.

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