(NOAH) Mutoh's Retirement Road, tag match against Tanahashi in round three: "I want to grab the secret of secrets", Tanahashi presents 38 roses.

Pro Wrestling DX

26th September 2022

*Hiroshi Tanahashi presents Keiji Mutoh with a bouquet of 38 roses, the same as the number of years he has been active"

MUTOH: Tanahashi! If you are going to give a bouquet of flowers, if it's a Muto-ism then drop it like Mayweather, who is a hot topic now. I'll pick it up (laughs)

TANAHASHI: Would it have been better?

MUTOH: That's right (laughs)

TANAHASHI: Well, I apologize (laughs) I'm sorry, I can't ad-lib yet. *Sits* Nice to meet you, I am Hiroshi Tanahashi, one of the best talents in one hundred years of New Japan Pro-Wrestling, thank you.

*The match card is announced*

TANAHASHI: I thought Mutoh would be active for the rest of his life, so when he announced his retirement, I felt shaken. He's been my favorite wrestler ever since I was a fan, and by chance, I joined New Japan Pro-Wrestling and became his attendant. When I was younger, he would take me to the gym and we would do weight training together. A long time ago when I spoke with Mutoh once, he told me that the maximum bench press is 190kg, and I aimed for that for a long time, lifting it once in 2014 or 2015. I may not have been able catch up with Mutoh in terms of my physique, athletic ability and splendor, but I could only catch up with him in the bench press. It doesn't really matter (forced smile). This time, one of Mutoh's Retirement Road matches, will have three New Japan Pro Wrestlers and so I would like to fight Mutoh for as long as possible, even if it is hust for one minute and one second. 

MUTOH:  Tanahashi, the bench press, I am definitely at a disadvantage because long hands are a disadvantage. 

TANAHASHI: That's true

MUTOH: Because you're shorter, it's the same 190kg but there is a little difference

TANAHASHI: No, there are differences, but you weigh more and I am lighter, so it's even. 

MUTOH: Is that so? Pro Wrestler Keiji Mutoh, born and raised in New Japan, actually before I retire I want to finally go to the New Japan ring again. However, New Japan is a highly competitive promotion, and I am thinking of having Tanahashi come to Noah's ring and have him assess Noah's Keiji Mutoh. After that by all means before I finally retire, I want to fight in New Japan. 

Q: Did you hear Mutoh's words? 

TANAHASHI: Yes. I understand that Mutoh treasures his memories of New Japan, and there is no doubt that he is a rare wrestler, the likes of whom has never been seen before, who has excited the entire pro wrestling world with New Japan and Noah. I will fight with all my strength, and I will do my best so that he can enter the New Japan ring. 

Q: What does a bouquet of 38 roses mean? 

TANAHASHI: It's love. I love Mutoh too much with a love derived from pro wrestling love, but I settled on roses. I put my heart into a thank you for your hard work for 38 years. 

Q: At the 30th October Ariaka event, cheers will be OK for the first time in two and a half years? 

MUTOH: Director Takeda was forced to say "Please a Mutoh call loose" (laughs) Even if you don't say that, I want to try and let loose during the match. I hope you can watch without worrying too much about what Director Takeda said. 

Q: What is your overall impression of the card? 

TANAHASHI: I will be teaming up with Makabe and Honma. Makabe has known Mutoh since he was in New Japan, and Honma has a connection with him from All Japan. From New Japan's perspective, I think it is three people who have had been linked in various ways or have gone with the flow.

MUTOH: The two people on my side are Marufuji and Inamura, who are very reliable. However, isn't Honma an opponent? Honma was my attendant after Tanahashi, and to be honest, I didn't understand what he was saying. How can you communicate properly?

TANAHASHI: Well, I gradually got used to listening to him when on tour every day. By listening repeatedly like speed learning, I can understand of about 60-70% of Honma's words. 

MUTOH: Then, I would love to take the remaining 30 and 40% to win the match. 

Q: You said that you wanted to come into contact with Mutoh even if it is just for one minute and one second, but what do you want to feel, and what do you want to learn? 

TANAHASHI: Well, it may be difficult to obtain something new in this career, but I believe that Mutoh has a secret of secrets in pro wrestling that he hasn't told anyone yet. When I encounter him in the match, I think I will have a sense of it, so I would like to grasp the nuances. 

Q: Is there anything Mutoh is going to bequeath to Tanahashi in this match? 

MUTOH: No, he calls it a "secret of secrets", but because I have been exposing it for the last 38 years, there isn't aren't any secrets. 

Q: This time, the retirement road has the name of Mutoh's theme music in the match title, but this time it is "Triumph". What do you think? 

TANAHASHI: It is a Triumph. During my fan era Holdout was really cool and I loved it, so when I was a freshman in college I went to see the 9th October Tokyo Dome event with my High School friends. When I thought that Keiji Mutoh was going to come out to Holdout in the main event, Triumph came. That's true, right? I remember that everyone couldn't even join in because of that. 

Q: Is is since Kobashi's retirement in May 2013 that you participated in Noah?

TANAHASHI: The situation is different from that time, and I don't think it's meant as a competition between promotions this time. I am thinking of livening things in a different way. 

Q: What is your current impression of Noah?

TANAHASHI: I have the impression that it revolves around Kiyomiya, so in terms of the situation I think it's great. I also think it is amazing that Mutoh has had a big influence on Kiyomiya's position.

Translated from Pro Wrestling DX

Picture credit: Pro Wrestling DX

GIF taken from Noah Official YouTube