(NOAH) "I want to become white ash" Keiji Mutoh's retirement stage will be 21st February at the Tokyo Dome, "Public persuasion" Chono will also go to his retirement match.
7th September 2022
MUTOH: Being able to retire at The Tokyo Dome is a great blessing for wrestlers, and I am very happy. I think it's all thanks to Noah, the promotion led by Director Takeda. Thank you very much. The young people of today may not realize it, but when I was a kid, I loved the manga "Ashita No Joe". In the final episode, Joe bursts into flames in the ring, and turns into white ash. Reality and manga may be different, but pro wrestler Keiji Mutoh, like Joe, I want to give everything I have and eventually become white ashes in the end. I look like Danpei Tange*, sorry about that.
Q: Why did you chose Tokyo Dome as the stage?
TAKEDA: Firstly, it is the most appropriate venue to send off Keiji Mutoh who is immortal in the pro wrestling world. While discussing this with Mutoh I came up with the proposal. Ultimately, what made me want to do it at The Dome was when I saw the match between Tenshin and Takeru* in June. I felt that I had to take on the challenge of an event similar to that, and in a space unbeatable in pro wrestling. I felt that I should take on the challenge of an event similar to that one, so I enquired at the venue and we will be able to hold it on February 21st.
Q: The broadcast medium is undecided, but is there an expectation?
TAKEDA: Expectation? Regarding media or broadcasting?
MUTOH: I had a conversation with Takeru the other day, and he said that the PPV made a lot of money. I think it will be profitable (laughs). I have to aim for that.
TAKEDA: I will consider it.
Q: This will be Noah's first Tokyo Dome event in 18 years.
TAKEDA: I don't think it's going to be an event where all of Noah's wrestlers will appear. Going from Mutoh's career, I think that various groups will come out in a Pro Wrestling All Stars format.
Q: Are there any wrestlers you'd like to see competing at this point?
MUTOH: Personally, I want many wrestlers to appear, but I'm surprisingly hated. I can't seem to get a good answer, but I would like to try.
Q: Do you want to have relevant wrestlers involved?
MUTOH: There are students in various promotions now, who grew up under my supervision. I really want to call out to everyone, but like I said earlier, I don't know if I will get a good answer.
Q: Do you want to invite overseas wrestlers?
MUTOH: How about that? I don't know, there are no people of the same generation as me as overseas wrestlers. Even if I want to call, and even if I do, it's not good that I don't know what to expect.
Q: What is your impression of Tokyo Dome?
MUTOH: I have only ever been involved with the Tokyo Dome through pro wrestling, and it's probably the match against Nobuhiko Takada on October 9th 1995 at The Tokyo Dome that left an impression on me. I heard from Tatsunori Hara* that October 8th was probably his retirement match, and that he came to ringside to watch.
Q: The opponent for your retirement match has not yet been announced, is there any expectation?
MUTOH: There are probably several candidates, and then discussion is necessary, and from my point of view, the next guest is also one of the candidates. Look forward to it!
MASAHIRO CHONO APPEARS
CHONO: Mutoh-san, thank you for your hard work for so long. Just now, isn't this Noah's first time in eighteen years? For events at The Tokyo Dome, Noah and New Japan have always been rivals, but considering the pro wrestling industry, I think it's really wonderful that they are advancing to The Dome. It's Mutoh's retirement match, and as he is really a wrestler who represents our Three Musketeers generation, so it's colorful here. On the contrary, I believe that Mutoh will be able to use this as an opportunity to attract new wrestling fans.
MUTOH: What are you doing on the day?
CHONO: Actually, since last year, or rather this year, Mutoh has said to me several times, "Let's retire together". I had surgery on my lower back at the end of last year, and I am still in rehab. I probably won't make it in time for February.
MUTOH (wry smile): What are you going to do on that day?
CHONO: Accordingly, commentary. The point is to support Mutoh skillfully with words. Perhaps on that day, I will call Mutoh a thousand times from the commentary seat, and probably never saw the opponent's name.
MUTOH: Just now, I was surprised when I heard about the ticket options and prices, it's a little expensive. If they don't sell, you should retire.
CHONO (laughs): Ah, but what if the ticket growth is bad? If it's bad, I'll be forced to retire, so I am afraid I will have to contribute to the publicity. That's right, there is danger in bargaining, so please come to The Tokyo Dome. Got a date?
MUTOH: February 21st
CHONO: February 21st. I really didn't think that we would be able to do this together for so long, especially the fighting spirit of The Three Musketeers, and Hashimoto who passed away so early. I didn't think we would be able to do it for long. Mutoh was also actually had a knee injury early on, so I thought he would be the first to retire. I think it's really amazing that in your recent match, you were on par with the active wrestlers, or even better than that. I don't know how many matches you will be able to have from now on, but I guess you will have one match at a time. I think that it will be a match that will go down in the history of pro wrestling. Even within our generation, Mutoh often says that pro wrestling matches are a work of art, however, wrestlers who can assemble that are disappearing.
MUTOH: Chono, I will put it together for you. The debut match, it was just the two of us, wasn't it? Because I'm good at building retirement matches too, I won't give up until the end.
CHONO: I walked about 20 meters from here for the press conference without a cane, and that's all I can do yet.
MUTOH: I'll push the wheelchair to the ring.
CHONO (wry smile): But, it figures that if Mutoh announces his retirement, many wrestlers would want to participate. I think there are a lot of young wrestlers who fight with the feeling that they want to be giant killers at the end, but now it's not just knees, it's something else, so I don't think it may be possible to maintain properly until February 21st or not. Please be careful with your body.
Q: You say you won't give up on a retirement match with Mutoh?
