(NOAH) "A big goal and a role model" Naomichi Marufuji who returns after two months, talks about Keiji Mutoh

4th August 2022
Tokyo Sports

Noah's Naomichi Marufuji (42), who will return for the first time in about two months at the the Tokyo Korakuen Hall event on the 5th, talked about his thoughts on Keiji Mutoh (59), who announced his retirement during his absence. In his return match, he will team with Go Shiozaki and Takashi Sugiura, and clash with Satoshi Kojima, Masato Tanaka and Daiki Inaba. He has been out since May 30th due to a knee injury. Inflammation was occurring, and he said that he was in no condition to wrestle. Currently, he is still injecting hyaluronic acid once a week. Nevertheless, having battled injuries in both knees for twenty years, he used his initiative when he decided to return, "I think the best condition is to let it recover naturally. Is it okay to return? I make decisions like going to a convenience store (laughs)"

Meanwhile, Mutoh announced his retirement by next spring at the CyberFight Festival on June 12th when he himself was absent. Mutoh has been burdened with a recurring condition in his knee for many years, Marufuji said "I know Mutoh-san's condition, and I can only thank him for continuing to fight. I haven't been given any particular advice about knees, but continuing until the age of sixty is a big goal and he's a role model." In addition, regarding Mutoh's retirement road, which has already begun he said, "Do I want to encounter him one more time? In any form. Over a drink, even if I can't have a match". 

Of course, he himself has no intention of getting old either. Looking at the future he says enthusiastically, "I don't have time to be idle, so I want to go abroad as a Noah wrestler, I hope I can become a force that makes Noah bigger. I am just saying beautiful things, but I am going to aim for the belt."

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