MUTOH: I haven't had a wrestler with both a debut and a retirement match, and I still have a few matches until retirement. Throughout the match, I will try to make Chono happy, get his adrenaline pumping, and try to get him as close to the ring as possible.
Q: You have been away from the ring for eight years, but have you heard of Mutoh's passion?
CHONO: Before the press conference, Takeda, who greeted us in the waiting room, was really nervous. I wondered what he was nervous about, but I was worried was that the point here was to basically fuck me. They said "nothing", and it would have been a problem if they had demanded something like this here. One of my goals is to return to the ring at my own pace.
MUTOH: Chono, I have an idea. Would you like to join me? In a tag match? I will do my best and work 90%.
CHONO: But I also have to do the relay commentary
MUTOH: Why don't you ask someone else?
CHONO: But, with you I don't know how far I could do as a partner, especially moving on an equal footing. I would be lying my side. I can't imagine it right now, but well, you'd be fucked (bitter smile).
Q: Are there any active wrestlers who are candidates?
MUTOH: No. That's a secret. Wait patiently for it.
Q: Looking back on the past, which match made the most impression on you?
MUTOH: The match against Nobuhiko Takada. However, I have fought many matches at the Tokyo Dome, and I have teamed up with Chono for the Hashimoto memorial match. There have been many memorable matches.
Q: When Mutoh retires, you will be the last of the Three Musketeers?
CHONO: It's rare for a pro wrestler to have a retirement ceremony or a match, and Mutoh will represent our generation. It's a rare case for a pro wrestler to have a retirement ceremony or match, and Mutoh will represent our generation. In my case, I am almost away from the ring, so I think there are roles that we have to play after that. I think there are many things to do, such as nurturing the next generation, and supporting the show from the side, I think there are all kinds of things, so I don't have anything in particular for myself.
Q: Chono, do you have any plans for a retirement match?
CHONO: No, I don't have that. In terms of pro wrestling, for example, fighting kicks and such techniques were representative, but my representative technique was slapped at the end of the year, so at that point, I wondered if I had slid out well.
Q: Are you thinking about a second career after retirement?
MUTOH: No, I haven't thought about it, but I am thinking of becoming a monk.
Q: What about being a member of parliament, a celebrity etc?
MUTOH: I can't stand up and give a speech because my knees and hips hurt.
Q: What are your thoughts on Mutoh's recent success since joining Noah?
CHONO: Mutoh has been the president of New Japan and All Japan, and has created many things, such as WRESTLE-1. So, when he joined Noah, I had the impression that his physical condition was a little bad, but his age was his age, and he decided to concentrate on being a pro wrestler. He is also thirty-eight years into his career. After 30 years, old wounds come out each year, and the question is how to maintain them and how to treat them. All wrestlers are like that, and so I was surprised as to how well he adjusted the things that I thought would not improve, and how well he wrestled last year. Fighting with pain in yourself, only you know the injury, and so even if it is some kind of knee, neck or lower back, Mutoh fought each day against the pain to practice and prepare for matches. He has been doing that for thirty-eight years. It's been two or three years since he joined Noah, and it's amazing for him just to have been there. Watching him, I thought this was a good way to adorn the end, or maybe it was a way to reach wrestlers by living a devoted life.
Q: Do you have a secret plan to persuade Chono?
MUTOH: Like I said earlier, through matches. I still have a few more matches to fight, so the only way is to have a match that will motivate Chono.
Q: Looking back on 38 years, what kind of pro wrestler was Mutoh for you?
CHONO: As Mutoh said earlier, we started on the same day. We knew each other through an acquaintance before then. Our debut was also on the same day. Our generation was probably only seven or eight people, and including the older seniors*, there should have been nearly ten wrestlers on the undercard. Among them, Mutoh was both a rival and a relationship like a brother. Mutoh was my big brother, not just to me, but to Hashimoto and all the other wrestlers. He was the eldest son so when something happened everyone was happy as he would support everyone if anything happened. He was like a friendly big brother, but in terms of relationships, he was always my rival. When it comes to a relationship with rivalry and other promotions, the relationship is broken and there is nothing but antagonism, but now he is retiring, there are not only juniors and seniors, but the wrestlers who are in the same period who are still active, but it is the eldest son, Mutoh, who is decorating the end. I think that's probably how I feel. When I heard that he was retiring, as the eldest son in the same generation, I once again feel that awareness that he is walking ahead of us.
Q: What do you want to show your students in this match?
MUTOH: I want do my best in everything that I can now. I can't do anything like I used to, but I want to have a match where I can do everything I can.
Q: What did you think when you first heard about his retirement?
CHONO: Recently, other than Choshu's YouTube, we used to meet here and there, but each time we met the situation was not good. Last year, I was having a lot of pain in my lower back. Anyway, wrestlers spend their days fighting in pain all the time, and I wanted to get rid of that pain as soon as possible, and as the pain was particularly bad for me, I decided to have surgery. As long as he is still active, considering his current career and age, if he spent half a year on treatment I think he was probably worried about not being able to return to his original condition. It's hard to judge such a big thing. But, this time I was worried that it would lead to a big injury, so I feel better about it. It's a pity, but when I think about the injury and his age, I feel like he did his best.
Q: What kind of retirement match would you like to show Shinya Hashimoto in heaven?
MUTOH: This time at the Tokyo Dome, a large scale retirement match will be held. Chono hasn't retired yet, and Hashimoto didn't get to fight a retirement match either, neither did President Misawa, the founder of Noah. Perhaps in that sense, I think it would be great if I could carry the significance for those people.
Notes
Danpei Tange: Bald boxing coach from "Ashita No Joe".
Tenshin and Takeru: Kickboxers
Tatsunori Hara: Former baseball player
Older seniors: This would equate to the Baba era in All Japan, as the Tenryu era would have been the equivalent of their immediate seniors.
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